Statistical reasoning of middle school children engaged in survey inquiry

• Published in: Contemporary educational psychology 2007-10, Vol.32 (4), p.630-666
• Main Authors: Lavigne, Nancy C., Lajoie, Susanne P.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Biological and medical sciences; Case Studies; Cognition; Cognition. Intelligence; Content Analysis; Data Analysis; Data Collection; Developmental psychology; Educational psychology; Elementary Secondary Education; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Grade 7; Group Discussion; Inquiry; Mathematical Logic; Mathematics education; Mathematics Skills; Mathematics Teachers; Middle school; Middle School Students; Middle Schools; Miscellaneous; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; Questioning Techniques; Reasoning. Problem solving; Statistical Analysis; Statistical reasoning; Statistics; Thinking; Thinking Skills
• ISSN: 0361-476X; 1090-2384
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cedpsych.2006.09.001

The case study examined two groups of grade 7 students as they engaged in four inquiry phases: posing a question and collecting, analyzing, and representing data. Previous studies reported analyses of statistical reasoning on a single inquiry phase. Our goal was to identify the modes of statistical reasoning displayed during group discussions in all phases as children designed and conducted their own inquiry. A content analysis of audio and video recorded discussions yielded 10 statistical reasoning modes: six relate to Garfield and Gal’s [Garfield, J., Gal, I. (1999). Teaching and assessing statistical reasoning. In L. V. Stiff, & F. R. Curcio (Eds.), Developing mathematical reasoning in grades K-12. 1999 Yearbook (pp. 207–219). Reston, VA: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics] statistical reasoning types involved in the collection, analysis, and representation of data and four modes deal with an aspect of inquiry not exclusively focused upon in the literature on statistical reasoning—i.e., the problem-posing phase. Although students’ reasoning reflected an incomplete understanding of statistics they serve as building blocks for instruction.