Using Online Game-Based Simulations to Strengthen Students’ Understanding of Practical Statistical Issues in Real-World Data Analysis

Shonda Kuiper and Rodney X. Sturdivant

The American Statistician, 2015, vol. 69, issue 4, 354-361

Abstract: Datasets provided to students are typically carefully chosen and vetted to illustrate a key statistical topic or method. Rarely are real studies and data so straightforward. In addition, carefully curated datasets that are brought into the statistics classroom may not feel realistic to students. We provide several examples of online activities where students can quickly collect their own local data, have input on the goals of the study and draw their own conclusions. These activities focus on core statistical issues that are often challenging to teach with traditional textbooks, such as working with messy data, bias, data relevance, and reliability. This approach to teaching integrates the challenges of data in a way that encourages students to see how easy it can be to inadvertently draw misleading conclusions. These activities are designed to be highly adaptable and have proven effective in a wide variety of introductory and advanced undergraduate courses.[Received December 2014. Revised July 2015.]

Date: 2015
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

Downloads: (external link)
http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/00031305.2015.1075421 (text/html)
Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:taf:amstat:v:69:y:2015:i:4:p:354-361

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
http://www.tandfonline.com/pricing/journal/UTAS20

DOI: 10.1080/00031305.2015.1075421

Access Statistics for this article

The American Statistician is currently edited by Eric Sampson

More articles in The American Statistician from Taylor & Francis Journals
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Chris Longhurst ().