CAUSE Teaching Methods

CAUSEweb, through a partnership with SERC has developed a library of pedagogic modules for statistics educators. Each module features a particular pedagogic methodology. Each module describes the what, why, and how of the particular teaching method. SERC vets these modules with pedagogic experts; all pedagogic content is subject to a blind peer review process before it is made live.

A growing collection of classroom activities is included within each pedagogic module. The result is an enhanced collection that allows users to seamlessly browse between pedagogic content and classroom activities.

Pedagogic Modules Currently Available for Teachers of Statistics:

  • Campus-Based Learning: the campus is explicitly linked with education; the campus buildings and grounds are used as teaching tools. Developed by Suzanne Savanick (SERC).
  • Cooperative Learning: involves activities where students work in structured groups to accomplish learning goals. Developed by Rebecca Teed (SERC), John McDaris (SERC), and Cary Roseth (University of Minnesota).
  • Gallery Walk gets students out of their chairs and actively involves them in synthesizing important concepts, in consensus building, in writing, and in public speaking. Developed by Mark Francek (Central Michigan University).
  • Game-Based Learning: was written to assist faculty who want to start using games to help them teach. Developed by Rebecca Teed (SERC).
  • Interactive Lectures: provide short interactive activities that can be used to get students involved in learning by breaking up a lecture. Developed by Heather Macdonald (College of William and Mary) and Rebecca Teed (SERC).
  • Inventing and Testing Models uses Model-Eliciting Activities, which are posed as open-ended problems that are designed to challenge students to build models in order to solve complex, real-world problems. Compiled by: Joan Garfield, Robert delMas and Andrew Zieffler, of the University of Minnesota.
  • Investigative Case-Based Learning involves students in addressing real world problems by studying individual cases in depth. Developed by Ethel Stanley (BioQUEST, Beloit College) and Margaret Waterman (Southeast Missouri State University). There are currently no activities available for this pedagogic module.
  • Making and Testing Conjectures: involves activities where students make predictions about data or aspects of data, and then test them by examining real or simulated data. Developed by Shirley Alt (University of Minnesota).
  • Teaching with Data Simulations: involves activities where students simulate data using concrete materials or computer software tools. Developed by Danielle Dupuis and Joan Garfield (both at University of Minnesota).

Other Pedagogies of Interest to CAUSE Users

  • Teaching Quantitative Reasoning with the News describes how one can use media articles as the main content for a course focused on honing students' ability to critically think about and analyze quantitative information. Compiled by Stuart Boersma (Central Washington University).
  • Quantitative Writing engages students with numbers by asking them to analyze and use quantitative data in written reports and arguments. Compiled by John C. Bean (Seattle University).
  • Just-in-Time Teaching gets students to read assigned material outside of class, respond to short questions online, and then participate in discussion and collaborative exercises in the following class period. Developed by Laura Guertin (Pennsylvania State University Delaware County).
  • Peer Review uses interaction around writing to refine students understanding. Developed by Laura Guertin (Pennsylvania State University Delaware County).
  • Service Learning offers the opportunity to link academic learning with community service. Developed by Suzanne Savanick (SERC).
  • Socratic Questioning turns a lecture into a guided discussion. Created by Dorothy Merritts and Robert Walter (Franklin & Marshall College).
  • Student Research engages students as active participants in real research projects. Developed by Linda Reinen (Pomona College).
  • Teaching with Interactive Demonstrations helps faculty use effective these hands-on, inquiry-based learning opportunities in class or lab. Developed by Dorothy Merritts, Robert Walter (Franklin & Marshall College) and Bob MacKay (Clark College).
For more teaching methods visit Pedagogies in Action

CAUSE Activity Developers Workshop

May 16th & 17th, 2007

This workshop was held immediately proceeding the USCOTS 2007 conference.


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