Increasing engagement and belonging in Statistics 244
Posted by anne.grey
Presenter: Peter Banwarth Carrillo
Summary
In this presentation, Peter Banwarth Carrillo shares how a quick instructional pivot transformed student engagement and belonging in a Statistics 244 course. Initially planning for students to complete an original ten-week research project, Peter realized during the first week that students lacked the foundational statistical background to choose appropriate topics and datasets. To prevent student frustration and keep statistics approachable, he shifted away from the original project and created a biweekly virtual guest speaker series.
The speaker series introduced students to professionals who apply data in diverse fields, including a county epidemiologist, a political polling consultant, insurance actuarial analysts, and a healthcare data analyst. Each guest spent an hour over Zoom discussing their daily responsibilities, how they communicate data to non-experts, their personal career journeys, and ethical challenges in their work. Students prepared personalized questions before each session and submitted reflection papers afterward to synthesize what they learned. This initiative successfully fostered a sense of community, demystified career pathways, and deepened student appreciation for statistical thinking, all while maintaining full coverage of required course content.
Presentation Outcomes
- Identify Instructional Pivots: Recognize when course assignments exceed student readiness and adapt plans to maintain engagement and learning outcomes.
- Implement Virtual Guest Speaker Series: Connect course concepts with real-world applications by inviting professionals to share their experiences via Zoom.
- Structure Student Reflections: Use pre-thought questions and post-presentation reflection papers to encourage active participation and deeper thinking.
- Foster Belonging and Curiosity: Help students build confidence and see themselves in data-driven fields by exploring non-traditional career paths and practical statistics.
- Balance Course Content: Integrate interactive guest sessions into class time without sacrificing core curriculum requirements.
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