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Teaching Statistics in School Mathematics-Challenges for Teaching and Teacher Education pp 247–258Cite as

Correlation and Regression in the Training of Teachers

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Part of the book series: New ICMI Study Series ((NISS,volume 14))

Abstract

Although the notion of functional dependence of two variables is fundamental to school mathematics, teachers often are not trained to analyse statistical dependencies. Many teachers’ thinking about bivariate data is shaped by the deterministic concept of a mathematical function. Statistical data, however, usually do not perfectly fit a deterministic model but are characterised by variation around a possible trend. Therefore, understanding regression and correlation requires, apart from basic knowledge about functions, an appreciation of the role of variation. In this chapter, common errors and fallacies related to the concepts of correlation and regression are revisited and suggestions on how teachers may overcome some of these difficulties are provided.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Education, Reuteallee 46, 71634, Ludwigsburg, Germany

    Joachim Engel

  2. University of Technology, 09107, Chemnitz, Germany

    Peter Sedlmeier

Authors
  1. Joachim Engel
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  2. Peter Sedlmeier
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Correspondence to Joachim Engel .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Fac. Ciencias de la Educación, Universidad de Granada, Granada, 18071, Spain

    Carmen Batanero

  2. Dept. Counseling,, Educational Psychology &, Michigan State University, Erickson Hall 240, East Lansing, 48824, Michigan, USA

    Gail Burrill

  3. SiMERR National Centre, University of New England, Armidale, 2350, New South Wales, Australia

    Chris Reading

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Engel, J., Sedlmeier, P. (2011). Correlation and Regression in the Training of Teachers. In: Batanero, C., Burrill, G., Reading, C. (eds) Teaching Statistics in School Mathematics-Challenges for Teaching and Teacher Education. New ICMI Study Series, vol 14. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-1131-0_25

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