This year marked 20 years since the first AP Statistics exam was given in 1997 (and the 21st exam). Amstat News commemorates these 20 years with the following Q&As with AP Statistics teachers and readers/leaders. Here, they share their memories of and passions and lessons for teaching statistics while looking forward to another 20 years.
AP statistics
30 Years of Teaching Behind Her, Roxy Peck Says There Are No Mistakes
Roxy Peck is professor emerita of statistics at California Polytechnic State University, where she served as chair of the statistics department for six years and as associate dean of the college of science and mathematics for 13 years.
Teaching Statistical Literacy to Non-STEM Majors: Challenges and Opportunities
Michelle Everson and Ellen Gundlach’s students are more likely to be consumers of statistical information than producers of statistics, so they developed courses designed to help students become critical consumers of statistical information.
As Seen Through the Eyes of ASA’s K–12 Statistical Ambassador: The State of K–12 Statistics Education
In today’s data-driven society, there is a pressing need for all citizens to become statistical thinkers. The ASA leadership believes this must begin in the early school years, not just for those students who take one introductory college course. It is essential that statistics education is recognized as central to ensuring all graduating high-school students are college and career ready. Here, the K-12 Statistical Ambassador, Christine Franklin, summarizes the work being done in support of statistical education for both students and teachers.
MWM Makes a Difference for Small-Town Teachers
Ann Cannon, chair of the department of mathematics and statistics at Cornell College, suggested teachers from her local school district attend Meeting Within a Meeting at JSM. She was pleasantly surprised when she learned five of the teachers went.
ASA Launches Giving Campaign with Story of Outstanding High-School Student
This month, the ASA is launching an education campaign that will run through the end of November to raise funds and awareness for education programs and resources that support the learning and teaching of statistics. As part of the campaign kick-off, ASA President-elect Barry Nussbaum interviewed an outstanding high-school student, Jenny Chen, who presented a poster at JSM 2016 in Chicago.
27 Teachers Attend Beyond AP Statistics (BAPS) Workshop at JSM
This year at JSM, 27 teachers from Illinois and other parts of the country came to Chicago for a full-day BAPS workshop designed to strengthen and expand teachers’ statistics backgrounds.
ASA Volunteers Create Resource for Teachers: Statistical Commons
To address several recurring challenges in teaching statistics, and to create new value for members of the ASA, volunteers created a website that allows teachers to share lectures, exams, quizzes, data sets, and more.
Volunteers Offer Career Advice to AP Statistics Students
For the seventh consecutive year, the San Francisco Bay Area Chapter was invited to send volunteer statisticians to give a 50-minute lecture on careers in statistics to local AP Statistics students.
Beyond AP Statistics
The ASA/NCTM Joint Committee will sponsor a Beyond AP Statistics (BAPS) workshop for experienced teachers at the annual Joint Statistical Meetings in Chicago.