This paper is from Session 8E: Theory and Frameworks
which comes under Topic 8: New approaches to research in statistics education
Paper 8E2 (Tuesday 10th, 16:00-17:30)
Revealing Conceptual Difficulties when Interpreting Histograms: An Eye-Tracking Study
Presenter
- Lonneke Boels (Utrecht University and Christelijk Lyceum Delft, The Netherlands)
Co-authors
- Arthur Bakker (Utrecht University, The Netherlands)
- Paul Drijvers (Utrecht University, The Netherlands)
- Rutmer Ebbes (Utrecht University, The Netherlands)
- Wim van Dooren (KU Leuven, The Netherlands)
Abstract
Many people misinterpret histograms. The conjecture is that some of these misinterpretations emerge from the application of interpretation strategies associated with case-value plots. To investigate this, eye-movement data were collected from six university students solving questions on histograms and case-value plots. Analysis of gaze data and cued retrospective verbal reports showed that participants seemed to use a histogram interpretation strategy, a case-value plot interpretation strategy or an elimination strategy. Several participants appeared to use a single preferred strategy without distinguishing between the type of graphs at stake. As conjectured, some participants applied a case-value plot strategy also to histograms. In addition, analysis of gaze data and verbal reports suggest that more experienced participants abandoned their initial strategy when necessary.