Statistics' Real-World Connections

Joann Montepare
Chair
Marketing Communication

"Statistics in action" is the essential phrase in Joanne Montepare's MT207 Statistics course. Through lectures and interactive lessons, Montepare shows students the important role statistics play in our everyday lives.

The "action" of statistics is woven into an interactive learning module on the course Web site. Developed through close collaboration between Montepare and the Instructional Technology Group, this interactive module uses common reference points to reinforce the ubiquity of statistics.

Upon accessing the course site, students see a representation of a corner of the Boston Common. This space can be explored by clicking on icons -- the Boylston T station, the Little Building, the Walker building, a billboard, a city bus, a taxi, a newspaper hawker, and a pedestrian. Each icon opens into a second scene that places students in a common locale, such as riding the T or relaxing in a dorm room. Clickable elements within each scene represent "statistics in action."

For example, clicking on the Boylston T stop icon (see image, below) brings the student into a subway car lined with advertising and passengers. Clicking on a passenger brings the student to a deeper scene that shows a specific statistics-related headline. Students are asked to analyze the headline via common statistical queries ("Were significant interactions included in the study?" or "Which groups were compared?"). Links to applicable studies and news articles allow students to go even deeper into the analysis process.

The design of the MT207 learning module uses multimedia elements to guide students along a path of discovery. When combined with in-class experiences and assignments, students in Montepare's class are exposed to the full range of "statistics in action."

For help adding interactivity to your course site, please contact the Instructional Technology Group at x8961.

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