Comments on: Newsweek on Sex-Ed and Statistics

By: Joseph Hertzlinger

Joseph Hertzlinger — Tue, 01 May 2007 14:55:49 +0000

I just realized that the correlation between majoring in hard sciences and abstinence is probably also due to selection bias.

By: Joseph Hertzlinger

Joseph Hertzlinger — Tue, 01 May 2007 06:01:22 +0000

If we really want to increase abstinence, we'll make biochemistry and mathematics courses compulsory.

By: The algorithm (will never be alone, go)

The algorithm (will never be alone, go) — Mon, 30 Apr 2007 23:23:23 +0000

The interesting thing is, program evaluators are hired by the folks who run the programs, not by someone who wants a straight answer. One of my uncle’s education profs works as a program evaluator, and she told him that she tries to start talks with the folks running the project early, so they could define what would be measured and how in a way that made the program folks happy, leading to the exact kind of nonsense that happened with this abstinence program. It’s a system that only a grant recipient could love.

(Oh, and that professional evaluator had a masters’ in public health. If I ever jump the shark like that…)

By: mollishka

mollishka — Mon, 30 Apr 2007 22:39:41 +0000

This is the sort of methodology which makes shuttles explode.

Ha!

You also remind me of my high school sex ed class, wherein the teacher brought in several unmarked boxes full of contraceptive goodies. Each group got assigned a box, with instructions to figure out what it did and how it worked, etc., and then give a group presentation to the class (which she would then correct if something was off/wrong/etc.). One of the boxes was empty, which both really confused and upset that particular group. The box, of course, represented abstinence.