Mathematics and Statistics faculty attend electronic conference and host regional dinner

Faculty from the Mathematics and Statistics Department attended the electronic Conference on Teaching Statistics (eCOTS) from May 21-25, 2018. 

The conference is held virtually in May of even-numbered years and is sponsored by the Consortium for the Advancement of Undergraduate Statistics Education (CAUSE). This year’s theme was “Data Science For All.” 

Faculty members Lisa Rosenberg, Ryne VanKrevelen, Kirstie Doehler and Laura Taylor gave a virtual poster presentation on “Efficacy of ‘The Islands’-based Projects Compared to Student-Collected Data Projects in Introductory Statistics Courses,” which can be viewed at https://www.causeweb.org/cause/ecots/ecots18/posters/2-06. 

This presentation marks the initial dissemination of their research study from Spring 2018 in the course STS 110: Introduction to Statistical Reasoning.  This study required students to complete one of the course projects by collecting data from a virtual world known as The Islands and one of the course projects to be completed using data collected by the students with real human subjects or objects. Their research looked at student learning outcomes and perceptions based on the two project approaches.

The department also received funding from CAUSE to host a Regional Dinner at Elon University in conjunction with eCOTS. Faculty from Elon University, Wake Technical Community College, N.C. State University, Alamance Community College, Davidson County Community College, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Guilford Technical Community College registered for the dinner.  Hollylynne Lee and graduate student Heather Barker from N.C. State University gave a talk on “Building Learning Opportunities for Future Statisticians and Data Scientists” at the dinner.  Participants were able to stream eCOTS sessions at the dinner and visit demonstration booths.