MIT BLOSSOMS - Is Bigger Better? A Look at a Selection Bias that Is All Around Us

This learning video addresses a particular problem of selection bias, a statistical bias in which there is an error in choosing the individuals or groups to make broader inferences. Rather than delve into this broad topic via formal statistics, we investigate how it may appear in our everyday lives, sometimes distorting our perceptions of people, places and events, unless we are careful. When people are picked at random from two groups of different sizes, most of those selected usually come from the bigger group. That means we will hear more about the experience of the bigger group than that of the smaller one. This isn't always a bad thing, but it isn't always a good thing either. Because big groups "speak louder," we have to be careful when we write mathematical formulas about what happened in the two groups. We think about this issue in this video, with examples that involve theaters, buses, and lemons. The prerequisite for this video lesson is a familiarity with algebra. It will take about one hour to complete, and the only materials needed are a blackboard and chalk. The downloadable Teacher's Guide found on the same page as the video, provides suggestions for classroom activities during each of the breaks between video segments.
Resource ID#: 18415 Type: Video/Audio/Animation
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Direct Link: https://web.mit.edu/blossoms/videos/lessons/bigger_better_look_selection_bias_all_around_us

General Information

Subject(s): Mathematics
Grade Level(s): 9, 10, 11, 12
Intended Audience: Educators educators
Suggested Technology: Computer for Presenter, LCD Projector, Speakers/Headphones, Adobe Flash Player, Adobe Acrobat Reader, Microsoft Office
Instructional Time: 55 Minute(s)
Keywords: selection bias, random incidence, sampling, randomization
Instructional Component Type(s): Video/Audio/Animation,  Lesson Plan,  Problem-Solving Task, 
Instructional Design Framework(s): Learning Cycle (e.g., 5E)
Resource Collection: MIT BLOSSOMS

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