PME Working Group for Stochastics Teaching and Learning

<http://www.ugr.es/~batanero/pmegroup>

Letter No 17 - Nov 1998

Dear Friends,

This Newsletter is briefer than usual. It has been a difficult time getting things moving., Anyway, here are its 6 items

1. “Teaching and Learning Statistics: Implications for Research”—Call for Contributions”

2. PME Conference, Israel, 25–30 July 1999.

3. International Research Forum on Statistical Reasoning, Thinking, and Literacy (SRTL)

4. Cooperation with Advanced Mathematical Thinking Group

5. Biographies on Web Site

6. Next Newsletter

1. “Teaching and Learning Statistics: Implications for Research”—Call for Contributions”

The call for chapters has been rather disappointing, especially considering the enthusiasm shown in Stellenbosch. At stage we have four offers of chapters and Kath has made some personal invitations to people, and is awaiting replies. She has also made some invitations to join the editorial board, and is awaiting replies.

But the good news is that we have found one organisation which is interested in acting as a publisher, and Kath is currently negotiating with them

2. PME Conference, Israel, 25–30 July 1999.

Full details of this conference are now available on

<http://members.tripod.com/~IGPME/pme23/index.html>.

This is supposed to come with a small movie, but I can’t make it work. Any advice, please.

Anyway, the critical date is 15 January 1999 for submission of papers, and we encourage members to offer their services for refereeing stochastics papers.

3. International Research Forum on Statistical Reasoning, Thinking, and Literacy (SRTL)

July 18-23, 1999

Kibbutz Be'eri, Israel

A reminder about this conference which was listed in Newsletter No 16, and which will be held in the south of Israel in the week preceding PME. The Conference will be a small group reflective conference which will focus on the following questions:

1. What constitutes Statistical Reasoning, Thinking and Literacy (SRTL)? What are the different definitions and understandings of SRTL?

2. How are these three types of processing statistical information similar and different from each other?

3. What are the contributions of research on SRTL? What models have been suggested and explored?

4. What are the developmental aspects of SRTL? What do we know about the development of SRTL in different age/grade levels? What do we know about SRTL of professional statisticians? Can we use this information for educational purposes?

5. What methodologies are appropriate for assessing SRTL? What types of research studies are needed to help us better understand these ways of processing information and to help promote them in educational settings?

6. What are the implications of research into SRTL on learning goals, curriculum design, and assessment?

7. What do we still need to know?

For re details, see Newsletter 16 on the web page, or contact Dani Ben-Zvi <ntdben@wiccmail.weizmann.ac.il>

4. Cooperation with Advanced Mathematical Thinking Group

Two papers have been submitted by members of the Stochastic Group to the proposed book being produced by this other section of PME. The initial reviews have been favourable.

5. Biographies on Web Site

A number of our members have sent their brief biographies to Carmen for Juan to put on the web site, and they make interesting reading. We do encourage more of you to do so. The web-site has been given a polish, and is looking good. Thank you, Juan.

6. Next Newsletter

This will be sent out in early January. Any contributions by 7 Jan 1999, please.

John Truran <jtruran@arts.adelaide.edu.au>

Kath Truran <Kath.Truran@unisa.edu.au>

Dani Ben-Zvi <ntdben@wiccmail.weizmann.ac.il>

Carmen Batanero <batanero@goliat.ugr.es>

Web Page <http://www.ugr.es/local/batanero/–pmegroup.htm>