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Statistics in the Two-Year College Curriculum

In: New Directions in Two-Year College Mathematics

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  • Ann Watkins

Abstract

Summary In spite of the recommendations of major reports on curriculum reform, calculus still dominates the mathematics curriculum. As a result, statistics is taught to a relatively small percentage of students. Statistics is not required for high school graduation, for college admission, or for success on standardized tests, so very few students have coursework in probability and statistics in high school. Those students who then take a college-level statistics course do not have the appropriate prerequisite skills. The mathematics courses they have taken have prepared them for calculus, not for statistics. Two-year college mathematics teachers have not been trained to teach statistics and as a result over half do not feel well-qualified to do so. Mathematics teachers are largely unaware of the changes in the statistics curriculum that statisticians have been recommending. These changes include using real data, teaching data analysis techniques, emphasizing understanding of statistical concepts, and spending less time on computational formulas. If an understanding of statistics is to become part of the minimal knowledge required of two-year and four-year college graduates, the mathematics curriculum will have to be designed so that it emphasizes statistics as well as calculus and mathematics departments will have to demand as much training of teachers of statistics as is required of calculus teachers.

Suggested Citation

  • Ann Watkins, 1985. "Statistics in the Two-Year College Curriculum," Springer Books, in: Donald J. Albers & Stephen B. Rodi & Ann E. Watkins (ed.), New Directions in Two-Year College Mathematics, pages 173-184, Springer.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:sprchp:978-1-4612-5116-3_10
    DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4612-5116-3_10
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