About the Curriculum

The Importance of Statistical Analysis 

Statistical analysis plays a significant role across the sciences and is arguably the most salient point of intersection between diverse disciplines. Despite the central importance of this common language, the teaching of statistics is limited by numerous challenges that are not easily overcome with traditional pedagogical approaches.

This Passion Driven Statistics model explained on this web site describes a multidisciplinary, inquiry-based course in introductory statistics that can serve a large number of students (100+) and begin to break down both divisional (natural and social sciences) and departmental (biology, neuroscience, computer science, earth and environmental science, psychology, sociology, political science, etc.) boundaries. We present new learning materials and an innovative teaching model that directly and creatively tackles many of the most significant challenges currently faced by instructors and students. 

Our approach is aimed at increasing the overall number of students exposed to statistics, increasing opportunities for statistical education among women and students from underrepresented groups, and inspiring the pursuit of advanced course work in everyone!

Throughout the course, we offer unlimited one-on-one support, ample  opportunities to work with other students with shared interests, and  training in numerous skills that prepare students to meaningfully and  creatively engage in quantitative research.

Funding

The development of this course and supporting instructional materials was supported by grant #0942246 from the National Science Foundation, Transforming Undergraduate Education in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (TUES) and by the Lauren B. Dachs Grant in Support of Interdisciplinary Research in the Social Impacts of Science.

The full NSF Phase I proposal is available here

If you find any of the resources on this site useful, please drop us a line ldierker@wesleyan.edu