StatTeacherAssistant: An Application for Creating, Adjusting, and Checking the Suitability of Data Sets for Courses that Incorporate Introductory Statistical Methods

Abstract

As the use of data in courses that incorporate statistical methods has become more prevalent, so has the need for tools for working with such data, including those for data creation and adjustment. While numerous tools exist that support faculty who teach statistical methods, many are focused on data analysis or theoretical concepts, and there remains a need for tools that assist faculty when making data-based examples and assignments. In this article, we describe a free application, available both online and through an R package, which we developed for instructors of courses that incorporate introductory statistical methods. The app treats the process of coming up with data for examples and assignments synergistically, beginning with either data creation (through random number generation) or adjustment (when the user has data) and ending with an assessment of the data’s suitability for the desired analysis. The app enables the quick creation of many versions of variables for multiple versions of assignments and is compatible with file types associated with popular interdisciplinary software such as Excel, R, and SPSS. We highlight the app’s features and discuss survey feedback provided by faculty that demonstrates the desire and need for and effectiveness of such an app. Supplementary materials for this article are available online.