CATALST Project

The CATALST project is an NSF funded project is designed to develop, implement, evaluate, and disseminate a radically different but much needed introductory statistics course. The proposed course builds on best practices and materials developed in statistics education, research and theory from cognitive science, as well as materials and methods that are successfully achieving parallel goals in other disciplines (e.g., mathematics and engineering education) including the use of simulation to carry out inferential analyses. 

Research has suggested that students often leave statistics courses able to perform routine procedures and tests, but lacking the big picture of the statistical process that will allow them to solve unfamiliar problems and to articulate and apply their understanding. Inspired by a metaphor introduced by Alan Schoenfeld, we are hoping that the CATALST course will teach students to "cook" rather than just to "follow recipes”.


To read more about this project, or to access the materials created to date, please visit the CATALST website.