In this edition of TechCast at UMass we talk about Tinkerplots: an innovative software program that turns data analysis into fun for schoolchildren.
Mark Twain once said, “There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics.” In a world overwhelmed with data, understanding how to analyze statistics, and discriminate between meaningful data and bias, is as critical as knowing how to read or count. Just as we learn reading and reckoning as schoolchildren, today’s elementary and middle school kids are learning how to analyze data. And an innovative software program called TinkerPlots is making data analysis exciting and fun to learn!
Professor Cliff Konold and kids at the Boston Science Museum analyzing data they collected on TinkerPlotsProfessor Cliff Konold developed TinkerPlots with a grant from the National Science Foundation. A psychologist by training, he’s an expert in how children and adults reason about and learn probability, statistics, and data analysis. When he teamed up with software designer Craig Miller, TinkerPlots was born. The program is a kind of construction set that sets students off on an “inquiry-driven” journey into statistics and probability. Students can think up questions to ask, organize the data they develop, design their own plots, and answer a variety of questions about group differences and trends.
We will begin by talking to Professor Cliff Konold of the Scientific Reasoning Research Institute (SRRI) at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. TinkerPlots was developed in the field, working with schoolchildren from towns near UMass-Amherst. We’ll also briefly hear from Justin Cotton, Jr., one of the math teachers whose students participated in the project. He teaches mathematics at the Dr. William R. Peck Middle School in Holyoke, MA. When Tinkerplots was being developed, Cotton’s students helped Cliff Konold do the field testing of the software.
The office of Commercial Ventures and Intellectual Property at UMass Amherst has licensed the TinkerPlots software to Key Curriculum Press. TinkerPlots is not only being used in U.S. schools but around the world. French and English language versions are being used by schools in the Province of Ontario, Canada. The company has entered into a system-wide agreement with the Education Ministry of Ontario and, in partnership with a Russian publisher, has entered into an agreement with the Education Ministry of Russia for a Russian-language version of TinkerPlots for use in the education system throughout Russia. Additional language translations and sale of TinkerPlots for other foreign education markets are expected. TinkerPlots is available commercially. To obtain a copy of Tinkerplots for home or school use, go here.
Additional Links
And to learn about TinkerPlots: visit here and here.
Parents’ Choice Award: article 1; article 2; article 3
Techcast at UMass #7: Making Data Analysis Fun for Elementary and Middle School Students [23:52m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download
