<...snipped> >> I anticipate keeping things very simple: >> --objects and the fact that there is stuff inside them. str(), head(), tail() >> --how to get data into R >> --dataframes, as I imagine they will mostly be using single, >> "rectangular" datasets >> --a lot of graphics (I can't imagine that plot(force, acceleration) >> is beyond a high-schooler's capability.) >> --simple descriptive statistics >> --maybe t-tests, chi-square tests, and simple linear regression. >> > > I have some experience in this and would have to agree with Indrajit > that this is not a good idea. > > When I tried to teach R to a high school student it was not very > successful. Certainly based on that experience the list above is way > too complex. Don't teach anything on that list at all. The number of > concepts involved in that is simply overwhelming.
Oh amen amen! I'd go farther: It's overwhelming for college students. Farther yet: I've met very few scientists and engineers who understand what a standard deviation is. Fewer still who understand the difference between a sample statistic and a population parameter for which it's an estimate. This approach to "basic" statistics is (imho) symptomatic of why our discipline is so widely disliked and misunderstood. Cheers, Bert Also avoid teaching > anything that requires complex installation if you want them to be > able to carry it forward by themselves. > > I would expect the reaction would be that most will have no interest > and the ones that do will be frustrated by the large number of > concepts needed to get going. > > The only part that seemed to trigger any interest was when I showed > the large list of colors available in colors() and then playing with > inserting different colors in: > > colors() > plot(1:5, col = "violetred") > > Assuming you are committed to this and go ahead, I would divide it > into two parts: > > 1. a graphics demo -- make it clear its a demonstration so they have > an appreciation of what is possible and you are not actually teaching > anything in this portion. > > 2. Teach them how to install R, run the above two commands > (substituting in different colors), how to exit and point out that > there are many tutorials in: > http://cran.r-project.org/other-docs.html > and they can pick one they like (since the official documents will be > over their head). > > If you do that then perhaps a small number will have sufficient > interest to try it some more at home but I wouldn't be surprised if > none do and that most or all would prefer something with more > immediate gratification. > > -- > Statistics & Software Consulting > GKX Group, GKX Associates Inc. > tel: 1-877-GKX-GROUP > email: ggrothendieck at gmail.com > > ______________________________________________ > R-help@r-project.org mailing list > https://stat.ethz.ch/mailman/listinfo/r-help > PLEASE do read the posting guide http://www.R-project.org/posting-guide.html > and provide commented, minimal, self-contained, reproducible code. -- Bert Gunter Genentech Nonclinical Biostatistics Internal Contact Info: Phone: 467-7374 Website: http://pharmadevelopment.roche.com/index/pdb/pdb-functional-groups/pdb-biostatistics/pdb-ncb-home.htm ______________________________________________ R-help@r-project.org mailing list https://stat.ethz.ch/mailman/listinfo/r-help PLEASE do read the posting guide http://www.R-project.org/posting-guide.html and provide commented, minimal, self-contained, reproducible code.
