This paper is from Session 8D: Research on developing students’ statistical reasoning

which comes under Topic 8: Research in statistics education

Statistical reasoning with the sampling distribution

Presenter

• Bridgette L Jacob (Onondaga Community College, United States)

Co-author

• Helen Doerr (Syracuse University, United States)

Abstract

Statistical reasoning surrounding the sampling distribution is necessary for formal statistical inference. Our study of introductory statistics students aged 16-18 suggests that knowledge of the characteristics of a sampling distribution and experiences with generating sampling distributions do not provide a sufficient basis for this reasoning. Following instruction on the sampling distribution and its characteristics, the students in this study were given the opportunity to sample before drawing an informal conclusion based on a sampling distribution. The majority of the students took several samples and/or considered generating a second sampling distribution for comparison. These are not incorrect statistical notions; and they do provide insight into possible missing elements in instruction. The results are discussed in relation to the development of students’ statistical reasoning throughout their introductory statistics course.