Statistics Education Research

Abstract

This chapter sketches in broad strokes and critically examines several aspects of the world of research that pertain to the teaching, learning, understanding, and using of statistics and probability in diverse contexts, both formal and informal. It reflects on the methods and conceptual schemes that underlie the research activity in this field (the how), the topics being researched (the what), and the people carrying out the research (the who). The chapter examines purposes and motivations for different types of studies in statistics education, distinguishing between large-R research that often aims for academic reporting and generalizability versus small-r types of research whose motivation is more on local problems set in a particular context. We illustrate some trends in the field by presenting empirical results from an exploratory qualitative analysis of the text of a body of papers and publications in the field. The chapter points out that the range of what qualifies as research in (or of relevance to) statistics education is much broader than what gets published in leading journals and conferences in our field. It highlights the multiplicity of philosophical foundations and methodologies in use. Some directions for future development and research are outlined, including aspects of statistical literacy, cultural dimensions of statistics education research, the role of practitioner inquiry, and the importance of broad interdisciplinary research in statistics education.