This study offers a descriptive qualitative analysis of one third-grade teacher's statistical reasoning about data and distribution in the applied context of classroom-based statistical investigation. During this study, the teacher used the process of statistical investigation as a means for teaching about topics across the elementary curriculum, including dinosaurs, animal habitats, and an author study. In this context, the teacher's statistical reasoning plays a central role in the planning and orchestration of the class investigation. The potential for surprise questions, unanticipated responses, and unintended outcomes is high, requiring the teacher to "think on her feet" statistically and react immediately to accomplish content objectives as well as to convey correct statistical principles and reasoning. This study explores the complexity of teaching and learning statistics, and offers insight into the role and interplay of statistical knowledge and context.
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