Once I became acquainted with Microsoft Office's OneNote 2007, I realized that this was the kind of powerful organizing tool that I needed to plan my courses, gather material and set up administrative records. All the Windows 'tree' system of file structure, shortcut cross references and copy functions across all formats have been resolved into a "tabbed spiral notebook" presentation. I love it. I am using it to create our BUSA 3101 course.
The first tab of my "statistics" notebook contains the academic calendar for the summer 2008 session, pasted onto the page in the exact format as presented on the registrar's web page. Tab two is an exact copy of the course listing in the on-line university catalog format, along with the listing for the prerequisite course for our BUSA 3101. (The prerequisite,by the way, is Math 1231 Introductory Statistics). Tab three is a copy of the syllabus - a Word document. On the syllabus page I have separately copied the four major learning outcomes for this course, with a note that this list of learning outcomes was approved by the discipline committee for our school of business. (I cannot unilaterally change this list). Tab four has my class roster in an exact copy of the format from the university system. Tab five has material introducing hypothesis testing for circumstances under which the population variance is known. (I introduced the subject to an MBA class this Spring as a guest lecturer.) Tab six will contain my lesson plans, the first page of that tab being the table of content.
In the next couple of days I'll be engaged in the fun part of all of this - the development of lesson plans, class schedules, homework assignments, exams, gradebooks, etc. Although this is the first time that I am teaching this course at Clayton State, I do have experience with similar courses as a graduate teaching assistant at Clemson University and teaching at Rockhurst University in Kansas City. The regular semester professor for this course here in the Business School of Clayton State has provided me with past syllabi and a good bit of advice based on his own experience. I have already found a few newspaper articles - one from the Wall Street Journal - that illustrate very well the business uses of statistical analysis. (Statistics don't lie; liars lie).
Speaking of statistics, my favorite stats joke: The definition of "statistician" - a number cruncher who did not have the personality to become an accountant. Hahahahahaha.
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