PSY230, Introduction to Statistics Faculty Member: Ed Lipinski Phone Number: (480) 461 - 7689 College: Mesa Community College Credits: 3 Website
OFFICIAL COURSE DESCRIPTION ABSTRACT OF DIVERSITY INFUSION WITHIN COURSE TEXTBOOK PRESENTATION OF DIVERSITY-RELATED MATERIALS CLASS SCHEDULE OF DIVERSITY-RELATED SEGMENTS SUCCESSES AND DIFFICULTIES STUDENT EVALUATION OF COURSES INFUSED WITH DIVERSITY RECOMMENDED RESOURCES

 OFFICIAL COURSE DESCRIPTION: TOP
An introduction to basic concepts in descriptive and inferential statistics, with emphasis upon application to psychology. Consideration given to the methods of data collection, sampling techniques, graphing of data, and the statistical evaluation of data.

Required of psychology majors. Prerequisites: PSY101 with a grade of "C" or better and MAT092 or equivalent, or permission of instructor.

ABSTRACT OF DIVERSITY INFUSION WITHIN COURSE:TOP
I chose to infuse diversity into a statistics based course by focusing on the term project (worth 25% of the student's grade). Students were required to analyze data which contained a diversity related theme (e.g. discrimination law suit, gender differences in intelligence, etc.) and present a unique summary of that data to the class using Microsoft Power Point. Students were placed in groups of four, where each student within the same group had to analyze the same data. Although each student was required to complete an individual presentation, they had to collaborate with their group to insure that each presentation was unique. The entire class was expected to be present for all student presentations.

COURSE TEXTBOOK:TOP
Introductory Statistics For The Behavioral Sciences (5th Edition), by J. Welkowitz, R. Ewen and J. Cohen. - required
Study Guide To Accompany Introductory Statistics For The Behavioral Sciences (5th Edition) by R. Ewen. - required
Ready, Set, Go! A Student Guide to SPSS (either v10.0 or v11.0) for Windows, by T. Pavkov and K. Pierce (shrink-wrapped with SPSS CD-ROM). - optional

PRESENTATION OF DIVERSITY-RELATED MATERIAL:TOP
Before distributing the term project, I gave two Power Point presentations to the class. The first one explained the term project requirements and outlined how it was meant to promote diversity. The second presentation was an actual sample presentation similar to the one that they were being asked to create.

OUTLINE OF CLASS SCHEDULE SHOWING DIVERSITY RELATED SEGMENTS: TOP

Module I: Origins and Descriptive Statistics

Date	Topic	Reading	Lab	Items Due
1/20/04	Introduction	Handouts	No Lab	Purchase Books and Materials
1/22/04	Why Study Statistics; All the Math You Need	Ch # 1 in WE &C	Lab # 1: The CWB	N/A
1/27/04	Frequency Distributions	Ch # 2 in WE &C	Lab # 2: All the Math You Need	Cohort A Presentations
1/29/04	Graphic Representations	Ch # 2 in WE &C	Lab # 3: Frequency Distributions	Cohort B Presentations
2/3/04	Measures of Central Tendency	Ch # 4 in WE &C	Lab # 4: Measures of Central Tendency	Cohort C Presentations
2/5/04	Your Accumulated Knowledge of Statistics	Ch # 1, Ch # 2 & Ch # 4 in WE &C	Exam # 1	Exam # 1

Module II: Variance, Probability and Normal Distributions

Date	Topic	Reading	Lab	Items Due
2/10/04	Measures of Variability	Ch # 5 in WE &C	Lab # 5: Measures of Variability	N/A
2/12/04	Introduction to Probability	Ch # 8 in WE &C	Lab # 6: Simple Probabilities	Cohort A Presentations
2/17/04	Inferential Statistics	Ch # 8 in WE &C	Lab # 7: Using SPSS	Cohort B Presentations
2/19/04	Normal Distributions and Z-Scores	Ch # 6 in WE &C	Lab # 8: Z-Scores	Cohort C Presentations
2/24/04	Area Under the Normal Curve	Ch # 9 in WE &C	Lab # 9: Area Under the Curve	N/A
2/26/04	Your Accumulated Knowledge of Statistics	Ch # 5, Ch # 6, Ch # 8 & Ch # 9 in WE &C	Exam # 2	Exam # 2

Module III: Hypothesis Testing

Date	Topic	Reading	Lab	Items Due
3/2/04	Hypothesis Testing	Ch # 10 in WE &C	Lab # 10: Hypothesis Testing	N/A
3/4/04	Outcomes and Rejection Points	Ch # 10 in WE &C	Lab # 11: Possible Outcomes	Cohort A Presentations
3/9/04	One Sample Cases: Z-Score Testing	Ch # 10 in WE &C	Lab # 12: Z-Score Testing	Cohort B Presentations
3/11/04	One Sample Cases: t-tests	Ch # 10 in WE &C	Lab # 13: One Sample t-tests	Cohort C Presentations
3/23/04	One vs. Two	Ch # 10 in WE &C	Lab # 14: SPSS & Excel	N/A
3/25/04	Your Accumulated Knowledge	Ch # 10 in WE &C	Exam # 3	Exam # 3

Module IV: Two Sample Testing and Correlations

Date	Topic	Reading	Lab	Items Due
3/30/04	Testing Two Sample Cases (Random)	Ch # 11 in WE &C	Lab # 15: t-testing, Independent Groups	Cohort A Presentations
4/1/04	Testing Two Sample Cases (Matched)	Ch # 11 in WE &C	Lab # 16: t-testing, Paired Groups	Cohort B Presentations
4/6/04	Correlated Samples: The Pearson r	Ch # 12 in WE &C	Lab # 17: The Pearson r	Cohort C Presentations
4/8/04	Your Accumulated Knowledge of Statistics	Ch # 11 & CH # 12 in WE &C	Exam # 4	Exam # 4

Module V: Comparison Testing, Nominal Data and Wrap Up

Date	Topic	Reading	Lab	Items Due
4/13/04	ANOVA	Ch # 15 in WE &C	Lab # 18: ANOVA	Cohort A Presentations
4/15/04	Post-Hoc Testing	Ch # 15 in WE &C	Lab # 19: The Tukey	Cohort B Presentations
4/20/04 & 4/22/04	Chi-Square	Ch # 17 in WE &C	Lab # 20: Chi-Square	Cohort C Presentations
4/27/04	Wrap Up & Review	N/A	Lab # 21: Pushing the SPSS Envelope	N/A
4/29/04	Your Accumulated Knowledge of Statistics	CH # 15 & Ch #17 in WE &C	Exam # 5	Exam # 5
5/4/04	Student Presentations	N/A	Student Presentations	Term Project
5/6/04	Student Presentations	N/A	Student Presentations	Term Project

Final Exam Week

Date	Topic	Reading	Special Info	Items Due
5/13/04	Student Presentations and Closure	N/A	Sections 1304 & 1316 @ 9:00 AM	TBA

SUCCESSES AND DIFFICULTIES ENCOUNTERED: TOP
Overall, students enjoyed the experience. Several themes run throughout their comments. They are as follows.

• They saw how statistics can be used to support differences (or a lack of differences) between diverse peoples.
• They enjoyed the opportunity to work together with others on the same data, giving them a chance to see the unique styles of each student.
• They increased their knowledge of what diversity means, i.e. it is not just related to gender or ethnic group, but to a whole spectrum of differences.
• They were often impressed with the diversity of the Power Point presentations of their fellow classmates, many students used sources like the Internet to find unique clip art and alternative explanations for their data.
• They found the term project to be different than expected for a statistics class, specifically related the use of Power Point (many were expecting to write a paper).

STUDENT EVALUATION OF COURSE INFUSED WITH DIVERSITY: TOP

RECOMMENDED RESOURCES:TOP
Other than the information I have y provided to the Diversity Group, there are two good items that I have recently discovered. The first is a diversity music CD entitled "Think Globally". This CD, part of a series called Work Beats produced by Metacom (www.metacommusic.com), contains 12 songs from different parts ofhe world designed to promote thinking outside the box. The other source is a book entitled Making the Most of College: Students Speak Their Minds, written by Richard Light of Harvard. Although not specifically about diversity, Dr. Light provides interesting insights from students relative to diversity on the college campus.