Calculus or Statistics?

Calculus is most often the highest level course taken by high school students. Many parents and students strive to reach Calculus. University admission counselors have admitted there is a “checkbox” for a student that is enrolled in Calculus in high school.

But recently, many have been making a pitch for Statistics being taken by high school seniors, due to its applicability in numerous occupations.

1. Watch this video.

2. In about 150-250 words, respond your opinion on this topic which may include the pros/cons of either course or your thoughts on the points highlighted in the video.

Peer Response 1

Rav

I agree with the points Arthur Benjamin is making in this TED talk. Thinking back to my high school experience, I remember whenever a student took Calculus they had “made it,” academically speaking. However, when I got to college I learned that only some people had to take Calculus while everyone had to take Statistics regardless of their major. That fact in itself implies that Statistics is a more useful course when it comes to everyday life. Like Benjamin said, Calculus is important for specific careers but Statistics is important for life. Even as a math teacher, I only use Calculus when I’m teaching it, but I can use Statistics in all of my classes to make random groups, take surveys, analyze scores, etc.

I believe because Calculus is at the summit of the math curriculum, students underestimate the value of Statistics. Until they actually take the Statistics course, students in my school view Calculus the same way I once did; the Calc students have “made it” while they couldn’t quite get it together. At the end of the year, the Statistics students always come out with a much more positive attitude than when they started because they recognize how useful (and fun) the content is. This is something I wish we could convey to students all along. Yes, Calculus is great for certain careers but it’s not the end all, be all of math, and you’re not any less smart if you don’t take it. I think getting that message across to students will be a long process but my department is making an attempt by incorporating concepts of Statistics in our courses starting from Algebra I. We believe students learning about probability and analyzing data will prove beneficial even in their high school careers, and that giving them little glimpses of Statistics will encourage them to take the course later on.

Peer Response 2

Eri

I have to agree with Arthur Benjamin for the most part. Statistics is a very important, but often overlooked area of study that we need to be aware. In middle school, and even a few high school courses, statistics are studied in their most basic form. Currently those that understand statistics and how to interpret them are able to manipulate the general public onto believing their views. I spend time with my students on learning to recognize misleading statistics in its most basic form.
We are asked to interpret statistics often with little understanding of what they mean. We rank students according to percentiles; we discuss standard deviations from the norm with others; and we are bombarded with graphs and data constantly. Too often the information is accepted with little to no understanding of the implications or even if the data or our interpretation of the data is correct.
At this time, I think it depends on the future career goals of students whether to encourage statistics or calculus in their high school career. Students entering fields, such as engineering, that rely heavily on a firm understanding of the mathematics of how nature and the world works should be encouraged to take calculus in high school. Students entering social sciences and other related fields should be encouraged to study statistics. Even those students I encourage and push to take calculus, I do encourage them to take statistics as an elective course, but many balk at having two math courses.

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