WELCOME to the initial webpage for the

2009-2011 CAUSEmos Study of FUN cluster!

our WIKI page

ReadyTalk conference calls: 1-866-740-1260 (or 1-303-248-0285) then the 7-digit access code we send you;

for more info, contact Jean Scott (614-688-5913; jscott@stat.osu.edu); scheduling may involve http://www.meetingwizard.com.

TIMELINE 2009-11 (all times are Eastern):

pre-USCOTS 2009:

spring 2009 call for applicants for the Study of Fun cluster launched at USCOTS 2009: “Larry Lesser and Dennis Pearl invite self-nominations to join us in a special cluster devoted to the study of fun. There is a great need for more systematic and sustained investigation into what role various types of fun can or should play in increasing student motivation, understanding, and retention in statistics courses. This cluster will organize through conference calls prior to USCOTS, meet on Thursday afternoon June 25th prior to USCOTS, and have two meals together at USCOTS. Continuing after the conference through monthly conference calls and other communication, the cluster will examine previous research in the use of fun items in teaching statistics, work through possible methods of making fun materials more effective, and will collaborate in research to assess the classroom effectiveness of using fun. For an introduction to this topic see http://www.amstat.org/publications/jse/v16n3/lesser.html. To apply for this cluster please select the "Teaching with Fun" category under on-going interest groups when you register for USCOTS. Applications received by May 1, 2009 will receive full consideration in the selection of participants.”

conference call 12-1 on 6/17/09 (read paper and browse collection beforehand)

at USCOTS 2009:

in-person meetings at USCOTS on June 25 at 5-6:20 pm and June 26 & 27 at lunchtime (also, you might try to catch the Kuiper/Lesser/Pearl/Posner invited “beyond” session on fun: “Letting Go of the Idea that Stats Class Can’t be fun and FUNctional!” or Amitra Wall’s poster).

post-USCOTS 2009:

monthly conference calls begin July 2009; continue review of literature; consider issues of classification and identification of attributes of fun; reflect upon how the CAUSEweb collection can be improved (in terms of items, searchability, pedagogical notes, etc.);

ROSTER (* = organizer/liaison to CAUSE)

Person (& “homepage”)	Institution	Email	Time zone
Audbjorg Bjornsdottir	U. of Minnesota (MN)	bjrns001 at umn.edu	Central
Andrea Boito	Penn State U., Altoona College (PA)	arh14 at psu.edu	Eastern
Robert Carver	Stonehill College (MA)	rcarver at stonehill.edu	Eastern
Patricia Erickson	Taylor U. (IN)	pterickson at tayloru.edu	Eastern
Alexis Grosofsky	Beloit College (WI)	grosofsk at beloit.edu	Central
Katherine Halvorsen	Smith College (MA)	khalvors at smith.edu	Eastern
Shonda Kuiper	Grinnell College (IA)	kuipers at grinnell.edu	Central
Larry Lesser*	The University of Texas at El Paso	Lesser at utep.edu	Mountain
Andre Lubecke	Lander U. (SC)	alubecke at lander.edu	Eastern
Jackie Miller	The Ohio State University	jbm at stat.osu.edu	Eastern
Dennis Pearl*	The Ohio State University	dkp at stat.osu.edu	Eastern
Michael Posner	Villanova University (PA)	michael.posner at villanova.edu	Eastern
Amitra Wall	Buffalo State College (NY)	hodgeaa at buffalostate.edu	Eastern

MODALITIES from Table 1 of Lesser & Pearl (2008):

Cartoons, Celebration Days, Comic Strips, Food, Games (Commercial),

Games (Cultural), Game Shows, Humor/Jokes, Kinesthetic Activity, Literature,

Magic, Media Bloopers, Movies, Music/Raps/Songs, Poems,

Quotations, Statistics fun Books, Striking Examples, Videos, Wordplay.

also: Strange News

LINKS

Lesser/Pearl Nov. 2008 JSE paper: http://www.amstat.org/publications/jse/v16n3/lesser.html

Research Resources: http://www.causeweb.org/research/ and

http://www.math.utep.edu/Faculty/lesser/ResearchResources.html

CAUSEweb fun resources collection: http://www.causeweb.org/resources/fun/agreement.php

CAUSE A-mu-sing contest: http://www.causeweb.org/contest/

CAUSE webinar on fun: http://www.causeweb.org/webinar/teaching/2006-04/

miscellaneous: AATH, ISHS, edutainment,