Designing for fusion in statistics education: A variation theory approach
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.52041/iase25.120Abstract
This paper presents a design approach for teaching statistics in STEAM education, grounded in variation theory and enriched by real-world contexts drawn from Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). Variation theory serves as the central theoretical framework, offering a way to support learners in discerning critical aspects of the object of learning through structured variation. A key feature of variation theory is the coordination of part–whole relationships, enabling students to learn statistics not as a set of fragmented procedures, but as an integrated and coherent whole. Within this framework, we suggest that sustainability-related problems provide powerful contexts for supporting the development of statistical reasoning, particularly when aligned with the interdisciplinary goals of STEAM education. The paper outlines how these elements can be brought together in a coherent instructional design to foster purposeful, conceptually grounded learning in statistics.References
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