Pre-service Teachers’ Knowledge of Statistical Questions in the Context of Lesson Study

Year 2024, Volume: 32 Issue: 3, 408 - 419, 31.07.2024

Nadide Yilmaz İffet Elif Yetkin Özdemir

https://doi.org/10.24106/kefdergi.1525332

Abstract

Purpose: This study aims to investigate the evolvement of pre-service teachers’ (PTs’) content and pedagogical content knowledge related to formulating statistical questions and its role in doing statistics through their participation in a lesson study.
Design/Methodology/Approach: A case study was employed, involving three PTs who participated in three lesson study sessions. Each group member implemented a lesson plan, initially in the university classroom and subsequently in a real classroom. The authors, the mentor teacher, and the group members observed the implementations and shared their insights. Data were collected through lesson plans, observations, and video recordings. The changes in PTs' knowledge were analyzed within the identified knowledge domains.
Findings: Initially the PTs did not have doing statistics starts with statistical questions, and these questions affect all phases of doing statistics. In task design, they omitted a problem statement guiding students to formulate a question and provided limited opportunities for students to contemplate problems leading to a statistical investigation. As the lesson study progressed, they began recognizing the significance of formulating a question. They became more attentive to students' prior knowledge and misconceptions.
Highlights: In the development of the PTs’ knowledge and skills about formulating questions, some activities they conducted throughout the lesson study cycles are thought to be effective. Although they gained awareness about formulating questions in doing statistics, challenges persisted even in the last lesson study cycle. From this perspective, extended studies are necessary to elucidate the evolution of teacher knowledge.

Keywords

Pre-service teachers’ knowledge, Doing statistics, Statistical questions, Lesson study

Supporting Institution

This work was supported by the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TÜBİTAK) under grant 2211-A.

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