Life after Calculus? Statistics: Curriculum/Classes

[MOCA]

Any suggestions for covering mathematical statistics on the high school level? Or is there another math course you might suggest after Calculus? I'd love to find a resource that would teach, not just provide curriculum, if possible.

 

I am familiar with the courses on Potter's School. Any other ideas?

 

Thanks so much!:)

[Kareni]

My daughter took AP Statistics through PA Homeschoolers. We were very pleased with the class, and she was well prepared for the exam.

 

One other suggestion for an at home, non-AP class, might be the Statistics book published by Life of Fred.

 

Regards,

Kareni

[melmichigan]

What about Art of Problem Solving?

[MomsintheGarden]

The answer to this really depends on what your student plans to study in college. Statistics is very useful for many degrees, but math/science/engineering degrees usually require a calculus-based statistics course. More liberal-arts geared degrees can be well-served by a non-calc-based stats course, such as AP Statistics.

 

You can also take Calculus further. Has your student done Calc I (derivatives), Calc II (integrals), and Calc III (multivariable calc)? Some high schools offer all the way through Calc III. There are AP tests for both Calc I & II, and sometimes a student can take a challenge-type exam for Calc III. But if your student doesn't need Calc III, then it would probably be better to do something else.

 

Then there are other types of math classes, such as Vector Geometry, Linear Algebra, Numerical Methods, etc...

 

I recommend figuring out what the degree requirements are for majors your student is considering at colleges your student might attend for the next step.

 

Happy studying!

GardenMom

[MOCA]

What about Art of Problem Solving?

 

I'll look into this--haven't come across it yet. Thanks!

[MOCA]

The answer to this really depends on what your student plans to study in college.

GardenMom

 

 

This is so helpful! I didn't realize about the calc base for different stats courses. (I was just glad to get through the one I had years ago!) Great advice to check into the type of course most helpful for her intended degree. You probably saved her a useless course...many thanks!

[MOCA]

My daughter took AP Statistics through PA Homeschoolers. Kareni

 

Thanks, Kareni. Was there any classroom sort of instruction online for this or would you classify it more as a teacher-led independent study? So appreciate your help!

[Kathy in Richmond]

We also loved the PA Homeschoolers Statistics course. The class is asynchronous (no live component). Everyone checks the message board at a convenient time to get the day's lesson and assignment. There is interaction with the other students and the teacher (our own Blue Hen, though my dd took the class with the previous instructor) via the message board. When my dd took the class, the students did the basic chapter problem sets independently, but often also worked in groups, doing a small project or correcting each other's work and analyzing their errors. I never saw any student go without help when he or she needed it, but they were expected to give it a good try on their own first.

 

For a do-it-yourself class at home, Khan Academy has teaching videos online in statistics. You could couple these videos with a standard textbook like The Practice of Statistics and a stats-capable calculator.

 

~Kathy

[Kareni]

My daughter took AP Statistics through PA Homeschoolers. We were very pleased with the class, and she was well prepared for the exam.

 

 

Thanks, Kareni. Was there any classroom sort of instruction online for this or would you classify it more as a teacher-led independent study? So appreciate your help!

 

There was a great deal of teacher availability though it was not via classroom instruction. As Kathy mentioned above, there were group projects as well as interaction via the online forum. My daughter had many questions for the instructor and all of them were answered promptly.

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Blue Hen]

Thank you Kareni and Kathy, :)

 

Thanks, Kareni. Was there any classroom sort of instruction online for this or would you classify it more as a teacher-led independent study? So appreciate your help!

 

The way I operate the class is that most every evening I post a Daily Message expounding on key concepts and explaining in greater detail statistical concepts and vocabulary they need to master, and the focus for the coming day--daily lecture notes. The Daily Message also lists the problems and readings the student should tackle for the day or discusses the activity we might be working through, or provides advice on how to study for an upcoming chapter test. Students ask questions of their peers and of me on our communication board. Obviously since we are not all meeting at the same time a student will make a post and sometime later that day or evening another student will come to the board and answer the question and post their responses.

 

As Karen noted, I visit the board often responding to most every post. My DS has taken 7 AP classes from PA HS'er classes and I know how he enjoys quick feedback. That's why this past year I started IM chats via AIM, Facebook and Windows Live. Some students schedule a time to meet with me, others will notice that I am online and quickly IM a question to me. Either works.

 

Carole