First Week Done

Thus ends the first week of the '07 Spring semester. Next week will be shorter, due to Martin Luther King Day. I'm still not used to not having an evening class. I will probably keep repeating the prior sentence at semi-regular intervals for a while.

In Stats, I'm trying not to get ahead of the other sections this time, but I just don't see the point of spending loads of time in Chapter 2. Yes, there are important ideas there, but they are ones that most of the students have likely encountered before. Perhaps not in as much detail, nor with the same emphasis, but still, at this point they should have an idea what an experiment is. The most important concepts are the ideas of randomization and "replication" (i.e. larger sample size = more accurate). The types of errors and ways of avoiding/minimizing them are also important, but how much time can you spend on what really boils down to vocab? *sighs* So today I gave them an in-class assignment after reviewing highlights. There are some critical thinking issues brought up in chapter 2, and my test question on that order usually floors half the class, so they got a preview today. I heard some good discussions going, so I was quite pleased.

For anyone wondering, I usually put a question on the order of "A and B tend to occur together. Suggest two explanations other than 'A causes B'". The first one is a freebie: B causes A. The second explanation usually requires use of some lurking/confounding variable. I'm lenient, so long as what they mention plausibly explains the connections. Half the time, I get students spouting random syllogisms from the book that, while true, have nothing to do with the question.

Anyway, my mom's appliances were delivered today. My new refrigerator is sitting forlornly in her garage. Which is a relief, as I need to clear a path for it to get into my kitchen. I survived a visit to my dad's house with no recurrence of the eye allergy, but I was careful to wash my hands frequently and not get my face too close to either of the pets. That reminds me... I discovered a way to get Buster to calm down, though I can't say I'd recommend it in general. Last visit, I discovered that waving my leg over his head gets him rather excited. So I repeated the "experiment". At one point, he grabbed onto my leg when it was on the low point of the swing...and either let go or fell off at the high point, landing on his back in his food dish. No lasting injuries, thankfully, but he was a bit shaken up, and a bit nervous of me for the rest of the visit. It was both amusing and worrying. More amusing now that I know he wasn't hurt. No clue if he's learned his lesson, though. :^)