P2-04: Graduate Teaching Assistants' Evolving Conceptualizations of Active Learning

Abstract

Active learning plays a key role in modern introductory statistics classrooms; using active learning methods in class allows students to discover, construct, and understand important statistical ideas as well as to engage in statistical thinking (GAISE, 2016). With the changing context of education, graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) are often responsible for facilitating this type of learning even though most have no experience using active learning techniques to promote high-order thinking. This research investigates how beginning GTAs conceptualize active learning and how these understandings evolve as they engage in a teaching program. In this poster, we briefly describe the teaching program and share preliminary results on how new GTAs' conceptualizations of active learning evolved. These results illuminate various challenges incoming GTAs face and have important implications for the statistical education of undergraduate students.