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Statistics hiding in plain sight: How this four-minute long interview on polling data can be used in class

Statistical literacy is important. I love examples of folks using statistical concepts without being snobby statistical gatekeepers.  For instance, see jargon-free statistical literacy that helps people make important decisions about their children's health or informs the  immigration debate .   As stats teachers, I think we are remiss if we don't talk about political polling in our classes. At least a little bit. Here is a brief, nonpartisan interview about political polling you can use in class to see whether students can identify the concepts they've learned. Here is a short  NPR i nterview o n  how to think properly about political polling. If you use the interview in class, you could ask your students to identify the statistics and research methods mentioned.  I clocked margin of error,  sampling error,  and research methodology evaluation. If using an audio interview isn't your thing, check out t his summary piece from NPR, based on the...

'Nowhere To Sleep': Los Angeles Sees Increase In Young Homeless

Anna Scott, reporting for NPR, described changes to the homeless census in LA. It applies to stats/RM because an improvement in survey methodology lead to a big change in the city's estimation of number of homeless young adults.

I also think this is also a good piece for teaching because the story keeps coming back to Japheth Greg Dyer, a homeless college student who aged out of the foster care and was sort of tossed into the world on his own.

Straight from NPR:


Homelessness hasn't necessarily increased dramatically. Instead, these findings seem to indicate that they finally have a reliable way to count young adult homelessness due to a better understanding of young adults. The dramatic increase is methodological.

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