STATISTICS EDUCATION IN THE NETHERLANDS AND FLANDERS: AN OUTLINE OF INTRODUCTORY COURSES AT UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES

This paper summarizes the results of a study into ways in which introductory Statistics courses are taught at universities and honors colleges in the Netherlands. In interviews, course coordinators described the teaching methods used, the student population, they assessed the developments in the statistics curriculum and considered future developments, focusing on Statistics for social science majors in their first year. These interviews form a part of a major study into educational and student determinants of course outcomes with respect to statistics courses in the Netherlands and Flanders. Regarding the first part of this study, i.e., educational determinants, the results show a diversity of teaching methods, group sizes (from 12 students to more than 500) and assessment tools. Statistical course content is, in general, equal across social science departments.