Students' Errors Using Geographically Variable Data to Support Scientific Predictions

摘要

There is a growing need for students to be able to interpret and analyze large-scaledatasets. Students have shown difficulty in interpreting large-scale climatic datasets,though it has been unclear in which tasks the students’ difficulty manifests. This studylooks at the types of errors made by eighth grade students in the interpretation andanalysis of geographically variable average temperature and precipitation data. Fourcategories of errors – content errors, data practices errors, scientific practices errors, anddirections errors – were identified and described. These characterizations of students’errors can be used to develop materials that scaffolds their abilities in these areas.