Bar charts and histograms. This is one of the hardest stretches of the course. It’s new technology (Excel) and new vocabulary (histogram, mode, median, mean). The goal of the chapter is to leave the students with the ability to estimate each average from the grouped data displayed in a histogram.

I deliberately avoided lecturing. Tom and I walked around the room helping students struggle with the text and the software. The PC to Mac transition was bothersome for some (no right mouse button on the student machines). I discovered yet again that in one on one (or one on two) mini tutorials students can grasp ideas that fly right by them when I lecture – even with the same words. Since only 2/3 of the class was present and some of those were more interested in other things on the computer, the ones who were able to benefit from the individual attention mostly got that attention.

 

 

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