One way to engage learners is to tell stories. Real world examples or fictional narratives can create anchors for learning. Abstract ideas become tangible and relevant. Stories can become hooks on which learning rests.
Learning theories suggest that learners retain information best when they discover solutions to problems and then implement those solutions. Passion-Driven Statistics introduces statistics and statistical software by encouraging students to ask questions about which they are passionate. Using massive data sets and statistical software, students design a research project of their choosing and are supported while learning to use R, Stata, Python, or SAS to find answers.