Bayesian statistics has gained great momentum since the computational developments of the 1990s. Gradually, advances in Bayesian methodology and software have made Bayesian techniques much more accessible to applied statisticians and, in turn, have potentially transformed Bayesian education at the undergraduate level. This article provides an…

Simulation is an effective tool for analyzing probability models as well as for facilitating understanding of concepts in probability and statistics. Unfortunately, implementing a simulation from scratch often requires users to think about programming issues that are not relevant to the simulation itself. We have developed a Python package called…

We propose a semester-long Bayesian statistics course for undergraduate students with calculus and probability background. We cultivate students' Bayesian thinking with Bayesian methods applied to real data problems. We leverage modern Bayesian computing techniques not only for implementing Bayesian methods, but also to deepen students'…

We performed an empirical study of the perceived quality of scientific graphics produced by beginning R users in two plotting systems: the base graphics package ("base R") and the ggplot2 add-on package. In our experiment, students taking a data science course on the Coursera platform were randomized to complete identical plotting…

The 2016 Guidelines for Assessment and Instruction in Statistics Education (GAISE) College Report emphasized six recommendations to teach introductory courses in statistics. Among them: use of real data with context and purpose. Many educators have created databases consisting of multiple datasets for use in class; sometimes making hundreds of…

Biostatistics is a critical skill to physicians in an evidence-based medicine era, but teaching basic statistical concepts is challenging. Students often experience anxiety caused by the complexity of statistics and might express negative attitudes toward the subject. We aimed to analyze the effect of an introductory biostatistics course using…

Early exposure to data science skills, such as relational databases, is essential for students in statistics as well as many other disciplines in an increasingly data driven society. The goal of the presented pedagogy is to introduce undergraduate students to fundamental database concepts and to illuminate the connection between these database…

At Wake Forest University, a student who is blind enrolled in a second course in statistics. The course covered simple and multiple regression, model diagnostics, model selection, data visualization, and elementary logistic regression. These topics required that the student both interpret and produce three sets of materials: mathematical writing,…

Null distributions of permutation tests for two-sample, paired, and block designs are simulated using the R statistical programming language. For each design and type of data, permutation tests are compared with standard normal-theory and nonparametric tests. These examples (often using real data) provide for classroom discussion use of metrics…

In this article we describe a semester-long project, based on the popular video game series Guitar Hero, designed to introduce upper-level undergraduate statistics students to statistical research. Some of the goals of this project are to help students develop statistical thinking that allows them to approach and answer open-ended research…