Gaining insights from research for classroom planning
Ben Frater S00153907
Introduction (74 words)
The mathematical focus for this research paper will be data (statistics), the subject is one of three key strands
identified in the current national mathematics curriculum, and features prominently in all year levels from
foundation to grade six. It is my intention to conduct a literature review on the current ideas and strategies
that surround the topic and the current curriculum to aid in a creation of unit of work consisting of 5 lessons.
Literature review (748 words)
The traditional approach to teaching statistics within a primary classroom mainly focused on the collective
rules and techniques (Bill & Watson, 2007) with particular over emphasis on the key measures that determine
the centre such as mean and median with little focus on variability and distribution of the data (Bill &
Watson 2007; Shaughnessy 2006). Since the turn of the millennium research into statistical learning and
teaching has suggested that teachers need to address the three big ideas of statistics being distribution, centre
and variability in an equal manner (Garfield & Ben-Zvi, 2007; Ben-Zvi, 2000) for students to have a good
understanding of the mathematical concepts in statistics.
Some of current misconceptions in both teaching and learning that plague statistical learning is primarily
students inability to use proportional reasoning correctly (Garfield & Ben-Zvi, 2007) as well as their own
ingrained beliefs, intuitions and ideas about data and chance (Garfield & Ben-Zvi, 2008). The lack of
statistical reasoning that students often exhibited in the various studies was also a major misconception that
hindered students understanding, these primarily focused around either data distribution, centre and
variability (Garfield & Ben-Zvi, 2007) and average which included that the average is the most common
value in a data set and that the mean is the same things as the median (Garfield & Chance, 2000). Another
misconception is that many teachers will regularly overestimate students knowledge and understanding in
the subject as studies have proven that students may successfully complete the calculations and receive high
marks they may to fully understand and retain the basic ideas of statistics (Garfield & Ben-Zvi, 2007).
In order to help students overcome these common misconceptions in statistical reasoning teachers should
actively encourage students to become aware and confront their errors in reasoning by structuring activities
that help students challenge their own beliefs around the topic (Garfield & Ben-Zvi, 2007). Some of the
methods and strategies too better implement the mathematical idea of centre has recommended that teachers
incorporate the use of five number strategies and box and whisker plots that clearly differentiate the mean
and median (Watson, 2006; Kader & Mamer, 2008).
Further teaching practices to aid in the facilitation of statistical learning that are recommended include the
continued use of comparing two data sets in levels upwards from grade 3 (Watson, 2006), the need to utilise
technological tools to create multiple representations of data sets to aid students in both exploring and
visualising the data (Bill & Watson, 2007; Ben-Zvi 2000) as well as allowing manipulation of different sets
of data (Garfield & Ben-Zvi, 2007). Teachers also need to foster an environment that promotes students to
develop the mental habits of thinking statistically as Chance (2002) asserted that these habits should not be
assumed to naturally develop in students. Teachers can facilitate their students thinking statistically by
providing them with the language and vocabulary to express their statistical opinions more confidently (Bill
& Watson, 2007). Research has suggested that teachers should conduct lessons that enable students to
construct their own knowledge by using their own prior knowledge to interpret and make connections to new
information (Garfield & Ben-Zvi, 2007). Teachers are also encouraged to allow students to work
cooperatively when possible as group activities as it provides opportunities for the students to solve
problems, express their ideas in both writing and oral forms, learn to argue and experience other conflicting
ideas and methods that are not their own (Garfield & Ben-Zvi, 2007.)
In regards to assessment the teacher must use a form of assessment that measures both student learning and
development but also conveys to the students what is important (Bill & Watson, 2007). Research indicates
that the following outcomes in regards to statistical data should be assessed, these include statistical literacy
(understanding of the language and tools), statistical reasoning (how people reason with statistical ideas) and
statistical thinking (higher order thinking on how and why which method is used, understanding of random
phenomena and being able to draw conclusions) (Garfield & Ben-Zvi, 2008). Furthermore assessment
should be consistent with the big ideas in statistics and students when possible should be assessed in the
multiple contexts in relation to centre, distribution and variability (Garfield & Ben-Zvi, 2007), and include
real data and real problem contexts and allow students the opportunity to select the method of graphing and
analysing data (Garfield & Ben-Zvi, 2008). Finally when possible use alternative methods other than paper
and pencil tests such as group and co-operative projects (Ben-Zvi, 2000; Garfield & Chance 2000).
Critique of the Curriculum (364 words)
The national mathematics curriculum scope and sequence from foundation to year 6 emphasises that data
representation and interpretation is introduced in a very basic form in foundation and is continued to be
taught in each subsequent year throughout the primary school level. The strand typically focuses on
formulating questions, collecting, organising and representing and analysing data and interpreting the results
(Reys, Lindquist, Lambdin, Smith, Rogers, Falle, Frid, Bennett, 2013).
The positive aspects of the curriculum in regards to current best practices recommended by research is the
emphasis the curriculum places on the comparing of many different data sets and displays which was
recommended by Watson 2006, and the importance on the use of authentic and real life data provide students
opportunities for computational activity when conducting data analysis in a meaningful context.
Some less than perfect features of the current curriculum that could be improved upon is that the content
descriptors are quite vague, without explicit mention of the big ideas of statistical analysis that of centre,
distribution and variability as well as no mention of the important vocabulary that students should be familiar
with which the research found as one of the most important mathematical concepts students need to learn
(Bill & Watson 2007; Garfield & Ben-Zvi 2007). There is a strong emphasis placed on constructing data
displays without the aid of technological devices is somewhat a surprise as it goes against all the recent
research that suggested students should be immersed in technological data displays to aid in interpretation
(Ben-Zvi 2000; Bill & Watson 2007; Garfield & Ben-Zvi, 2007).
Although it should be noted that since the start of the millennium studies conducted by the Trends in
International Mathematics and Science Study and the Programme for International Student Assessment have
found Australian primary school students have performed above the international average in the field of
statistics which indicates the increased attention to data analysis and the statistics in the current curriculum
(Reys et al., 2013) is having the desired effect on student performance and proves that the curriculum in its
present state had got a lot of things right but can always be improved in order to sustain student learning and
achievement.
Conclusion (80 words)
The current research into statistics education is quite consistent in that students need to engage with the big
ideas of statistics, have learning opportunities with data that is real and authentic to their context and utilise
technology when possible when engaging in data analysis. The current curriculum meets a lot of these
requirements which is indicates that it is mostly consistent with the current research and highlights the
current international success of students in the field that Australia enjoy today.
Total Word count: 1266
REFERENCES
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