Topic 10

Statistics Education with Technology and Multimedia Resources

Convenors

• Gail Burrill (United States)
• Joyce Akinyi Otieno (Kenya)
• Maria João Polidoro (Portugal)
• Allison Theobold (United States)

Abstract

Technology and multimedia empower learners in today’s world. The vast array of tools - text, audio, images, animation, video - can be used to provide opportunities for more students to engage in the world of statistics, and for them to go beyond what was possible in yesterday’s world. These tools create new ways to develop conceptual understanding of core statistical ideas, open new avenues to investigate phenomena from a statistical perspective, and allow students to connect what is happening in the world to statistics. But this new technology also poses challenges: not all students have access to these resources, and not all statistics educators have the background knowledge and experience to make effective use of the tools in their classes. Papers in Topic 10 considering the following questions will be given priority:

Emerging technologies and the curriculum

• What affordances and what challenges does today’s technology bring to teaching and learning statistics?
• What potential directions will the increasing demand for data science / computational competencies bring to the curriculum?

Learning

• How can emerging technologies enhance the development of statistical understanding?
• What evidence do we have of how technology and multimedia resources support student learning?

Teacher preparation and development

• What do we know about preparing teachers to teach using today’s technology and multimedia resources?
• How do we provide teacher educators with the required knowledge and skills needed to incorporate emerging technologies into their teacher preparation programs?

Equity and opportunity

• What strategies show promise in making emerging technologies available to those in countries and areas of the world that have limited support and access.
• How can technology promote access and build statistical literacy and competence for a diverse population of students in terms of needs, background, and culture or how can it introduce barriers for some?