Chapter 5: Statistics: Developing Impactful Teaching and Learning

The 21st century, even in its first decade, can be seen as a century of science. Various pundits make lists of the “most imminent” science and technology advances as well as argue for the “most important” outstanding questions in various areas of science. Looking in a crystal ball can be a lot of fun; for teachers and researchers, preparing the knowledge foundations to enable these breakthrough discoveries is our business. From biotechnology to artificial intelligence to space exploration to effective medical interventions, there are many tools needed in multiple disciplines.

As the development of “new science” shifted in the 1800s, scientists began to need the tools of calculus at an earlier time in a scientist’s career; however, their lack of calculus paradigms caused this to be inaccessible to them even as they needed it most. There are interesting stories of scientists studying electricity, magnetism, and temperature who had to draft the help of mathematicians before the scientific world would accept their work (Stewart, 2018). The need for algebra and trigonometry, for example, did not disappear. However, the need for calculus was more urgent. If one agrees, even partially, with the discussions in previous chapters then one must recognize that science development will need a language of mathematics to enable/structure communications, processes, and conclusions.