Teacher Background
The first step you take away from the textbook approach to a mathematics topic
is often uncomfortable. Are you intimidated by the idea of using real data in
your classroom? Do you ever wonder how to teach everything that is required in
middle school mathematics? You are not alone! Researcher Robert Reys tells us:
Regardless of the textbook, the teachers were most likely to omit data analysis
and probability (Cavanaugh and Diegmueller, 2005).
Let's take a minute to think about the content knowledge that teachers should
know and understand to teach about data and statistics. The NCTM Data Analysis
and Probability standard for grades 6-8 includes topics such as formulating
questions; designing studies and collecting data for one or two populations and
characteristics; making graphical representations such as histograms, box
plots, and scatter plots; finding and using measures of center and spread;
using samples to make conjectures and raise additional questions; and drawing
conclusions about populations based on samples and approximate lines of fit
(NCTM, 2000, p. 248). The resources below can help you prepare and get
necessary background to teach standards-based statistics concepts in the middle
school classroom.
An extensive tutorial is found in this college-level online mathematics course
designed to teach data analysis, statistics, and probability to elementary and
middle school teachers. The site focuses on statistics as a problem-solving
process, and it engages teachers through video lessons, activities, and online
demonstrations. Topics addressed include minimizing measurement biases,
organizing data in a stem-and-leaf plot, measuring variation, and fitting lines
to data. Estimation, five-number summaries, comparative studies, and binomial
probabilities are also covered. The course consists of 10 sessions, each rich
with video lessons, activities, and homework problems. The final session
presents case studies that teachers use to examine students' perspectives on
statistical problem-solving processes. Solutions are included for the
activities and homework problems. MSP full record
Are you looking for ideas to make data analysis real? This 11-minute video
offers an inspiring look at how a teacher, with help from a local college,
engages his 5/6 classroom in an in-depth study to explore the safety of well
water in their community. The students become immersed in the project as they
take samples from 63 wells to test for trace metals contamination. They use
spreadsheets to analyze the data and share the surprising results with their
community. MSP full record
Teachers will find this Australian site helpful when trying to understand
statistical concepts that range from stem plots, dot plots, and mean, median,
and mode to hypothesis testing. The site, designed to provide curriculum
support for teachers of introductory statistics, can be helpful for the middle
school teachers who need to refresh or enhance a statistics background. Good
explanations of statistical concepts, classroom activities on topics such as
finding patterns in data, and real data sets for classroom use are featured.
Cavanaugh, S. & Diegmueller. (2005, April 20). Mathematics group focuses on
diversity at annual meeting. Education Week. Retrieved June 9, 2005:
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2005/04/20/32nctm-note.h24.html?querystring=reporter's%20notebook
National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. (2000). Principles and standards
for school mathematics. Reston, VA: Author.
![[back to top]](/images/epubs/arrow_up.gif)
Back to top
|
Copyright
June 2005 — The Ohio State University. This material is based upon work
supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 0424671. Any
opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this
material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of
the National Science Foundation.
|
|
This work is licensed under a
Creative Commons License.
|
|