Abstract
This article examines how two processes - reasoning with statistical modelling of a real phenomenon and aggregate reasoning - can co-emerge. We focus in this case study on the emergent reasoning of two fifth graders (aged 10) involved in statistical data analysis, informal inference, and modelling activities using TinkerPlotsTM. We describe nine phases of the students' articulations of aggregate and modelling reasoning as they explored a small sample, constructed a model and generated random samples from this model to examine its validity. These phases are distinguished by the students' views toward data, variability, and models. We discuss implications and limitations of the results. Despite the idiosyncrasy of the case, the lessons are important because they open a new direction for research about reasoning with data and models.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 38-63 |
| Number of pages | 26 |
| Journal | Statistics Education Research Journal |
| Volume | 16 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| State | Published - 1 Nov 2017 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:This study was supported by the British Academy Small Research Grant Scheme (SG112288). The views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the views or policy of the British Academy. We deeply thank Cliff Konold, Janet Ainley, Dave Pratt and the Cool-Connections research group who participated in data analysis sessions of this research. We are grateful for the helpful comments of the anonymous reviewers of earlier versions of this manuscript.
Publisher Copyright:
© International Association for Statistical Education (IASE/ISI), November, 2017.
Keywords
- Aggregate reasoning
- Exploratory data analysis
- Informal statistical inference
- Statistical model and modelling
- Statistics education research
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Statistics and Probability
- Education