他教300名學生大班：不用一般投影機用光筆，他採用星際大戰的光劍Jedi light sabre.....
他教到迴歸，有一outlier (異常值)，問道：..... (9月19海盜日)，學生答：船長，是異常值！他答，你說得對！夥伴.....
「這是絕地的武器，不像雷射槍那樣笨拙難以控制。這是一種更高雅的武器，屬於那一個更文明的時代。」
To engage students in a ‘maligned’ subject, Jonathan Reuning-Scherer creates moments for humor. Related: http://bit.ly/1IVgKzs
文
Jonathan Reuning-Scherer
To engage students in a ‘maligned’ subject, Jonathan Reuning-Scherer creates moments for humor
Keeping the attention of a classroom of 300 students studying statistics can be a challenge, but Jonathan Reuning-Scherer, the recipient of the Richard H. Brodhead ’68 Prize for Teaching Excellence, has it figured out. He uses and encourages humor. Props are a routine part of his repertoire. Instead of a pointer, he uses a Jedi light sabre, and he tries to make every minute count, as he’s even figured out how much time is lost if his students’ attention wanders. One student who nominated him for the teaching prize said Reuning-Scherer brought the material alive in such a way that his lectures felt like a “one-on-one study session.”
Course: “Introduction to Statistics”
What excites you about teaching Yale undergraduates?
Obviously, we have some of the most brilliant students on the planet here at Yale. But, frankly, the thing that excites me the most is getting to help train future leaders and future scientists. I really see statistics as a helping field: It’s a critical tool these students will use as they go off to do great things in life. Sometimes former students send me notes about what they’re doing, and it’s very exciting to see what they do with statistics.
What do your students teach you?
The thing that my students teach me, really, is how to teach. I think that by listening to them I learn what motivates them and what excites them. I teach some of the biggest classes here at Yale; I have 300 students. I can see when they are asleep and when I’m losing them. Over the years I’ve learned what will engage them: what examples to use, when to use silly props and humor — whatever it takes get statistics into them.
I teach one of the most maligned subjects on the planet and so it’s very rewarding when I see in the reviews, “Professor Reuning-Scherer managed to take a dreadfully dull subject and engage my attention for an entire semester.”
Being a teacher of a class of 300 students I often think very carefully about every word I say. I often think that if I have 300 students in front of me, every minute that I talk is five hours of human time lost, so that minute better be engaging and relevant.
What advice would you give to a Yale undergraduate about his or her time here?
I think the advice I would give to a Yale undergraduate would be to figure out what their passions really are. One of the great surprises of hitting my 20s was to discover that after all the emphasis that has been placed on getting good grades, no one ever asked for my transcript after my first job. But people did care if I have skills and was really passionate about my work. I would say to undergrads, “Figure out what really drives you, and if you can make a living out of it, it’s one of the greatest joys in life.”
If there is one thing you’d like your students to learn from you, what would that be?
If there’s one thing that I’d like my students to learn from me, it’s the power of statistics. There’s been a real explosion of data analysis and use of data in politics and in science. Statisticians, while we are a rather maligned lot, are actually highly moral. I hope that my students will learn that there is a real power in data, that it can be used for good or for ill. Regardless of what field they are in, people will try to use data against them — or data can be one of the most powerful allies they have in telling their story.
Tell us about one of your most memorable classroom experiences.
One of my most memorable classroom experiences happened about three weeks into class when we were talking about regression. I put up a slide with some data and said, “Now this point right here, is this an outlier or an influential point?” And one student goes, “Argh, it’s an outlier, captain!” I said, “Argh, you’re right, matey!” It turned out it was Sept. 19, National Talk Like a Pirate Day. It was one of the best times we ever had. One of the things I’ve learned is that there is nothing like a bit of humor to get people’s attention back and to engage them in the subject again. So I was ever grateful to that student, because it became a running joke for the rest of the semester. Argh!
Yale University
To engage students in a ‘maligned’ subject, Jonathan Reuning-Scherer creates moments for humor. Related: http://bit.ly/1IVgKzs
Jonathan Reuning-Scherer
Senior Lecturer in Statistics and Forestry
Address:
205 Prospect St, New Haven, CT 06511-2106
203-432-5118
jonathan.reuning-scherer@yale.edu
Website
Research Interests:
Computational and graphics statistics, density estimation, non-parametric regression.
Courses
STAT 101a - 106a / STAT 501a - 506a Introduction to Statistics
A basic introduction to statistics, including numerical and graphical summaries of data, probability, hypothesis testing, confidence intervals, and regression. Each course focuses on applications to a particular field of study and is taught jointly by two instructors, one specializing in statistics and the other in the relevant area of application. The first seven weeks of classes are attended by all students in STAT 101-106 together, as general concepts and methods of statistics are developed. The remaining weeks are divided into field-specific sections that develop the concepts with examples and applications. Computers are used for data analysis. These courses are alternatives; they do not form a sequence and only one may be taken for credit. No prerequisites beyond high school algebra. May not be taken after STAT 100 or 109.
Students enrolled in STAT 101-106 who wish to change to STAT 109, or those enrolled in STAT 109 who wish to change to STAT 101-106, must submit a course change notice, signed by the instructor, to their residential college dean by Friday, September 27. The approval of the Committee on Honors and Academic Standing is not required.
Term: Fall
Day/Time: Tuesday, Thursday 1:00-2:15
STAT 101a / E&EB 210a / E&EB 510a Introduction to Statistics: Life Sciences
Statistical and probabilistic analysis of biological problems presented with a unified foundation in basic statistical theory. Problems are drawn from genetics, ecology, epidemiology, and bioinformatics.
Term: Fall
Day/Time: Tuesday, Thursday 1:00pm - 2:15pm
STAT 102a / STAT 502a / EP&E 203a / PLSC 425a Introduction to Statistics: Political Science
Statistical analysis of politics and quantitative assessments of public policies. Problems presented with reference to a wide array of examples: public opinion, campaign finance, racially motivated crime, and health policy.
Term: Fall
Day/Time: Tuesday, Thursday 1:00pm - 2:15pm
STAT 103a / STAT 503a / SOCY 119a Introduction to Statistics: Social Sciences
Descriptive and inferential statistics applied to analysis of data from the social sciences. Introduction of concepts and skills for understanding and conducting quantitative research.
Term: Fall
Day/Time: Tuesday, Thursday 1:00pm - 2:15pm
STAT 105a / STAT 505a Introduction to Statistics: Medicine
Statistical methods used in medicine and medical research. Practice in reading medical literature competently and critically, as well as practical experience performing statistical analysis of medical data.
Term: Fall
Day/Time: Tuesday, Thursday 1:00pm - 2:15pm
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