STT 290 – Data, Probability and Statistics for K-8 Teachers

MW 3:00 - 4:20 C108 Wells Hall

Syllabus - Spring 2008

 

Instructor:     Professor Jennifer Kaplan                   Office:             WH 443

Phone:            432-2354         (office)                        WWW:           http://www.angel.msu.edu

Office Hours: TBD                                                    E-Mail:           kaplan@stt.msu.edu

                                                           

Text:                Statistics: Concepts and Controversies, Sixth Edition, 2006, David S. Moore and William I. Notz, W.H. Freeman and Co., Publishers

 

Prerequisite:    MTH 103 or designated score on mathematics placement test

 

Objectives:  Students will develop a comfort level with data collection, data analysis, probability and statistics that will allow them to be effective in the classroom and competent in handling the statistical issues that they encounter in their professional and personal lives. Students will have mathematical skills reinforced and will develop an understanding of statistical thinking. Students will learn to use technology as an aid for understanding data, probability and statistics and for instruction.

 

Relevance:  Probability and data analysis are now taught and tested in elementary school in Michigan and most other states. Furthermore, knowledge of statistical methods is essential for teaching science and social studies, where critical analysis of data is crucial. Future teachers need to be prepared to teach this content. In addition, because of the No Child Left Behind legislation and other accountability efforts, teachers need to be able to interpret statistical measures and graphs to assess the instruction in their schools and to communicate with parents.

 

Topics:  There are four major sections of this course: Data Collection, Data Analysis, Probability and Statistical Inference. The emphasis of the course will be on the data collection and analysis with an overview of probability and statistical inference.

 

Our Approach:  Class time will be used to investigate the course topics in a way that will help students to understand the material so that they can teach it and use it in their professional life. Students are expected to read the textbook outside of class to solidify the ideas that have been investigated in the classroom activities. Homework assignments are used to provide a check that the course objectives are being met.

 

Course Assessments and Grading:

 

Assessments:

 

Homework                                                      100 points (10 points each)

2 In-class Tests                                               150 points (75 points each)

Project                                                              50 points

Final exam                                                      100 points       

Attendance                                                        50 points                              

Total                                                                450 points

 

Homework:  Twelve homework assignments are listed in the course syllabus below. These will be due at the beginning of class on Wednesday. No late assignments will be accepted, but only the highest ten scores will be counted (100 points total).

 

Tests:  There will be two in-class tests during the semester (75 points each) and a cumulative final exam on Wednesday, April 30: 3:00 – 5:00 pm (100 points).

 

The dates for the tests are below. There will be no make up tests. In an extreme circumstance, with documentation, for example, jury duty or a death in the family, arrangements may be made for a missed exam.

 

Project:  The purpose of the project is for students to become involved in doing statistics and to give an idea of activities that may be done with upper elementary school students. Details about the project will be distributed later in the semester. The project will cover the data collection and data analysis portions of the course material. The project will be due at the beginning of class on Wednesday, April 16 (50 points).

 

Attendance: This class is designed to be active and interactive. Much of your learning will evolve from in-class activities, experiences and discussions. This means that class attendance is essential. It is assumed that you will not miss class unless you are ill or must attend to a personal emergency. Beyond the first two absences, every absence will result in a 2-point deduction of your semester grade (up to a possible 50 points total deduction).  If you have special needs with regards to attendance, please see the instructor about them during the first week of class.

 

Course grades will be assigned according to the following percentage scale:

4.0           90 - 100                                   3.5       85 - 89

3.0           80 - 84                                     2.5       75 - 79

2.0           70 - 74                                     1.5       65 - 69

1.0           60 - 64                                     0.0       < 60

 

Disclaimer:       The instructor reserves the right to make any changes she considers academically advisable.  Changes will be announced in class and posted on the class website.  It is your responsibility to keep up with any changed policies.

 

 Important dates for Spring Semester 2008:

 

Important

Dates:              Jan 7               First day of Classes                 April 2             Test 2

                        Jan 11             Close of adds                          April 16           Project Due

                        Jan 21              Martin Luther King                 April 25           Last Day of Classes

Holiday – No Classes             April 30           Final Exam

                        Feb 1               End of 100% refund

                        Feb 13             Test 1

                        Feb 27             Middle of the semester

                        Mar 3 - 7         Spring Break

– No classes

 

 

Course Syllabus:

 

Week

Topic

Reading

Assignment

1: Jan 7 & 9

Collecting Data: Observational studies, surveys and samples

Chapters 1 & 2

None

2: Jan 14 & 16

Collecting Data: Sampling Variability and Bias

Chapters 3 & 4

1.8, 1.10, 1.12, 1.14 – 1.16;

2.2, 2.4, 2.6.

3: Jan 23

Data Collection: Experiments

Chapter 5

3.2, 3.4, 3.10, 3.12, 3.14, 3.16, 3.18;

4.2, 4.12.

4: Jan 28 & 30

Data Collection: Ethics and Measurement issues

Chapters 7 & 8

5.2, 5.6, 5.8, 5.10abde.

5: Feb 4 & 6

Data Collection: Exploring the numbers

Data Analysis: Graphing categorical and quantitative data

Chapters 9, 10, 11

Ethics Assignment TBD;

8.4, 8.6, 8.20, 8.22.

6: Feb 11 & 13

Review of Data Collection and Test 1

 

9.4, 9.6, 9.16, 9.20, 9.24;

Test 1: Chapters 1 – 5, 7 – 9;

7: Feb 18 & 20

Data Analysis: Describing distributions with numbers

Chapter 12

10.4, 10.8, 10.10, 10.22;

11.7, 11.14.

8: Feb 25 & 27

Data Analysis: The Normal Distribution

Chapter 13

12.2, 12.4, 12.13, 12.14, 12.26, 12.28.

Mar 3 - 7

Spring Break

9: Mar 10 & 12

Data Analysis: Two Quantitative Variables

Chapters 14 & 15

13.4 – 13.6, 13.8, 13.16, 13.18, 13.22

10: Mar 17 & 19

Probability: Chance, Randomness, Probability and Probability Models

Chapters 17 & 18

14.2, 14.3, 14.5, 14.7, 14.8, 14.10, 14.14, 14.18, 14.19;

15.2, 15.4, 15.22, 15.24, 15.28.

11: Mar 24 & 26

Probability: Simulations

Chapters 19 & 20

17.7, 17.14;

18.2, 18.4, 18.6, 18.8, 18.12, 18.14.

12: Mar 31 & Apr 2

Review of Data Analysis and Probability and Test 2

 

Test 2: Chapters 10 – 15, 17, 18

13: Apr 7 & 9

Statistics: Confidence Intervals

Chapter 21

19.2, 19.10;

20.6, 20.8, 20.14.

14: Apr 14 & 16

Statistics: Tests of Significance

Chapter 22

Project Due

15: Apr 21 & 23

Statistics: Use and Abuse of Inference

Chapter 23

Assignment TBD