This paper is from Session 8F: Research on professional development of teachers in statistics

which comes under Topic 8: Research in statistics education

A teacher development program in statistics within a community of practice

Presenter

• Lucía Zapata-Cardona (University of Antioquia, Colombia)

Abstract

Very often, teachers’ development programs unconsciously promote the dichotomy between theory and practice. Repeatedly, teachers are invited to programs where they are listeners instead of doers. In those programs, the teacher is conceived as a reproducer instead of a producer of knowledge. A teacher development program in statistics inspired by the social practice theory is an attempt to close the gap that teachers face every day trying to put together theory and practice. In this paper, I discuss the lessons learned from a teachers’ professional development program in statistics following the principles of a community of practice. I discuss the strengths, the weaknesses of the program and the implications for teacher education.