Case Study: Using COVID-19 Data in a Community-Engaged Elementary Statistics Class

Abstract

Because it utilizes a combination of high impact practices—a collaborative project, service learning, and undergraduate research—the use of a community-engaged framework within an undergraduate introductory statistics course can improve educational outcomes for distance learners. During the Fall of 2020, because the usual community-engaged approach of having students partner with a community organization to collect and analyze data was not feasible, we used a recently released dataset on coping mechanisms during the COVID-19 pandemic. Students participated in an analysis of those data in order to inform policy-making within the university regarding support for students during the pandemic. Similar outcomes in terms of improved understanding of and attitudes toward statistics were achieved through this approach as had been achieved through community-engaged projects in previous semesters. Moving to a distance learning format within the pandemic has required rethinking how these components of community-engaged learning can be preserved. This case study shows that similar learning outcomes can be achieved despite the limitations the pandemic places on learning.