Measuring the development of
STUDENTS’
CONSIDERATION OF VARIATION
JACKIE REID
jreid@turing.une.edu.au
CHRIS reading
The National Centre of Science, Information and Communication Technology and Mathematics Education for Rural and Regional Australia, University of New England, Australia
creading@une.edu.au
Abstract
Research investigating how students begin to consider and reason about
variation will help educators identify stages of this development. This can
provide direction for learning activities to help students develop a strong
consideration of variation that can be applied in a variety of contexts. In the
present study, tertiary student responses to a class test and an assignment
question are analysed, resulting in a description of
levels of consideration of variation relevant to these tasks. This and other
hierarchies previously developed are used to formulate a Consideration of
Variation Hierarchy applicable to a
variety of tasks. Implications for research and teaching are discussed.
Keywords: Statistics education research; Consideration of Variation Hierarchy; Statistics education; Tertiary education
__________________________
Statistics
Education Research Journal, 7(1), 40-59, http://www.stat.auckland.ac.nz/serj
Ó International
Association for Statistical Education (IASE/ISI), May, 2008
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jackie reid
Armidale, NSW, AUSTRALIA, 2351