MaryKay Rotsch, MQM
Students often view statistics as overwhelming and unapproachable, but the presenter has cooked up a pedagogical approach that makes them seem much more appetizing, inviting students to "cook up a batch of statistics fun" as they engage in a session of introductory hypothesis testing. Students learn to follow five successful steps in the recipe. Using large and small samples, they see how deliciously easy hypothesis testing can be. Through an award-winning, five star format, we remove the unsavory stigma from statistics. The main ingredients include the null and alternative hypothesis, z and t scores, the reject and non-reject regions, test statistics, and concluding with our decision. The table is set and the presenter has cordially invited participants to join her for an introduction to an unforgettable cooking class.
Sean Walton, Milner
Illinois State University's Milner Library is breaking new ground with iTour, a tour of the library that uses Apple's 5th generation iPod. iTour is a blend of video, audio, and user-selected choices that will launch a new age of Information Literacy delivery within higher education. Anyone with a digital camera, a word processor, and a little HTML experience, can create one, too. When students start iTour, it walks them through a full tour of Milner, letting them determine what to explore and at their own pace. iTour is programmed to be interactive, allowing the student to determine the direction and depth of knowledge on a variety of sources and services at Milner. iPods were selected for iTour because they free the students from sitting at computers, watching online videos. Now the students physically move around in Milner, engaging with both the physical building and the "iLibrarian" through a familiar technology utilized by thousands of their peers every day. In addition, iTour can be checked out whenever the library is open, so students who have employment or family constraints can use them.
