Abstract
The purpose of this study is to explain how secondary students can enhance their understanding of descriptive statistics using Modeling Approach and to what extent do students improve their achievement of procedural and conceptual understanding in descriptive statistics using Modeling Instructional Approach. The study was conducted at two secondary schools in urban district in West Oromia Zone, Ethiopia. For comparisons, four grade nine sections with a total of 163 students were selected by purposive sampling technique. Quality Assurance Guide instrument was used to assess students’ models on Model Eliciting Activities (MEA). Standard questions were used for achievement tests on procedural and conceptual understanding of descriptive statistics. The quantitative data of the study was analyzed using descriptive statistics, and independent t-test. The qualitative data of the study was analyzed using thematic and content analyses. The findings of this study are: though students found MEAs cognitively challenging tasks, they constructed different models working in a team collaboratively. The study showed students more likely can enhance their critical understanding of descriptive statistics and gain modeling experiences working on relevant non-routine tasks like MEAs and doing project on their own themes. Also a statistically significant difference was found on conceptual understanding achievement test with medium effect size using Modeling Approach, but no statistical significant difference was found on procedural understanding achievement test except female comparison. The findings of this study suggested students more likely enhanced their understanding of descriptive statistics using Modeling Approach.
Highlights
Modeling, as an alternative for problem solving, is getting recognition in Mathematics Education for advancing students’ understanding of a concept
The result is on Modeling Approach intervention based on students’ models on the Model Eliciting Activities (MEA) with follow up activities to answer the research question on how students enhance their understanding of descriptive statistics using Modeling Approach
A descriptive analysis including sample means, standard deviation, and independent sample t-test were conducted to test hypotheses based on Skewness-Kurtosis normality test at α = 0.05 significance level to compare scores of students’ using achievement tests on prior knowledge, procedural and conceptual understanding between students who learned descriptive statistics using Modeling and Non-modeling Approach
Summary
As an alternative for problem solving, is getting recognition in Mathematics Education for advancing students’ understanding of a concept. Research studies are needed on how to incorporate modeling problems in an education system so as to enhance students’ understanding of concepts and thereby improve students’ achievements. Teaching through problem solving considers problem solving as integral to the development of an understanding of any given mathematical content and process [1]. It is different from the practice of teaching for problem solving which deals with solving problems using the already taught concepts. Modeling problems could help enhancing students’ critical understanding to deal with problems of socio-cultural and environmental complex systems [2]. What remains to be explored is to study on mathematical or statistical modeling as a critical tool for enhancing students’ critical understanding of mathematics or statistics [4]
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