Jurgita Markevičiūtė

Critical Thinking in Statistics and Statistical Literacy

Vilnius University, Lithuania

Critical thinking is a vital skill essential for both students and employees. According to Ennis (2010), critical thinking is “reasonable reflective thinking focused on deciding what to believe or do,” while Dyer (2011) describes it as a proactive approach to engaging with information, ideas, and arguments. It involves actively questioning, scrutinizing underlying assumptions, and evaluating the soundness and validity of reasoning.

Critical thinking and statistical literacy are prerequisites for responsible citizenship in democratic societies (Ben-Zvi & Makar 2016). Teaching statistics with a focus on critical thinking empowers students to move beyond mere memorization of formulas and procedures. Instead, it cultivates their ability to analyse data, interpret results, and draw meaningful conclusions. Being critical in statistical contexts involves employing specific abilities to evaluate statistical data critically. Statistical thinking provides a structured framework of analytical principles to guide and support reasoning, whereas the components of critical thinking are not necessarily structured in such a fashion.

Instructors can promote critical thinking in statistics courses by presenting real-world scenarios or case studies. This approach prompts students to critically examine underlying assumptions, identify potential biases, and evaluate the validity of the statistical methods employed. Emphasizing data visualization and interpretation can enhance critical thinking skills. Students should scrutinize graphical representations, identify patterns or anomalies, and critically assess the implications of the data. This process reinforces their understanding of statistical concepts and develops their ability to communicate findings effectively.

Incorporating group discussions and collaborative problem-solving activities can further promote critical thinking. Through peer-to-peer interactions, students can challenge each other's perspectives, debate alternative approaches, and collectively arrive at well-reasoned solutions. Additionally, exposing students to the limitations and potential misuse of statistical methods can cultivate a critical mindset. Discussing ethical considerations, such as data privacy and responsible data handling, helps students develop a nuanced understanding of the broader implications of statistical analysis.

Keywords: statistical literacy, critical thinking, statistical thinking, data visualization and interpretation

Biography:

Prof. Dr. Jurgita Markevičiūtė teaches statistics and data science to bachelor, master and PhD students. My main focus is parametric and nonparametric statistics, machine learning methods and functional data analysis; I also pay attention to statistical literacy and critical thinking while interpreting analysis results. I have 11 years of experience in fundamental and applied mathematics and statistics. I published more than 20 papers for developing statistical methods for and analysing historical economic data. My colleagues and I produced publicly available datasets in the framework of the international project Baltic100. In the framework of the DOTSUT-31 project, we developed and published an electronic research database comprising 200 datasets. Also, I am the head of the Center of Excellence "Data Center for Machine Learning and Quantum Computing in Natural and Biomedical Sciences". In this Center, I work with machine learning algorithms for biomedical and other types of data sets. Moreover, I am the Vice-Dean for Strategy and General Affairs at the Faculty of Mathematics and Informatics at Vilnius University.

References:

Ben-Zvi, D., & Makar, K. (Eds.). (2016). The teaching and learning of statistics: International perspectives. Springer.

Dyer, L. (2011). Critical thinking for business students. West Concord, Ontario: Captus Press.

Ennis, R. H. (2010). CriticalThinking.Net [website]. Retrieved April 26, 2024, from https://criticalthinking.net/what-is-critical-thinking/