Distinguishes two conceptions of sample and sampling that emerged in the context of a teaching experiment conducted in a high school statistics class. Suggests that the conception of a sample as a quasi- proportional, small-scale version of the population is a powerful one to target for instruction. (Author/KHR)

While technology has become an integral part of introductory statistics courses, the programs typically employed are professional packages designed primarily for data analysis rather than for learning. Findings from several studies suggest that use of such software in the introductory statistics classroom may not be very effective in helping…

Inference for causal effects is a critical activity in many branches of science and public policy. The field of statistics is the one field most suited to address such problems, whether from designed experiments or observational studies. Consequently, it is arguably essential that departments of statistics teach courses in causal inference to both…

This paper presents findings from a qualitative study that compared the learning experiences of a group of students from a technology-based college-level introductory statistics course with the learning experiences of a group of students with non-technology-based instruction. Findings from the study indicate differences with regards to classroom…

This study investigated the knowledge base necessary for choosing appropriate statistical techniques in applied research. In this study, we compared knowledge used by six experts and six novices in two types of statistical tasks. The tasks were: 1) comparing research scenarios from the perspective of choosing a statistical technique, and 2) direct…

A mental model analysis was conducted with 27 graduate and 29 undergraduate students in the statistical hypothesis testing domain to determine the nature of relevant mental models that can be taught to novices. Results suggest the efficacy of using separate and diagrammatic strategies in teaching novices introductory hypothesis testing. (SLD)

Authors who write introductory business statistics texts do not agree on when to use a t distribution and when to use a Z distribution in both the construction of confidence intervals and the use of hypothesis testing. In a survey of textbooks written in the last 15 years, we found the decision rules to be contradictory and, at times, the…

There is much research that documents what many teachers know, that students struggle with many concepts in probability and statistics. This article presents two sample activities the authors use to help preservice teachers develop ideas about how they can use technology to promote their students' ability to understand mathematics and connect…

What people mean by randomness should be taken into account when teaching statistical inference. This experiment explored subjective beliefs about randomness and probability through two successive tasks. Subjects were asked to categorize 16 familiar items: 8 real items from everyday life experiences, and 8 stochastic items involving a repeatable…

This article investigates two common methods of determining the line of best fit and then expands on the techniques used in these methods to find the line of best fit by graphing, estimating and using a microcomputer. (PK)

Presents teaching activities that are intended to be used to teach statistics to students in a high school mathematics program. Includes a worksheet of eight discussion questions on statistics, four activities on sampling bias, two experiments on sampling techniques, and a game known as "capture-recapture." (TW)

This article explores the use of improvisation (improv) as a lens for viewing and describing teacher-child interactions. The author describes the relationship between the principles of improv and the characteristics of responsive teaching, and how improv can be used as a lens for seeing relational activity. The author hypothesizes that improv…

Drawing conclusions from the comparison of datasets using informal statistical inference is a challenging task since the nature and type of reasoning expected is not fully understood. In this paper a secondary teacher's reasoning from the comparison of box plot distributions during the teaching of a Year 11 (15-year-old) class is analyzed. From…

Describes the background, development, and testing of a computer software program designed to teach principles of statistical sampling in social science courses. Compares results of a field test of the program, Introduction to Sampling Error Experiments (ISEE), with traditional instruction. (CFR)

Variation is a key concept in the study of statistics and its understanding is a crucial aspect of most statistically related tasks. This study aimed to extend and apply a hierarchy for describing students' understanding of variation that was developed in a sampling context to the context of a natural event in which variation occurs. Students aged…