The Conceptions of Variation Held by Elementary Preservice Teachers

This study addresses how elementary preservice
teachers (EPSTs) think about variation in the three
contexts of sampling, data and graphs, and
probability situations. A qualitative study was
undertaken with thirty students in an elementary
teachers mathematics course. Written surveys were
completed by all students both before and after class
interventions, and six students participated in pre
and post interviews. Collective results from the
survey data, interview data, and class observations
were used to describe components of an evolving
framework useful for examining EPSTs conceptions of
variation. The three main aspects of the framework
address how EPSTs reason in expecting, displaying,
and interpreting variation. Each of the three
aspects is further defined by different dimensions,
which in turn have their own constituent themes. The
depth in describing the evolving framework is a main
contribution of this research. The framework was used
to compare the thinking of the six interviewees from
before to after class interventions. Evidence
suggests that the class interventions, and the survey
and interview tasks, stimulated changes in the way
students thought about variation.

Autorentext

Dan has been teaching mathematics since 1988, with experience inAmerica, Yemen, and Korea. His degrees include a B.S. in mathfrom Biola University, a M.S. in math from Western WashingtonUniversity, and a Ph.D. in math education from Portland StateUniversity. In 2003 he joined the faculty of Eastern WashingtonUniversity, earning tenure in 2008.

Klappentext

This study addresses how elementary preserviceteachers (EPSTs) think about variation in the threecontexts of sampling, data and graphs, andprobability situations. A qualitative study wasundertaken with thirty students in an elementaryteachers' mathematics course. Written surveys werecompleted by all students both before and after classinterventions, and six students participated in preand post interviews. Collective results from thesurvey data, interview data, and class observationswere used to describe components of an evolvingframework useful for examining EPSTs' conceptions ofvariation. The three main aspects of the frameworkaddress how EPSTs reason in expecting, displaying,and interpreting variation. Each of the threeaspects is further defined by different dimensions,which in turn have their own constituent themes. Thedepth in describing the evolving framework is a maincontribution of this research. The framework was usedto compare the thinking of the six interviewees frombefore to after class interventions. Evidencesuggests that the class interventions, and the surveyand interview tasks, stimulated changes in the waystudents thought about variation.