Facilitating Student Projects in Statistics

Facilitating Student Projects in StatisticsCAUSE Teaching and Learning Webinar December 14, 2010

Dianna Spence and Brad BaileyNorth Georgia College & State University

This work supported by grants NSF DUE-0633264 and NSF DUE-1021584

AgendaIntroduction and rationaleScope and types of projectsCollecting real-world dataCrafting meaningful research questionsSample student projectsStatistical research focal pointsEvaluating student workQuestions and discussion

Introduction and RationaleProjects involving Student-initiated inquiryStudent collection and organization of dataStudent analysis and interpretation of dataStudent reporting and presenting of results

Such projects areconsistently recommended in the literatureoften not implemented as part of instruction

Scope of ProjectsStudent tasks during projectIdentify research constructsDefine suitable variables, including how they can be quantified and measuredDesign research question Submit research proposal and obtain approvalCollect data Design unbiased data collection methodAddress sampling issuesAnalyze and interpret dataWrite a report on methods and resultsPresent research and findings to class

Types of ProjectsLinear regressionKey analysis tasks Find and interpretScatter plotr Prediction equationSlope in equationR2t-TestsDesigns1-sample2 dependent samples2 independent samplesKey analysis asksSelect appropriate designIdentify hypotheses H0/HaFind and interprett statisticp-value

Collecting Data: 3 Categories Administer surveysPrimary focus of Phase I materialsMakes survey design an element of the project

Find data on the Internet

Physically go out and record datae.g., measure items, time eventswith a stopwatch, look at prices, look at nutrition labels

Internet Data SourcesI. Government/CommunityCensus Bureau: http://www.census.gov/ Bureau of Justice Statistics: http://bjs.ojp.usdoj.gov/index.cfm?ty=daa City Data Site: http://www.city-data.com/ State and county statistics sitesState and national Dept.s of EducationCounty tax assessment recordsInternet Data SourcesII. Restaurants: Nutrition InfoApplebees: http://www.applebees.com/downloads/nutritional_info.html Arbys: http://www.arbys.com/nutrition/Arbys_Nutrition_Website.pdf Burger King: http://www.bk.com/cms/en/us/cms_out/digital_assets/files/pages/NutritionInformation.pdf McDonalds: http://nutrition.mcdonalds.com/nutritionexchange/nutritionfacts.pdfRuby Tuesdays: http://www.rubytuesday.com/assets/menu/pdf/informational/nutrition.pdf Students favorite place to eat?Internet Data SourcesIII. Sports DataSports Statistics Data Resources (Gateway) http://www.amstat.org/sections/SIS/Sports Data Resources/

NFL Historical Stats: http://www.nfl.com/history

Individual team sites

Internet Data SourcesIV. Retail/Consumer (General)Cost/Prices e.g., Kelley Blue Book: http://www.kbb.com/

Consumer Report ratings .http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/index.htm Product Specificationse.g., size measurements,time/speed measurements,MPG for cars

Meaningful Research QuestionsShow students resources for collecting dataShow students sample projectsCritique and improve on former student projectsBrainstorm with students about their interestsOffer points for originality

Sample Student ProjectsMatched Pairs t-Test:2-tailed: Ha predicting that on average, students rating of Coke and Pepsi would be different.t statistic =2.62P value= 0.0116 (2-tailed)Conclusion: Evidence that on average, students rated the two drinks differently (Coke was rated higher)

Participant Coke Pepsi#1 89#2 7 5...

Sample Student Projectst-Test for 2 independent samples:1-tailed: Ha predicting that on average fruit drinks have higher sugar content per ounce than fruit juicest statistic = -0.14P value= 0.5555Conclusion: Sample data did not support Ha. No evidence that on average,fruit drinks have more sugar than fruit juices.

Sample Student Projectst-Test for 2 independent samples:1-tailed: Ha predicting that in local state parks, oak trees have greater circumference than pine trees on averaget statistic = 4.78P value= 7.91 x 10 6Conclusion: Strong evidence that in local state parks oak trees are bigger than pine trees on average.Lurking variable identifiedand discussed: age of trees (and possible reasons that oak trees were older)

Sample Student ProjectsSample Student Projects

Focal Points for Student ResearchSelecting appropriate variablesCategorical or quantitative?Defined construct?How measured and quantified?Appropriateness of data analysis method for proposed data and research questionData collection techniquesPotential survey design issuesSampling strategiesInterpretation of results in contextProject Phases/DeliverablesGetting startedForm groups Define project scopeBrainstormProject proposal(s)Definition of variables, research questionProposed data collection and sampling methodsSurvey and IRB if applicableData collectionData analysisProject reportPresentation

AssessmentWeight of ProjectsScoring RubricsAdvantagesConsistencyManageabilityCommunicate expectationsEncompass All Project ComponentsGrade milestones along the wayResources for RubricsTeam Member GradesAccountability of Individual MembersShared Team GradeIndividual Contribution

ResourcesNSF Grant Project Web Page http://radar.northgeorgia.edu/~djspence/NSF/index.html Links to curriculum materialsOverview of both grants and progress updates

Contact InformationBrad Baileybbailey@northgeorgia.edu Dianna Spencedjspence@northgeorgia.edu