I am starting summer session in a week and a half and this is a great day
one project. Because of a crazy scheduling problem my class will meet three
times a week for 2hrs. 20 minutes each day, for 6 weeks - not easy to
teach. Projects like this will really help to break up the time. Please send
any handouts or other ideas you may have.
Thanks, joni kessler
Joan Kessler, NBCT
Mathematics Department
College Academy @ Broward Community College Central
3501 SW Davie Road
Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33314
Phone: (754) 321-6900 x 2012
or
joan@...
www.distancemath.com
-----Original Message-----
From:
owner-mathedcc@... [mailto:
owner-mathedcc@...] On
Behalf Of Tim Chappell
Sent: Saturday, April 26, 2008 12:51 PM
To:
mathedcc@...; Cindy Moss
Subject: RE: random sampling
>What kind of questions do you answer before they start?
I answer any and all questions from each group, rather than as a class. I
only had one group who asked meaningful questions like "what is red" and "is
our suggested method a good method." A number of groups didn't ask any
questions.
>Can you elaborate a bit more on what you do after the students collect
>the data?
The students write up their findings and present them to the class using the
Elmo to show their work. I don't respond until after all groups have
presented (maximum 5 minutes each, usually 2-3 minutes). It is interesting
because usually each group had at least one "good" component to their
research and at least one "bad" one. But between all the groups, we can
piece together a good research study.
>I'm guessing you write the results on the board and discuss the
>sampling techniques but do you also lead them into what is good and not so
good about each one?
I then discuss the bigger concepts such as defining the variables in a study
and sampling methods. There isn't much time left at the end of the class,
but we address the basic methods of sampling and plusses/minuses with each
method. Their second day assignment is to read chapter one and address each
bold print term both by the definition in the book and with reference to the
library assignment. Each group member is to individually develop a refined
process for the library assignment. At the beginning of the next class, I
allow 5-10 minutes for each group to collaborate and decide on the process
for the library assignment. We then allow 2-3 minute presentations from
each group. It's in this second day that we nail down the sampling methods.
The first test has a number of questions from the first chapter, and few
students missed any of those questions (which was a pleasant change from the
norm).
>Do you give a grade for this?
No, I don't give a grade for this or any other classroom activity. And,
interestingly enough, no one asked about it. The biggest concern they had
was that I didn't know the "true" proportion of books in the library. They
wanted to know if they were right. Which was a nice lead-in to inference
from a sample to a population when the population parameter is not known.
>Also, do you have any handouts from Roxy's session you can share?
I am sure I have the handouts from her session. I will look for them.
Tim
--
Tim Chappell
Mathematics Instructor
MCC-Penn Valley
3201 S.W. Trafficway
Kansas City, Missouri 64111
P 816-759-4215
F 816-759-4611
>>> "Moss, Cindy" <
moss@...> 4/26/2008 2:08 AM >>>
Hi Tim,
This sounds like a great activity. Can you elaborate a bit more on what you
do after the students collect the data. I'm guessing you write the results
on the board and discuss the sampling techniques but do you also lead them
into what is good and not so good about each one? What kind of questions do
you answer before they start? Do you give a grade for this?
Also, do you have any handouts from Roxy's session you can share?
Thanks,
Cindy
________________________________
From: Tim Chappell [mailto:
Tim.Chappell@...]
Sent: Fri 4/25/2008 9:45 PM
To:
mathedcc@...; Moss, Cindy
Subject: Re: random sampling
I picked up a great first day activity from Roxy Peck at the last AMATYC
conference that might help. I took roll at the beginning of the class the
first day, and gave them this assignment.
Visit the college library and determine the percentage of red books in the
library. I will answer any and all questions you have before you go to the
library. Form groups of 3-4; make sure that at least one person in your
group is familiar with the library. You have 15 minutes in the library, and
you may spend 15 minutes back in class to prepare your findings. You need
to develop your methodology before you leave so that you may quietly gather
your data.
The activity was everything that Roxy said it would be and more. I use
Bluman's text for the course, and the first chapter is packed with
fundamental topics. This activity served as a springboard for many of those
topics, including sampling methods. Some students did cluster sampling, and
at least they were wise not to pick the reference section. Some students
did systematic samplings by choosing every kth book on each shelf. Some
students did stratified samplings by splitting up and selecting books on
each level of the library. Some students asked library personnel for their
opinion. Some other insights were in defining what color is red, what
percentage of the book had to be red, interrater reliability when students
split up to cover more area quicker. Students had not read the first
chapter, but intuitively discovered many of those topics. They seemed quite
pleased when I used their group's findings to illustrate a topic.
I assign data projects throughout the course, and I have seen better studies
with better analysis this semester than any other. I attribute the
improvement to this initial activity.
Tim
--
Tim Chappell
Mathematics Instructor
MCC-Penn Valley
3201 S.W. Trafficway
Kansas City, Missouri 64111
P 816-759-4215
F 816-759-4611
>>> "Moss, Cindy" <
moss@...> 4/25/2008 3:12 PM >>>
I give a project to my statistics classes (online and face-to-face) where
they have to challenge a claim by collecting data and analyzing it. The
problem I am having is educating the students about random sampling. Almost
all of them think that if they "say" they are collecting a random sample
that it is random. I want them to come up with some sort of predetermined
plan to collect data then realize that random sampling is almost impossible
to achieve. What I used to do is give them an example of asking every 3rd
(or so) person walking by them at a certain place on campus but then
everyone used that exact same method and never even thought of the flaws in
this system. Now I do not give them an example because I want them to think
about it and not take randomness for granted.
Does anyone have any handouts or know of a text that discusses random
sampling? I use Triola but there is only brief information on the
definitions of various methods and flaws in some of them. It does not give
suggestions on what randomness looks like.
Thanks,
Cindy Moss
Skyline College
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