title: Developing statistical literacy with students and teachers in the secondary mathematics classroom

authors: Doyle, Philip Gerard

subjects: statistics education

abstract: This thesis investigates the teaching of statistical literacy in the first two years of secondary school mathematics.  The teachers involved in the research aim to make changes to classroom practice in the teaching and learning of statistics and statistical literacy in response to changes in the New Zealand curriculum.

An action research methodology is adopted by the research.  A group of three teachers and the author undertake an action research cycle of planning, observing, acting and reflecting in three different Year 9 and 10 mathematics classrooms.  The research documents the designing and implementing of strategies by a group of teachers in a mathematics department for integrating statistical literacy into teaching programmes.  The research adopts framework for improving practice that utilise models for statistical literacy and thinking and principles for teaching with a language learning or literacy focus.  

Data is collected through discussions with teachers, observations of lessons and interviews with teachers and students.  Themes emerge from the data.  They include the significance of teacher and student concepts of statistics and statistical literacy, the importance of language and literacy in the statistics classroom, the adoption of teaching principles to facilitate statistical literacy and the challenge of adopting a critical literacy stance in the statistics classroom.

The study highlights the importance of literacy and language skills in statistical literacy.  The research concludes that the important changes needed for developing statistical literacy are about classroom methodology rather than content knowledge and shows that adoption of language learning principles into the teaching programme may achieve this.

text: Developing statistical literacy with students and teachers in the secondary mathematics classroom This thesis investigates the teaching of statistical literacy in the first two years of secondary school mathematics.  The teachers involved in the research aim to make changes to classroom practice in the teaching and learning of statistics and statistical literacy in response to changes in the New Zealand curriculum.

An action research methodology is adopted by the research.  A group of three teachers and the author undertake an action research cycle of planning, observing, acting and reflecting in three different Year 9 and 10 mathematics classrooms.  The research documents the designing and implementing of strategies by a group of teachers in a mathematics department for integrating statistical literacy into teaching programmes.  The research adopts framework for improving practice that utilise models for statistical literacy and thinking and principles for teaching with a language learning or literacy focus.  

Data is collected through discussions with teachers, observations of lessons and interviews with teachers and students.  Themes emerge from the data.  They include the significance of teacher and student concepts of statistics and statistical literacy, the importance of language and literacy in the statistics classroom, the adoption of teaching principles to facilitate statistical literacy and the challenge of adopting a critical literacy stance in the statistics classroom.

The study highlights the importance of literacy and language skills in statistical literacy.  The research concludes that the important changes needed for developing statistical literacy are about classroom methodology rather than content knowledge and shows that adoption of language learning principles into the teaching programme may achieve this.

year: 2008

title: 'A Story to Tell': learning from the life-stories of older people with intellectual disabilities in Ireland

authors: Hamilton, Carol

subjects: digital archives

abstract: This article draws on life-stories told by older people with intellectual disabilities for a research study in the Republic of Ireland. Research participants recalled their experiences of confinement, coercion and exclusion that resulted from their being labelled as having intellectual disabilities. Participants also recalled the positive interactions with workers and family members that sustained them during these difficult times. Extracts from these narratives show how past medical and social processes interlinked to classify members of this group as 'deficient' or 'lacking' in some way. Life-stories collected in this project illustrate the value of a narrative approach to exploring how services might begin to enhance the quality of support currently provided to older people with intellectual disabilities. However, life-story work in a service setting is far from straightforward, and support is needed for staff involved in this process.

text: 'A Story to Tell': learning from the life-stories of older people with intellectual disabilities in Ireland This article draws on life-stories told by older people with intellectual disabilities for a research study in the Republic of Ireland. Research participants recalled their experiences of confinement, coercion and exclusion that resulted from their being labelled as having intellectual disabilities. Participants also recalled the positive interactions with workers and family members that sustained them during these difficult times. Extracts from these narratives show how past medical and social processes interlinked to classify members of this group as 'deficient' or 'lacking' in some way. Life-stories collected in this project illustrate the value of a narrative approach to exploring how services might begin to enhance the quality of support currently provided to older people with intellectual disabilities. However, life-story work in a service setting is far from straightforward, and support is needed for staff involved in this process.

year: 2009

title: E Toru Ngā Reo: A Case Study of a Spanish Language Programme in a Kura Kaupapa Māori

authors: Flavell, William

subjects: Kaupapa Maori Research

abstract: Learning Languages is a new area in the 2007 New Zealand Curriculum.  However there have not been many studies in this subject.  Kura Kaupapa Māori, established in 1985 in New Zealand with over 6,000 students currently attending, have English language programmes (Hill, 2010), however few, if any, studies of the teaching of other languages have been conducted.  The purpose of this study was to describe and evaluate an additional international language programme at a Kura Kaupapa Māori.

This qualitative case study describes the views of the Principal, five teachers, five students and three parents of a Kura Kaupapa Māori about an additional Spanish language programme. The primary means of gathering data was through individual semi-structured interviews.  Interviews were used to collect data in the areas of identifying the attitudes of the participants towards learning an additional international language, the perceived benefits, if any, of learning an additional international language and if there is a relationship between the learning of an  additional international language, and Kaupapa Māori.  The narrative data was transcribed, coded and categorised into four themes related to the research questions.  

 The success of this Spanish language programme can be understood in terms of several factors such as whānau support, programme leadership, quality teachers, international excursions and positive attitudes to foreign language learning.  

These findings will contribute to literature concerning additional language learning programmes, specifically those based in indigenous language immersion settings and they will also provide useful information and ideas which other Kura Kaupapa Māori can take advantage of when implementing additional international language learning programmes.

text: E Toru Ngā Reo: A Case Study of a Spanish Language Programme in a Kura Kaupapa Māori Learning Languages is a new area in the 2007 New Zealand Curriculum.  However there have not been many studies in this subject.  Kura Kaupapa Māori, established in 1985 in New Zealand with over 6,000 students currently attending, have English language programmes (Hill, 2010), however few, if any, studies of the teaching of other languages have been conducted.  The purpose of this study was to describe and evaluate an additional international language programme at a Kura Kaupapa Māori.

This qualitative case study describes the views of the Principal, five teachers, five students and three parents of a Kura Kaupapa Māori about an additional Spanish language programme. The primary means of gathering data was through individual semi-structured interviews.  Interviews were used to collect data in the areas of identifying the attitudes of the participants towards learning an additional international language, the perceived benefits, if any, of learning an additional international language and if there is a relationship between the learning of an  additional international language, and Kaupapa Māori.  The narrative data was transcribed, coded and categorised into four themes related to the research questions.  

 The success of this Spanish language programme can be understood in terms of several factors such as whānau support, programme leadership, quality teachers, international excursions and positive attitudes to foreign language learning.  

These findings will contribute to literature concerning additional language learning programmes, specifically those based in indigenous language immersion settings and they will also provide useful information and ideas which other Kura Kaupapa Māori can take advantage of when implementing additional international language learning programmes.

year: 2012