Recent Chapters in Books
Watson, J.M. (2006). Assessing the development of important concepts in
statistics and probability. In G. F. Burrill (Ed.), Thinking and reasoning with
data and chance (pp. 61-75). Reston, VA: National Council of Teachers of
Mathematics.
Watson, J.M. (2005). The probabilistic reasoning of middle school students. In
G. A. Jones (Ed.), Exploring probability in school: Challenges for teaching and
learning (pp. 145-169). New York: Springer.
A review of research on middle school students’ understanding of probabilistic
reasoning. The research on students’ understanding of probability in the middle
school years has often been part of wider studies including elementary and high
school students. At times in this chapter reference will hence be made to
studies that include more extensive samples. Extracts, references, and quotes,
however, will be limited to students in grades 6 to 9, as this is the group
mainly identified with the middle school years.
Watson, J.M. (2004). Developing reasoning about samples. In J. Garfield & D.
Ben-Zvi (Eds.), The challenge of developing statistical literacy, reasoning and
thinking (pp. 277-294). Dordrecht: Kluwer Academic Publishers.
Although reasoning about samples and sampling is fundamental to the legitimate
practice of statistics, it often receives little attention in the school
curriculum. This may be related to the lack of numerical
calculations—predominant in the mathematics curriculum—and the descriptive
nature of the material associated with the topic. This chapter will extend
previous research on students’ reasoning about samples by considering
longitudinal interviews with 38 students 3 or 4 years after they first discussed
their understanding of what a sample was, how samples should be collected, and
the representing power of a sample based on its size. Of the six categories of
response observed at the time of the initial interviews, all were confirmed
after 3 or 4 years, and one additional preliminary level was observed.
Pfannkuch, M., & Watson, J.M. (2004). Statistics education. In B. Perry, G.
Anthony, & C. Diezmann (Eds.), Research in mathematics education in Australasia
2000 – 2003 (pp. 265-289). Brisbane: Post Pressed.
A review of research in statistics education over the years 2000-2003 from
researchers in Australasia.
Watson, J.M., & Moritz, J.B. (2002). Developing concepts of sampling for
statistical literacy. In J. Sowder & B. Schappelle (Eds.), Lessons learned from
research (pp. 117-124). Reston, VA: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics.
A key element in developing ideas associated with statistical inference involves
developing concepts of sampling. The characteristics of students’ constructions
of the concept of sample were studied through interviews of 62 students in
Grades 3, 6, and 9. Six categories of understanding were identified; these
categories should prove useful to teachers who want to help students develop
appropriate understanding of how a sample must represent a population.
Faculty of Education
University of Tasmania
Private Bag 66 Hobart Tasmania Australia 7001
Phone: 61-3-6226-2570; Fax: 61-3-6226-2569
Jane.Watson@utas.edu.au