A National Study on the Teaching of Statistics by Mexican College Lecturers

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: A National Study on the Teaching of Statistics by Mexican College Lecturers
Language: English
Authors: Ana L. Gómez-Blancarte, José G. Rivera-Pérez, Lucía Zapata-Cardona (ORCID 0000-0003-4266-5273)
Source: ZDM: Mathematics Education. 2025 57(7):1397-1409.
Availability: Springer. Available from: Springer Nature. One New York Plaza, Suite 4600, New York, NY 10004. Tel: 800-777-4643; Tel: 212-460-1500; Fax: 212-460-1700; e-mail: customerservice@springernature.com; Web site: https://link.springer.com/
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 13
Publication Date: 2025
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Descriptors: Statistics Education, College Faculty, Concept Formation, Thinking Skills, Statistical Data, Data Use, Active Learning, Technology Uses in Education, Data Analysis, Student Evaluation, Teacher Competencies, Foreign Countries, Problem Solving
Geographic Terms: Mexico
DOI: 10.1007/s11858-025-01724-w
ISSN: 1863-9690
1863-9704
Abstract: Research in statistics education has contributed to the reform of statistics curricula in many countries. It has been argued that statistics has its own ways of thinking, so statistics education needs to be approached differently from mathematics. Learning how lecturers teach and assess statistics in Mexico provides the knowledge required to review their current practices and take actions to improve the teaching and learning. In this context, we report on a national research project to characterize the teaching and assessment of statistics among Mexican college lecturers. We designed a 76-item survey based on six recommendations from the Guidelines for Assessment and Instruction in Statistics Education (GAISE): teach statistical thinking; focus on conceptual understanding; integrate real data with a context and purpose; foster active learning; use technology to explore concepts and analyze data; and use assessments to examine and evaluate student learning. To validate the survey, exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were applied to the responses of 750 lecturers. We explore how well the lecturers' teaching and assessment practices aligned with the GAISE recommendations and examine the academic variables associated with these practices. Our findings show the need to offer lecturers statistical learning experiences to improve their use of technology and diversify their assessment activities to fulfill the GAISE recommendations better. Experience in data analysis, involving statistical and technological knowledge, was one of the variables with the highest correlations. However, these were weak associations with the lecturers' teaching and assessment practices. Further research is needed to explore these associations more deeply.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1497432
Database: ERIC
Description
Abstract:Research in statistics education has contributed to the reform of statistics curricula in many countries. It has been argued that statistics has its own ways of thinking, so statistics education needs to be approached differently from mathematics. Learning how lecturers teach and assess statistics in Mexico provides the knowledge required to review their current practices and take actions to improve the teaching and learning. In this context, we report on a national research project to characterize the teaching and assessment of statistics among Mexican college lecturers. We designed a 76-item survey based on six recommendations from the Guidelines for Assessment and Instruction in Statistics Education (GAISE): teach statistical thinking; focus on conceptual understanding; integrate real data with a context and purpose; foster active learning; use technology to explore concepts and analyze data; and use assessments to examine and evaluate student learning. To validate the survey, exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were applied to the responses of 750 lecturers. We explore how well the lecturers' teaching and assessment practices aligned with the GAISE recommendations and examine the academic variables associated with these practices. Our findings show the need to offer lecturers statistical learning experiences to improve their use of technology and diversify their assessment activities to fulfill the GAISE recommendations better. Experience in data analysis, involving statistical and technological knowledge, was one of the variables with the highest correlations. However, these were weak associations with the lecturers' teaching and assessment practices. Further research is needed to explore these associations more deeply.
ISSN:1863-9690
1863-9704
DOI:10.1007/s11858-025-01724-w