CENTRE FOR EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

New Directions in teaching Statistics

Workshop 2

Barb Costelloe and Anne Lawrence NPGHS Adviser in Secondary

Numeracy & Mathematics

• To clarify the curriculum changes for the statistics strand with particular focus on statistical literacy, statistical inference, and statistical investigations;

• To explore the implications of these changes for teaching and learning programmes at years 10 to 12.

Objectives:

• Datacards?

• Stat literacy articles?

• Talks on census at school?

Review of “homework”

Reflection: What are the key changes in Probability?

What are the key changes in Probability? (thanks to Louise Addison)

Key changes in Probability (session 1 booklet)• Students will need to understand the

underlying concepts of probability and not just use the rules.

• There is an emphasis on probability distributions, seeing the whole rather than just calculating the probability of a single event.

• Understanding the difference between theoretical and experimental probability distributions and the connections between them.

What’s new in Probability (session 1 booklet)

At Level 5:• Understanding the role of variation• Theoretical and experimental probability

distributions

At Level 6:• Appreciating the role of sample size, the

connection between sample size and variation.• Laying down foundations for the binomial

distribution (discrete situations).

What’s new in Probability (session 1 booklet)

At Level 7:• This is where students should first meet

probability trees as a calculation tool.• Use of two-way tables to solve probability

problems.• Simulations remain an important focus.• Presenting the normal distribution as a useful

model for explaining and exploring many situations.

What about Probability in the new Achievement Standards?

• One familiar and expected item• One new, unfamiliar concept/idea• Any that raise questions?

Achievement Standards 1.12 and 1.13

Smorgasbord of tasks:

Questions:• Which students is the task

appropriate for?• Would you use it? If so, when?• What do students learn from it?

Suitable Probability tasks

What will we expect at Merit?….at Excellence?

Trial tasks for AS 1.13

• Progress with iNZight and GenStat• Excel simulations• Other software (Efofex, fathom)

Using software in teaching Probability

• Recent TED talks• Activities already available on the

web• Any activities you have to share?

Other useful resources….