–Statistics for Non-statisticians – What Matters is an Understanding – – – –Mgr. Maria Králová, Ph.D. ; kralova@econ.muni.cz –Faculty of Economics and Administration, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic – // Computer-aided seminar sessions and why we need it –Data are declared a new class of economic asset like currency or gold – –Two extreme teaching approaches: “black board” vs. “black box” – –We combine both: computer labs with a „blackboard“ approach – –Tasks are demonstrated on real data: – – mathematical solution on a blackboard, computation with sw. – – – –What is on a blackboard: –(Tasks: hypothesis testing; estimation and confidence intervals; …) –Translation of the problem from „common language“ to formal language –Formal list of assumptions and its evaluation –Determining appropriate test statistic/pivotal statistic with its distribution –Determining critical region (and p-values)/confidence intervals –Formal decision and its re-formulation into common language – –What is done by sw in the „meantime“: –All needed calculations –Some related visualisations –Checking assumptions –Sometimes manipulations to show possible different outcomes to show contrasts – // The infrastructure: people, systems, software –Multiple licence STATISTICA,- „clicking sw.“ for elementary courses –Free R environment - „command line sw.“ for advanced courses – –Setting a same standards for 15-18 parallel seminar groups -> – online folder for each session with manuals for teachers and students – –Special editor for math expressions for on-line exams – – // Chalenges – –Schedule problem - 380 students in 3 computer labs with 24 seats – during semester – –Schedule problem - 380 students in 3 computer labs with 24 seats – during exam period – –Security during the exam itself - how to protect against cheating – // How the initiative was received by students < Majority of students appreciate practical approach with understanding: – ° not just to substitute numbers into formulas – ° or to click on recommended buttons – ° but to link the sw output to formal problem description – ° and to interpret the results = Part of students take the chance to browse their FB profiles etc. = Some students criticise the final exam with data procesing to be too demanding and complicated – // How the initiative was received by teachers •Majority find it more attractive and beneficial for students so they adjusted fast •It takes more time – precise planning needed •Exam period is for teachers more time consuming; more challenging than correction of „without-data“ tasks •We observe better bachelor and diploma thesis with respect to data analysis // Future plans – –To diversify datasets: up-to-date ane more relevant to students‘ background – –To create new subject on data visualisation – What we say to our students? Do all your best to … (4) Support Centre for math and stats - Google Chrome // Introduction –The gap between highschool and university level of knowledge in math keeps getting bigger (1) – –The job market sorely needs –graduates with math skills (2) – –Czech republic PISA scores –keep getting worse (3) // Our inspiration –MatRIC Drop-in, University of Agder since 2015 – – – –sigma Network, England since 2005 – – – –other networks – Ireland, Scotland, Wales, … // Why we need it –The market volume for big data is expected to triple by 2026 – –Significant growth in job demand of big data related vacancies (4) – // The service so far - Spring 2016 –Timeframe: • (1 semester) –Total visits: –Unique visitors: – •od 22. 2. 2016 •do 4. 7. 2016 •300 •146 // The service so far - Autumn 2016 –Timeframe: • (2 semester) –Total visits: –Unique visitors: – •od 26. 9. 2016 •do 24. 1. 2017 •273 •137 // The service so far - Spring 2017 – –Timeframe: • (3 semester) –Total visits: –Unique visitors: – •od 6. 3. 2017 • do 27.6. 2017 •283 (ID - 254) •143 // The service so far - Spring 2016 •ESF dominates: •FSS follows: •Other faculties: •Outside MUNI: – •249 •20 •24 •7 // The service so far - Autumn 2016 •ESF dominates: •FSS follows: •Other faculties: •Outside MUNI: – •264 •2 •5 •2 // The service so far - Spring 2017 •ESF dominates: •FSS follows: •Other faculties: •Faculty unspecified: •Outside MUNI: – •117 •5 •4 •127 •1 // The service so far - Spring 2016 –Percentage of visits regarding final thesis: – – • 27% • // The service so far - Spring 2017 –Percentage of visits regarding final thesis: – – • 17.7% • // The service so far - Spring 2016 –Stats and metrics – –Average hits per month (website) 1,800 –Average time of a visit (website) 00:03:02 –Peak reach (Facebook) 1,105 –Likes in the first month (Facebook) 228 // The service so far - Autumn 2016 –Stats and metrics – –Average time of visit (website) 00:02:32 –Likes (Facebook) 459 // The service so far - Spring 2017 –Stats and metrics – –Average hits per month (website) 1 417 –Average time of a visit (website) 00:04:50 –Likes (Facebook) 467 // Events –The Support Centre regularly organizes events for students – –„Quantified Nature“ or –„The answer of Kurt Gödel to Pontius Pilate‘s question“ – are just a few of them // Our team –So far the Support Centre operated through volunteers. – –Students and teachers alike offered their time to help others with math and statistics. // Visitor feedback (1/3) –„ (…) chci (znovu) projekt pochválit :) zatím jsem konzultaci nepotřebovala, ale to, že centrum funguje a že s ním můžu počítat, je skvělé“ – Respondent 3 •„Pan Josef Nešleha vysvětluje opravdu dobře a vždy si našel čas, i když to vypadá, že jeho den má 40 hodin.“ – Respondent 14 • „Myslím si, že Maths and Stats Support Centre je skvělý nápad a budu moc rád, pokud jeho fungování bude pokračovat.“ – Respondent 76 // Visitor feedback (2/3) –„(…) veľmi ma potešilo, že sa niečo také vytvorilo, je to super pre študentov. Našťastie som zatiaľ Vašu pomoc nepotreboval ale rád ju využijem v budúcnosti ak bude príležitosť “ – Respondent 65 – •„Ačkoliv jsem nevyužil jeho služeb, tak jsem ho doporučil několika kamarádům (…) Ti, kteří služeb centra využili, si ho moc pochvalovali.“ - Respondent 76 • • •„Support Centre je super projekt, jsem hrozně rád, že se ho podařilo otevřít! Díky paní doktorce Králové i všem tutorům. :)“ – Respondent 23 • • // Visitor feedback (3/3) Visitors liked the most: 1)Tutors‘ friendly and non-critical approach 2) 2)Tutor explained all questions 3) 3)Tutor was able to explain complicated issues in simple terms (6) // Spreading the idea –3 other support centers were inspired and are taking off – – VŠB Technical University of Ostrava – - launch in September 2016 – – UTB Tomáš Baťa University in Zlín – - launch in September 2016 – – VUT Brno Technical University (FME) – - launch in September 2017 with support from OP VVV project Výsledek obrázku pro všb logo // Outlook (1/2) –Engage more people – - spark interest in mathematics and statistics – - break the „I‘m bad at math“ mindset –Improve the website – - reduce bounce rate – - incentivise visitors to browse sylabi – Reduce math and stats failing grades at MU – // Outlook (2/2) –Academic year target budget: – 550,000 CZK – Labor costs -two part-time tutors Technical background -projector -interactive whiteboard -software and web development Marketing -leaflets, DTP labor, print // Sources –(1) http://archiv.ihned.cz/c1-65399490-ustup-maturity-z-matematiky –(2) http://www.statista.com/statistics/254266/global-big-data-market-forecast/ –(3) https://www.oecd.org/pisa/keyfindings/pisa-2012-results-overview.pdf –(4) https://acadgild.com/blog/big-data-job-opportunities-in-2016-and-the-coming-years/ –(5) Google and Facebook analytics internal data – http://mathstat.econ.muni.cz/ – https://www.facebook.com/supportcentre/ –(6) Google forms questionnare survey – –