Statistics MOOC-Ed Starts June 6

RALEIGH, N.C. — The Friday Institute for Educational Innovation at NC State University is providing a free online course this summer for statistics teachers that begins June 6. Teaching Statistics through Data Investigations is a massive open online course for educators (MOOC-Ed) that empowers educators to take control of their own professional learning, giving them access to curated resources and an online community at any time on any device. To date, 2,155 educators from 49 states and 46 countries have enrolled in the course.

To help ensure students are future ready to use data for making informed decisions, many countries have increased the emphasis on statistics and data analysis in school curriculum–from elementary/primary grades through college. Statistics has received increasing attention in K–14 curricula through Common Core State Standards and recommendations from the American Statistical Association (ASA). This course allows participants to learn, along with colleagues from other schools, productive statistical habits of mind for engaging in statistics and an investigation cycle to teach statistics and help their students explore data to make evidence-based claims.

Lead course designer and instructor, Dr. Hollylynne Lee, is internationally known for her research and curriculum contributions in statistics education. When designing the course, she notes that a primary goal was to assist teachers in using real data sources with interactive technology tools, to create opportunities for participants to learn from multiple voices, and to  connect their learning to their local practices. One great feature of the course that excites participants is learning from the expert panel of statistics educators that includes Chris Franklin, the first K-12 Ambassador for the American Statistical Association, and then discussing these perspectives in the forums with colleagues.

“I am excited to continue to offer this course to help teachers around the world develop new approaches for teaching statistics,” said Lee.

In user feedback surveys, past participants noted specific features of the course they found useful. One participant wrote that they, “found tools and activities I can use in my classroom when I teach statistics,” while another liked “the fact that it was available on demand and I could go at my own pace.”

Course Objectives for Teaching Statistics through Data Investigations include:

• Strengthening understanding of how to engage students in a statistical investigation process;
• Exploring a framework for guiding teaching of statistical investigations to promote deeper data explorations for students;
• Using rich data sources and dynamic graphing tools to support investigations of questions that are of interest to participants and their students;
• Examining the ways students reason with data to make evidence-based claims;
• Personalizing applications of statistical investigations to students; and
• Collaborating with colleagues near and far to gain different perspectives on data investigations and to build a library of teaching resources.

Learn more about the course and register at friday.institute/tsdi