Experiences Teaching Probability and Statistics with Personal Laptops in the Classroom Daily

Abstract

What if every day of a probability and statistics class was a computer laboratory day? How would this change your method of teaching an introductory course in probability and statistics? At the United States Military Academy at West Point, wireless laptop computers have become a permanent part of the classroom and have changed our approach to teaching. Over the last five years, we have made a concerted effort to find the improvements technology has to offer and to steer clear of the pitfalls technology can bring to the classroom. Our method of teaching a calculus-based probability and statistics course has evolved into a data-oriented approach to understanding distributions. We present some methods we have developed that use spreadsheets and mathematical software systems to create an environment that helps students understand the foundations of probability theory and statistical inference.

KEY WORDS:

• EDF
• Laptop computer
• Statistical software