Are you new to statistics instruction and interested in creating a student-centered learning environment?
Are you a veteran statistics instructor looking to update your teaching practice?
Are you designing a corequisite support course to accompany the introductory statistics course?
Are you looking for a support group of peers and other statistics education leaders? Are you willing to try out new classroom techniques?
If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, we invite you to participate in FOCI Series 7.
This FOCI series is designed for higher education mathematics and statistics faculty members or those who support students in statistics classes, such as corequisite instructors and tutors.
Series 7: Strengthening Conceptual Understanding in Introductory Statistics
Incorporating active teaching and learning strategies (for in-person or virtual settings)
In this series of six sessions, participants examine strategies for engaging students with the foundational concepts of a modern introductory statistics course, and explore strategies that deepen students’ conceptual understanding. This series is appropriate for instructors of in-person and virtual classes as well as for those designing statistics corequisite support courses.
No previous knowledge is required! This series will provide an introduction to active and inclusive pedagogies within the context of foundational statistics concepts. In each 2-hour session, we will use authentic situations to explore, struggle with, and make sense of pedagogical and content challenges. Prior to each session, you are expected to do a limited amount of preparation work, often a short reading, video viewing, document analysis, and/or personal reflection. After each session, you commit to trying a technique or approach we discussed during the session.

Session-by-Session Outcomes
- Session 1: Guiding Student Thinking about Implications of Data Collection
- Session 2: Developing Student Understanding of Sampling Variability
- Session 3: Fostering Understanding of Statistical Significance and Practical Significance
- Session 4: Building a Foundation for Selecting Appropriate Data Analysis Methods and Graphical Displays
- Session 5: Providing Experience with Describing Relationships and Building Linear Prediction Models
- Session 6: Developing Conceptual Understanding of Probability and Addressing Probability Misconceptions