About This Project
Topics Covered
The initial modules were developed in sequence on the following topics:
- The Central Limit Theorem (Sampling distribution of the mean)
- Statistical power
- \(p\)-values and hypothesis testing
- Partitioning of variability in one-way ANOVA
- Assumption diagnostics and consequences in multiple linear regression
These topics may be expanded or other topics added in future iterations of the underlying modules.
Overview of Module Structure
While developing the interactive modules, we used three styles of presentation:
- An interactive dashboard.
- Slide decks with interactive components.
- A webpage with interactive components or interactive textbook.
We learned that these various formats lend themselves to different ways of incorporating learning activities and learning check or review questions. Some ways of presenting the modules also appear better/worse for visualizations. Some suggested learning activities could be provided separately, offering flexibility on whether the instructor would like the module to be individual and self-paced, or are part of a live class/group learning activity.
Software
For those interested, the developed modules utilized Quarto and shinylive with R as the underlying language used. Slide decks also utilize revealjs. The interactive components generally required Shiny, though use of shinylive allows for the interactive modules to be hosted without requiring a Shiny server. Only a typical webserver suffices and the current modules and code are available on GitHub with a copyleft license (AGPL-3). See each module page for a link to the underlying code.
Warning about Mobile Data
It turns out that use of shinylive results in no need for a Shiny server as the software runs entirely in a webbrowser on the client’s (read: student’s) device. However, this means that the webpage that contains the interactive module is generally not mobile data friendly. Though it may sometimes run on a mobile device, the files downloaded can be quite large. It is suggested that users access such applications via a reliable (university/school) WiFi or other internet connection.
Funding
The initial development of the modules was funded by the Small Grants for Teaching Projects from the Association for Psychological Science (APS Fund for Teaching and Public Understanding of Psychological Science) under the title “The Interactive Statistics Project”.
Credit
This website and the modules were developed by members of the Psychology Department at McGill University, based in Montreal, Quebec, alongside PhD and undergraduate students completing degrees in Psychology.
- Jeremy Rappel: Co-PI, lead programmer and module developer.
- Mira Saad: Research assistant, instructional design and feedback, learning check lead, website design.
- Domi Wong: Preliminary evaluation of module efficacy.
- Jens Kreitewolf: Co-PI, learning outcome and module design, evaluation supervisor.
- Carl F. Falk: Principal investigator, learning outcome and module design, secondary programmer.
Please use the following to reference our project: Rappel, J., Saad, M., Wong, D., Kreitewolf, J., & Falk, C. F. (2026). Interactive Statistics Modules using Shinylive. https://falkcarl.github.io/intstats/
We were initially inspired to give shinylive a whirl based in part on videos and tutorials on its use by James Balamuta (The Coatless Professor).
Accessibility
An attempt has been made to use color palettes that are color-blind friendly. We value feedback to help modify the existing modules for improved accessibility.
Contact
For any further accessibility questions or concerns, please contact Carl F. Falk (carl.falk@mail.mcgill.ca).