Design and Evaluation of a Hypothetical Learning Trajectory aimed at introducing hypothesis testing from an informal approach

Abstract

Although some studies suggest that an informal approach to statistical inference can be beneficial for the learning of abstract and complex concepts, more research focused on the didactic design is needed to help concretize the different suggestions and recommendations into a learning trajectory. As a contribution, this report presents and analyzes the first cycle of a hypothetical learning trajectory aimed at introducing hypothesis testing at the university level, from an informal approach based on Fisher's approach and sampling simulations. The trajectory, applied to undergraduate students in social sciences, consisted of three tasks that explore different test components via an informal approach. We analyze students' responses to the tasks, distinguishing their successes and difficulties in terms of the transition between the real and hypothetical perspective and the conceptual levels involved in the test. Our results suggest that the trajectory favors the emergence and development of reasoning with the concept. However, adopting a hypothetical perspective to carry out the test and its exploration constitutes a highly complex challenge, especially when exploring a null model that differs from the no-difference.

Informal approach to statistical inference; Hypothetical learning trajectory; Hypothesis testing