applications of gapminder for undergraduate teachingtunstal1/gapminder.pdf · pick 3-6. to save on...

APPLICATIONS OF GAPMINDER FOR UNDERGRADUATE TEACHINGLuke Tunstall, Michigan State UniversitySarah Greenwald and Bill Bauldry, Appalachian State University

What metrics might you use as a proxy for “development”? Would some have more weight

than others?Pick 3-6.

To save on paper, if you have a laptop, visit

goo.gl/wYgDRXto see the

metrics list.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

▪ Created in 2005 out of Stockholm by Hans and Ola Rosling

▪ The number of indicators has grown from 16 to over 300 since inception

▪ Google partnered with Gapminder in 2007 to develop the “Trendalyzer”

AWARENESS OF TONE

Screenshot of site

AWARENESS OF AIMS, ETC.

Be wary of subtly suggesting your students are less knowledgeable than monkeys too!

AWARENESS OF TONE: STUDENT VIEW• Personal experiences, biases &

outdated info• “News-worthy” exaggerate

controversies and focus on swift changes

• Our student views run the gamut, including strict biblical creationists

WHY GAPMINDER?▪ Many students appreciate authenticity and engage

with data

▪ The site has the potential to foster learning of ▪ Logarithmic scales

▪ Correlation and causation

▪ Data quality

▪ Excel Skills

▪ Modeling benefits and limitations

▪ Global inequities (the Millennium Goals)

First-Year Seminar or a Quantitative Literacy Course

• Discuss the inherent subjectivity of indices

• Have students create an infographic• The 100-person world activity.

EXAMPLE OF CLASSROOM ACTIVITY:VIDEO & FOLLOW-UP RESEARCH PRESENTATION

• David McCandless: The Beauty of Data Visualization (2010)

• CO2 emission visualizations [China & US]• Conflicting viewpoints in media

• “Truth” and scientific consensus

• Students choose from http://www.gapminder.org/data/• Presentation

• Why they chose it, summary, media and scientific consensus

EXAMPLE OF CLASSROOM ACTIVITY:VIDEO & FOLLOW-UP RESEARCH PRESENTATION

Precalculus or College Algebra

• Discuss and create logarithmic scales (easy to transform data here)

• Exponential versus linear growth (e.g. population, GDP per capita)

• Logistic growth (e.g. internet users)

Introductory Statistics

• Variability within data and measures of center

• Confidence intervals• Correlation• Motivation for multiple linear regression

(e.g. The Happiness Report)• Chi-square tests for independence

Calculus, Differential Equations, Linear Algebra

• Cell phone usage over time (logistical model in DE’s/Modeling)

• Cumulative carbon dioxide emissions (estimating rates in DE’s)

• Agricultural workers over time (linear fit and r); comparing different nations

LET’S BRAINSTORM1. In line with the courses you typically teach,

break into groups to develop an activity for that course.

2. Take 20 minutes to develop the activity, putting it in a Word Document preferably.

3. Come together as a whole to present.

4. Send the documents to tunstal1@msu.edu. We will send the lessons to Gapminder for its resource section