Teaching an Advanced Methods Course to a Mixed Audience

Abstract

I recently introduced an advanced statistical methods course into our curriculum with a two-tiered prerequisite system – students were required to have taken either an introductory statistics course or Calculus II. As a result, this course served as a first course in statistics for some quantitatively strong students and a follow-up course for others. I used a case study approach to introduce and motivate ideas to students new to statistics while engaging and challenging students for whom some ideas were review. Given constraints on resources which exist at smaller schools, a data-centered course such as this offered a good first experience in statistics for math students, one which piqued their interest and set a solid foundation for further study. In addition, the mixed audience led to an intellectually exciting class atmosphere for all students in the class. A quantitative assessment of students' understanding of important statistical concepts is described to provide insight into whether or not students with no statistical experience can comprehend and apply basic ideas as well as if they had taken an introductory statistics class.