By Megan Clark, University Marketing Communications

The University of West Florida's Elements of Statistics structure is getting a design overhaul. Two professors are working to boost interactive learning in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics. The professors making it happen? Raid Amin and Subhash Bagui, UWF faculty, who have 37 years of experience between them.

Amin and Baqui are implementing the use of an intelligent tutoring system called Hawkes Learning System in their replacement model for the course. The system features teaching statistical concepts interactively by computer and letting students set their own pace by practicing problems and receiving feedback according to their skill level. The course, which is required for students in business, humanities, sciences and social sciences as well as other majors, enrolls 500 students each semester.

In the nation, this course has been redesigned by only a few top universities like Carnegie Melon and Virginia Tech," said Bagui. "We are very fortunate to get into this prestigious group of 40 universities through the National Center for Academic Transformation to implement this program."

he redesign of this course was piloted fall 2007 and a full implementation is planned for spring 2008. The course redesign reduces weekly lectures to one each week, followed by a session using the Hawkes system, including professor and graduate assistant support for one-on-one assistance.

"I probably would not have passed the class without the Hawkes Learning System," said Daniel Reynolds, freshmen criminal justice major. "This format helps a lot because many students do not have the same learning methods."

Amin and Bagui, two of nine international professors in the department, hope that this course will continue with the department's initiatives to find innovative ways to teach.

"Many of the faculty in the department received their degrees in other countries," said Amin. "We bring in different teaching styles to find the best way to deliver the material."

Not only are the faculty helping students learn more effectively, they work hard to help students find contacts for places they would like to work or study once they graduate.

"Every time we hear a success story about one of our students, we are incredibly proud," said Bagui. "That is why we teach and continue to find new ways to do it."

UWF is Creating Great Futures – Want to help? Visit uwf.edu/greatfutures. Learn about UWF's Department of Mathematics and Statistics at uwf.edu/mathstat/.