Investigating the teaching of statistics with technology at the high school level through the use of annotated lesson plans

Abstract

Throughout the last twenty years, data analysis and statistics content, together with the integration of technology in mathematics classrooms, have gained increasing attention in the United States at the K-12 level. National and state standards now emphasize statistics concepts throughout high school and there is a growing motivation to shift from a traditional formula-based style of teaching statistics to a more data-oriented approach emphasizing conceptual understanding and statistical literacy. To implement this approach in the classroom, it is necessary to integrate technology into the teaching of statistics. However, many in-service high school mathematics teachers are not familiar with this process, and statistics is still a relatively new subject for most. This discrepancy highlights the need to help foster and develop in-service high school mathematics teachers' ability to effectively use technology when teaching statistics. The goal of this study was to investigate how specially annotated lesson plans influence and guide in-service high school mathematics teachers' use of technology when teaching statistical concepts. I developed a completely randomized block experiment, using quantitative and qualitative measurements and methods of analysis. High school mathematics teachers were randomly assigned to receive an annotated or non-annotated statistics unit that included technology-based activities; four lessons were observed. The results of this study demonstrated how the process of helping teachers effectively use technology in the instruction of statistics is not straightforward; there was a large amount of variation in how teachers integrated technology and no consistent differences between the annotated and non-annotated group in this regard. All teachers, regardless of received unit, integrated technology more effectively when they were provided with a technology-based activity employing simulation. Teachers' integration of technology was most influenced by their awareness of the use of inquiry.