TY - JOUR
T1 - Statistics as unbiased estimators
T2 - Exploring the teaching of standard deviation
AU - Wasserman, Nicholas H.
AU - Casey, Stephanie
AU - Champion, Joe
AU - Huey, Maryann
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2017 British Society for Research into Learning Mathematics.
PY - 2017/12
Y1 - 2017/12
N2 - This manuscript presents findings from a study about the knowledge for and planned teaching of standard deviation. We investigate how understanding variance as an unbiased (inferential) estimator – not just a descriptive statistic for the variation (spread) in data – is related to teachers’ instruction regarding standard deviation, particularly around the issue of division by n-1. In this regard, the study contributes to our understanding about how knowledge of mathematics beyond the current instructional level, what we refer to as nonlocal mathematics, becomes important for teaching. The findings indicate that acquired knowledge of nonlocal mathematics can play a role in altering teachers’ planned instructional approaches in terms of student activity and cognitive demand in their instruction.
AB - This manuscript presents findings from a study about the knowledge for and planned teaching of standard deviation. We investigate how understanding variance as an unbiased (inferential) estimator – not just a descriptive statistic for the variation (spread) in data – is related to teachers’ instruction regarding standard deviation, particularly around the issue of division by n-1. In this regard, the study contributes to our understanding about how knowledge of mathematics beyond the current instructional level, what we refer to as nonlocal mathematics, becomes important for teaching. The findings indicate that acquired knowledge of nonlocal mathematics can play a role in altering teachers’ planned instructional approaches in terms of student activity and cognitive demand in their instruction.
KW - Standard deviation
KW - statistical knowledge for teaching
KW - unbiased estimator
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85026371902&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - https://scholarworks.boisestate.edu/math_facpubs/199
U2 - 10.1080/14794802.2017.1333918
DO - 10.1080/14794802.2017.1333918
M3 - Article
SN - 1479-4802
VL - 19
SP - 236
EP - 256
JO - Research in Mathematics Education
JF - Research in Mathematics Education
IS - 3
ER -