Abstract:

New Technologies changed the applications of statistics completely so that more statistics is applied nowadays than 25 years ago, which generates a need for a wider education in statistics even at an introductory level. At the same time, these technologies open the way to teach the subject matter of statistics completely differently than in the pre-computer era. We illustrate various approaches of technology-based teaching and identify key issues for their success. Large-scale e-learning projects, locally organised computer-based learning environments, and additional applets used to illustrate complex concepts, calculations outsourced to software are some of the many options to enrich the statistics course. The recommendations are for students of non-mathematical studies. The future class at university includes a diversity of information sources and a new role for academic teachers as organisers of the work in small groups rather than communicating the content in a big lecture hall. We illustrate the potential of systemic solutions for an introductory course in probability and statistics by a general discussion and by the extensive and long-term feedback from our own students.

Keywords: