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Newsgroups: bit.listserv.edstat-l
Date:         Fri, 9 Oct 1992 15:51:32 EST
Reply-To:     "D. Glen McPherson" <mcphers@HILBERT.MATHS.UTAS.EDU.AU>
From:         "D. Glen McPherson" <mcphers@HILBERT.MATHS.UTAS.EDU.AU>
Subject:      an invitation ...

TEACHING STATISTICS: THE NEED FOR A NEW DIRECTION?
Who should teach Statistics and what should be included in the syllabus?
These questions have dominated contributions to EDSTAT-L over many months.
While there have been many valid points in the suggestions, criticisms,
and beliefs expressed in the contributions,  there has been no general
solution to two pressing problems. From the users' point of view, there is
a broadly held belief that statistics courses taught by statisticians
often fail to concentrate on practical aspects of the effective use of
Statistics. From the statisticians' side, there is a concern that persons
teaching Statistics who lack a formal statistical training  may,
unintentionally, be teaching the misuse of Statistics.
The importance of working towards solutions of these problems is
highlighted by the changing world which sees powerful desktop statistical
computing packages on the desks of many nonstatisticians; an explosion in
the number of methods and approaches to statistical application; and a
growing need for reeducation of persons who last took statistics courses
many years ago.
Rather than tinkering at the edges of the teaching of Statistics, maybe a
radically new approach is required to cope with the changed environment.

AN INVITATION
The short independent contributions to EDSTAT-L have been important
catalysts in collectively arousing us to think of  how we can more
effectively teach Statistics. We feel the time has come for a more
structured, in-depth discussion. Such a discussion would seem to lie
outside the function of EDSTAT-L, which has been devoted to the broadest
possible coverage of statistical education, and basically intended for
short, impromptu comments, queries and answers to queries.

For this reason, we have set up a list server for a discussion group. The
initial aim is to explore those aspects of the teaching of Statistics
which might directly improve the quality and effectiveness of statistical
applications in science and the science-related professions. We see this
as covering both the teaching of (potential) statisticians to improve
their communication of Statistics to the nonstatistical world, and the
teaching of nonstatisticians in the more effective use of Statistics.

If you would like more information about our motivation, our background,
and our aims, and about the ideas we have for operating the list server
discussion group, please send an e-mail to either of its proposers
requesting further information:

   Kirk Steinhorst    at    kirk@laplace.mathstat.uidaho.edu

or

   Glen McPherson   at     mcphers@hilbert.maths.utas.edu.au

We will reply with a more detailed statement, plus the method for applying
for membership if you so request.

It would be helpful if you used the following title in your e-mail
request.

        Invitation: request for information



THE TYPE OF PEOPLE WE ARE SEEKING
We have held extensive discussion with friends and colleagues about the
setting up of this discussion group. The following statement about the
membership we are seeking is taken from the general consensus of those
discussions.

1. We are seeking membership only from people who are prepared, and have
the time, to be active participants. Each member will expected to take a
turn at editing or summarizing a section of the discussion.

2.  We are seeking members from as diverse a range of backgrounds as
possible - from different disciplines, different levels of Statistics
knowledge and experience, and different countries. We feel the
contributions should all be in the English language, but sincerely hope
that there will be widespread interest from persons for whom English is
their second language.

3.  There was unanimous support for encouraging applications from persons
who will vigorously argue a point, but who will readily concede when they
realize they are in error, or that there is a better approach. We are
advised to actively discourage membership by anyone who holds dogmatic and
uncompromising views, and who would enter the group with the aim of
converting members to their way of thinking.


Neither of us has experience in being a member of this form of
'electronic' discussion group, let alone setting up such a group.  We are
very receptive to any advice which you may be able to offer, and ask that
you be tolerant  of mistakes which we probably will make.


Thanks for your indulgence,


Kirk Steinhorst & Glen McPherson.
--
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|  Glen McPherson            |                                   |  _--_|\  |
|  Department of Mathematics |-----------------------------------| /      \ |
|  University of Tasmania    |               E-Mail:             | \_.--._/ |
|  Australia.                | mcphers@hilbert.maths.utas.edu.au |       *  |
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