Stats Interactives

Stats Interactives is a set of four simulations designed to ease and amplify student understanding of abstract statistical and econometrics concepts. The simulations were developed in 2018 for Professor Doru Cojoc’s Quantitative Analysis course, offered at the School of International and Public Affairs.

The Quantitative Analysis course is unique in bringing together students of different academic backgrounds, many of whom do not have extensive quantitative training. The diversity in student experience had complicated learning outcomes. Over the years, Professor Cojoc found that supplementing traditional lectures and textbook readings with interactive graphs and simulations greatly boosted understanding. In 2018, Professor Cojoc was awarded a Provost’s Teaching and Learning Grant to build a set of open-source simulations that students could use to prepare for in-class exercises and reinforce readings and concepts presented in class.

The CTL worked closely with Cojoc to build four intuitive, interactive graphs that were freely available online. The graphs allow students to independently “play” with the Central Limit Theorem, a Linear Regression Model, a Least Squares Estimation, and a Sampling Distribution of Regression Coefficients. The goal is to facilitate students’ ability to visualize complex theoretical results and to teach them to draw critical inferences from various data. The simulations are designed to demonstrate more complex concepts as the students’ knowledge progresses during the semester.

The simulations were put to the test during the Fall 2019 semester through a quantitative and qualitative study of student engagement with the simulations. The assessment found students used the simulations for a “protracted” amount of time and found them easy to use. In addition, engagement with the simulations resulted in an improved overall confidence with the material.