We teach psychstats, but majors and transfers can also take a 4-credit stat
course taught in the math department. The difference between those who take
psychstats and mathstats is dramatic when it comes to performance in the
research methods classes I teach. As an example, last year in a class of 18
only 2 had psychstats, this year of 18 only 2 had math stats. On the same
review quiz given at the beginning of semester the class with psychstats
scored 15 points higher on average. Now admittedly this is a small sample
and time since taking stats plays a large role, but I think the use of
psychology examples throughout the class really helps psych students
understand and retain the material.
On the other hand it does take resources, we used to teach psychstats only
once a year and this created a bottleneck so now we are doing it each
semester but of course lost another possible course. We thought the trade
offs were worth it!
Dawn
At 08:22 AM 2/9/1999 -0500, you wrote:
>Dear Tipsters,
>
>Our college is in the process of considering whether to replace our
>undergrad stats class (currently taught in the math dept) with a biostats,
>psychstats, businessstats, etc.
>
>I'm wondering whether any of you are familiar with outcome research
>suggesting better student outcomes with discipline-specific stats courses
>than with a general stats course. This will involve a lot of changes and I
>want to make sure the outcomes would justify the effort and financial
>resources allocated.
>
>Also, if you have a psych stats course in your own program, how do you like
>it? How much do your majors seem to retain by the time they get to their
>research methods course(s)?
>
>Thanks in advance!
>
>Esther
>
>
>
>
>Esther Yoder Strahan, Ph.D.
>Assistant Professor of Psychology
>Heidelberg College
>310 E. Market St.
>Tiffin, OH 44883
>(419) 448-2238
>fax (419) 448-2236
>[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
Dawn G. Blasko Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Experimental Psychology
Penn State Erie, The Behrend College
Station Road
Erie, PA 16563-1501
phone: 814-898-6081
http://www.pserie.psu.edu/h&ss/psych/blasko.htm
