Improving evidential argumentation through statistical sampling: evaluating the effects of a classroom intervention for at-risk 7th-graders

A nine-day intervention was implemented in a 7th-grade all-girls classroom with the objective of improving the students’ evidential argumentation through the use of statistical sampling concepts. The 12 student participants were from economically disadvantaged backgrounds and were considered at-risk for dropping out of school. During the intervention, the students worked in small groups, gathering data from newspaper clippings and websites, in the construction of arguments about a controversial social issue. Paper-and-pencil tests were administered before and after the intervention. The findings revealed that students were better able to (a) rely on survey data, as opposed to personal opinion, to support their claims about simulated real-life situations, and (b) use sampling concepts to explain how the data supported their claims. The results indicate that even the most disadvantaged student could learn to reason statistically, and they also point to several characteristics of learning environments that are effective in meeting this objective.