This project is developing materials for a course in non-parametric computer intensive (ONCPI) statistics. This course is distinctly different from existing undergraduate statistics courses in that the NPCI methods do not depend on assumed distribution functions (non-parametric) and rely heavily on computer sampling (computer intensive). By teaching the basic concepts of replication, variation, and counting in a hands-on environment, students are gaining an immediate intuitive understanding of statistics, as opposed to memorizing a series of poorly understood statistical 'recipes'. The practical results are that statistical concepts are more transparent, more sophisticated statistics can be carried out, and the course can be taken earlier in an engineering curriculum than a traditional parametric calculus based course. The PIs are developing nine modules for the NCPI course, utilizing selected modules in a junior level civil engineering course.
