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I don't like the way statistics is apparently taught
- Thread starter Romsek
- Start date
I'm not sure that your fear about how statistics is being taught is generally true. It may well be, however, how some students try to absorb it. I notice many students here (not just in statistics) who memorize formulas without understanding why the formulas work or when they apply. I think that temptation is particularly strong for students in introductory statistics because I at least found statistics to be quite counter-intuitive at first.Folks come in here with stats problems with no real understanding of any of the probability that lies behind it.
Folks talk about z scores etc. with no understanding of what they mean.
Folks have just the vaguest idea of what a probability distribution is.
It's distressing to think that statistics is all being taught as a handful of cookie cutter formulas.
My 2 cents.
getoutofmylaboratory
New member
- Joined
- Nov 10, 2013
- Messages
- 23
You are right. I'm finding that a lot of colleges aren't actually teaching anything. It's a lot of guess work for many of us. You've seen some of the questions I asked for my Calc course. We aren't getting the basic knowledge we need to truly understand the material. It may not be all colleges/universities, but I've been to two different schools with the same results.Folks come in here with stats problems with no real understanding of any of the probability that lies behind it.
Folks talk about z scores etc. with no understanding of what they mean.
Folks have just the vaguest idea of what a probability distribution is.
It's distressing to think that statistics is all being taught as a handful of cookie cutter formulas.
My 2 cents.
This is also true. But a lot of it has to do with how classes are scheduled. Many of us are so overloaded with homework that we don't actually get the time to absorb AND understand the info.I'm not sure that your fear about how statistics is being taught is generally true. It may well be, however, how some students try to absorb it. I notice many students here (not just in statistics) who memorize formulas without understanding why the formulas work or when they apply. I think that temptation is particularly strong for students in introductory statistics because I at least found statistics to be quite counter-intuitive at first.
Believe it or not, I'm a software developer with many years working in the field...yet I have problems with math. Math is a key part of what I do. Go figure.