Perceptions of unfamiliar random generators--links between research and teaching


Book: 
21st Conference of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education (PME, July 1997)
Authors: 
Truran, K. & Ritson, R.
Category: 
Year: 
1997
Publisher: 
Lahti, Finland
URL: 
See compilation of Research Papers from 1997 ID # 2852 (Garfield & Truran)
Abstract: 

This paper reports some findings from two independent studies, one in Northern Ireland and one in South Australia, into young children's understanding of the behaviour of unfamiliar Random Generators (RGs). Our findings indicate that probability understanding is often influenced by the physical properties or appearance of RGs. Sometimes it is their physical arrangement in a container that influences responses. Teaching of the topic depends on teachers being aware of what these misconceptions are before planning for teaching.

The CAUSE Research Group is supported in part by a member initiative grant from the American Statistical Association’s Section on Statistics and Data Science Education