Learning About Spatial Statistics and Community Through Data Investigations of Spatial Food Access Data (Poster 4)

• In Event: Mapping the Field: The Role of Space in Educational Equity

Abstract

Overview
We discuss work from a design research project focused on secondary mathematics teachers' development of critical statistical literacy for doing and teaching statistics related to using spatial data for teachers to learn about spatial statistics and their community. More specifically we look at, How do teachers make sense of spatial statistics and their community through data investigations of food access in their community?

Theoretical Framework
We draw from work that considers the use of spatial statistics for making sense of issues in student’s communities and how to use STEM concepts and practices to learning about and take action in their communities (Lanouette et al., 2024; Reigh et al., 2022; Rubel et al., 2016, 2017; Rubel & Nicol, 2020) and from practices of critical statistical literacy (Weiland, 2017) where statistical practices are viewed as culturally, historically and spatially situated and political and view teacher development through sociopolitical lens (Boaler & Greeno, 2000; Gutiérrez, 2013).

Modes of Inquiry
We use qualitative data including video and fieldnotes from two days of a week-long professional development experience with 16 high school mathematics teachers to study our research question. The research team studied the data to look for connections between the design of the learning experience and evidence of teachers' development of critical statistical practices and an understanding of their community. We use conjecture maps (Sandoval, 2014) to then document connection between the design principles and the enactment process to the outcomes, shown in Figure 1.

Findings
We found that teachers used their understanding of their community to help them make sense of the spatial data we presented to them. We also found that the spatial data we presented to the teachers helped them to make sense of their community in new ways. For example, many teachers used their understanding of what grocery stores were in their area to orient themselves on the map of the spatial dataset provided, see Figure 2. They also use their knowledge of the community to point out issues in the data such as the absence of a grocery store or stores that were on the map, but didn’t actually sell groceries. Engaging with the data set also helped the teachers to gain new understandings of the food access issues in their community. For example, teachers were surprised at how few grocery stores were available in certain areas and they noticed trends like where the “fancy” grocery stores were located versus where dollar stores were located in relation to the socioeconomic status of those areas.

Significance
This work helps provide insight into how to design meaningful learning experiences for teachers to develop critical statistical literacy practices. The design principle of equally valuing developing contextual knowledge and content knowledge in particular was important for the development we saw in teachers. This is significant because in STEM courses typically content knowledge is what is most valued and tested with contextual knowledge largely ignored or devalued.

Authors

• Travis Weiland, University of North Carolina - Charlotte

• Laura Shelton, University of Houston

• Mandana Delavari, University of Houston