| Summary: | The conventional teaching of statistics has been subject to constant criticism over time. According to researchers, these methods provide students with few tools applicable to their future professional careers. This monotonous and loosely connected teaching to genetics contributes to increased negative attitudes towards this discipline and a higher failure rate. Furthermore, concepts are generally taught from a purely formal approach, lacking real-world examples that students can relate to in their future work in the field of genetics. At the National University of Misiones (UNaM), "Biostatistics and Experimental Design" is crucial for Genetics Bachelor's students. Despite covering descriptive, inferential, and multivariate statistics, the dropout rate has become a significant issue. Almost half of enrolled students fail to regularize the subject, and many do not pass it in the first examination sessions. To address this challenge, collaboration between the University and the Human Genetics Institute (IGeHM) was sought. IGeHM promotes genetic education and focuses on topics directly related to the profile of a geneticist, including research on genetic diseases such as cancer. Cancer risk analysis involves estimating the probabilities of carrying a genetic variant and evaluating risks based on individual and family factors. IGeHM collects data from cancer patients, generating a variety of relevant variables. The aim of this work was to increase the rate of regular students in Biostatistics and Experimental Design and stimulate greater interest by using real data provided by IGeHM related to cancer. The methodology used was a mixed approach, combining qualitative and quantitative methods, with a descriptive and exploratory scope. Data were obtained from student surveys and analysis of approval rates. According to our surveys, most students had little or no knowledge of statistics before taking the course (76%), and only a minority had experience with health and genetics-related statistics (15%). A lack of understanding of key statistical concepts was also observed (50%). This highlights the need for more effective statistics teaching in the context of genetics. The collaboration with IGeHM has been enriching by providing real data related to cancer. This collaboration has led to increased student participation, achieving more meaningful learning observed thus far. In conclusion, it was proven that the strategy was beneficial for improving statistics learning in the context of genetics, contributing to the increased rate of regular students (11% increase), and enriching pedagogical devices to achieve more real-world-linked learning. In this context, further research is considered to continue refining teaching strategies and achieve a greater impact on student performance.
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