^I NTRODUCTIONT he power of simulation as a problem-solving tool is well known. With the current emphasis on projects, activities and hands-on learning, however, simulation plays an additional role in the statistics classroom. Namely, simulation serves as a context for teaching statistical concepts.As an example, consider Hodgson and Borkowski's (1998) use of simulation and an unknown population of cards to illustrate the di¡erences between two common sampling techniques. In the activity, students repeatedly collect simple and strati¢ed random samples of size 4, calculate the corresponding sample means, construct histograms of the results and use their histograms to estimate the population mean. The population, which is listed in table 1, consists of 20 red-numbered and 20 black-numbered cards. Moreover, the colour of each card is indicative of its value: red cards correspond to`small' numerical values, whereas the value of each black card is large'. Of course, with such a small population, there is no real need to sample. However, the only information that the students are provided with about the population is that there are equal numbers of red and black cards; they are not told about the numerical values on the cards, or about the size of the population. The population itself is contained in a paper sack. Thus, it is only through sampling that students can learn about the population.
SummaryThe use of simulation as an instructional tool can promote a deep conceptual understanding of statistics and lead to misunderstandings. Teachers need to be aware of the misconceptions that can arise as a result of simulation and carefully structure classroom activities so as to derive the bene¢ts of this powerful instructional tool.
I am greatly indebted to Dr W. S. Bruce, the able leader of the Scottish National Antarctic Expedition, for the opportunity to describe the Scotia collections as regards the Pycnogonida and the Isopoda. We are now concerned with the Pycnogonida, and I regret that there has been so much delay before the production of the report. The collection is a large one, and extremely interesting—totally different from that made by the Discovery in the same region, but on the opposite side of the world. If smaller in the number of species brought home, in number of individuals it far exceeds that collection. Its principal interest lies in problems of distribution.
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