Biology Undergraduate Students’ Graphing Practice in Digital Versus Pen and Paper Graphing Environments

Abstract

Graphing is an important practice for scientists and in K-16 science curricula. Graphs can be constructed using an array of software packages as well as by hand, with pen-and-paper. However, we have an incomplete understanding of how students’ graphing practice vary by graphing environment; differences could affect how best to teach and assess graphing. Here we explore the role of two graphing environments in students’ graphing practice. We studied 43 undergraduate biology students’ graphing practice using either pen-and-paper (PP) (n = 21 students) or a digital graphing tool GraphSmarts (GS) (n = 22 students). Participants’ graphs and verbal justifications were analyzed to identify features such as the variables plotted, number of graphs created, raw data versus summarized data plotted, and graph types (e.g., scatter plot, line graph, or bar graph) as well as participants’ reasoning for their graphing choices. Several aspects of participant graphs were similar regardless of graphing environment, including plotting raw vs. summarized data, graph type, and overall graph quality, while GS participants were more likely to plot the most relevant variables. In GS, participants could easily make more graphs than in PP and this may have helped some participants show latent features of their graphing practice. Those students using PP tended to focus more on ease of constructing the graph than GS. This study illuminates how the different characteristics of the graphing environment have implications for instruction and interpretation of assessments of student graphing practices.

Big data, big changes? The technologies and sources of data used in science classrooms

“…Research that highlights some of the differences between environments when learning to work with data in pen-and-paper and digital modalities indicates that there are specific learning benefits and weaknesses of each environment (Gardner et al, 2021). Making the transition from working with small, self-collected datasets to larger datasets typical of what is collected at scale may be a valuable skill for learners (Kjelvik & Schultheis, 2019;Wolff et al, 2019).…”

“…Yet, with datasets expanding in size and complexity, technology may become necessary to help students utilize these new types of data. The same practices done on paper can be performed using digital tools as well, however the learning opportunities using each modality may differ (Gardner et al, 2021; Kjelvik & Schultheis, 2019; Schultheis & Kjelvik, 2020). For example, a study on student graphing in paper and digital environments found that student graph quality was similar across platforms, however students found it easier to graph in digital environments and were better able to identify the appropriate variables for the graphs (Gardner et al, 2021).…”

“…The same practices done on paper can be performed using digital tools as well, however the learning opportunities using each modality may differ (Gardner et al, 2021; Kjelvik & Schultheis, 2019; Schultheis & Kjelvik, 2020). For example, a study on student graphing in paper and digital environments found that student graph quality was similar across platforms, however students found it easier to graph in digital environments and were better able to identify the appropriate variables for the graphs (Gardner et al, 2021). Compared to analysing data using pen‐and‐paper, an advantage of digital tools is that they allow learners to quickly analyse large datasets that are generated by a myriad of sources (Kahn & Jiang, 2021; Lee & Wilkerson, 2018; Rosenberg, Lawson, et al, 2020).…”

“…Apart from specific digital tools, such as the statistics education digital tools that around two‐thirds of AP statistics teachers use (Lee & Harrison, 2021) as well as spreadsheets and calculators, we can consider the role of technology in a broader sense, as a modality that can be contrasted with a pen‐and‐paper approach to analysing data in K‐12 educational contexts. Research that highlights some of the differences between environments when learning to work with data in pen‐and‐paper and digital modalities indicates that there are specific learning benefits and weaknesses of each environment (Gardner et al, 2021). Making the transition from working with small, self‐collected datasets to larger datasets typical of what is collected at scale may be a valuable skill for learners (Kjelvik & Schultheis, 2019; Wolff et al, 2019).…”

Lesson Study as a Means to Change Secondary Preservice Physics Teachers’ Practice in the Use of Multiple Representations in Teaching

“…In fact, research showed the importance of including MR training in initial teacher education programs to support its use by PSTs in teaching science [32][33][34][35][36]. In one study [8], the participants were 15 preservice science teachers and they were enrolled in a course originally designed to allow PSTs to design and conduct open-ended experiments.…”