A “Bag of Tricks” for Teaching about Sampling Distributions

This classroom technique uses imaginary marbles, chips, and bags to create distributions of sample means, differences between independent sample means, mean difference scores, and raw score populations. With this technique, students more easily grasp the distinctions between raw score populations and sampling distributions, With these distinctions established, the need for different measures of variability for each distribution becomes apparent. Then, solutions for the probabilities of specific observations for each sampling distribution are easily generalized from the raw score model. Once students learn to answer probability questions for each sampling distribution, generalizing to hypothesis testing procedures is facilitated. The technique requires only the instructor's flair for the dramatic and the students' imagination to make it work.