Statistical Reasoning of University Students on Data Analysis in Computational Environment

In this article, research results are presented for a sample of 34 university students (18-19 years) about statistical reasoning developed to analyze data through an exploratory approach in a computational environment characterized by the availability of various dynamic and interactive representations (graphical, numerical, and symbolic). The results show that, in the first activities, the students proposed questions and analyzed the data, primarily engaging a value or an individual within a group of data; that is, they exhibited a local data understanding. However, at the end of the study they were able to focus – insufficiently -- in recognizing patterns and trends in data, developing a more comprehensive data understanding. We observed a tendency to depend more on tables than on graphics, putting more emphasis on averages (mean or median), given the familiarity that students have with these concepts in their previous studies.

Data analysis; Statistical Software; Statistical Reasoning