Actual Practices and Challenges in Teaching Statistics in the Unit “Motion of Pendulum”: An Analysis of Textbooks Focused on Errors in Measurements and Statistics and Their Treatment

Abstract

In the fifth-grade science unit “Motion of pendulum”, the unconscious introduction of statistical contents occurs as experimental data processing is necessary to discover the regularity of the pendulum’s motion. Previous studies emphasize, naturally, understanding the pendulum’s motion regularity, not teaching the potential statistical contents. Articulating the actual practices and challenges in teaching statistics in that unit is useful for improving the teaching of the pendulum motion and is also crucial for considering cross-curricular statistics education and the systematic teaching of statistical knowledge in school science. This paper examines the descriptions in six approved textbooks, focusing on two types of errors (in a measurement and a statistic) and their treatment. Analysis shows, for example, measurement errors being disregarded as external factors, conflicts over precise measurement, the meaning of average seen as “fair share”, and errors in statistics evaluated visually. These characteristics may lead to the challenge of “begging the question”. Finally, based on the actual practices and challenges, suggestions are given for improving the teaching of the unit and for considering cross-curricular statistics education.