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Vexed By College Statistics Courses? New Approaches Emphasize Practical Learning
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Vexed By College Statistics Courses? New Approaches Emphasize Practical Learning
College-level math is a big obstacle to graduation for many California students -- and statistics is often the biggest roadblock within the curriculum.
Universities are revisiting a decades-old effort to improve the teaching of statistics by focusing introductory classes on concepts and showing how they apply in the real world before teaching the formulas that trip up many students.
The study of statistics helps students collect, interpret, and draw conclusions from data. It’s useful in everything from predicting patterns of human behavior to creating algorithms to help you choose which movie to stream.
Teachers and administrators say a better understanding of statistics is crucial in two ways: it prepares students for the growing number of jobs in data analysis, and society benefits when more people see nuance.
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But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
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