Developing conceptual understanding and probabilistic thinking through tree diagrams

Abstract

The nature of probability and uncertainty is complex. Rather than teachers breaking down probability concepts into separate parts, learners can benefit from experiences that engage them in navigating that complexity. This research project explores the experiences of a group of students as they learned the unit on probability in the Grade 12 Applied Mathematics course. I used a practitioner research stance to position myself as both the teacher and researcher. This action-based research enabled me to interpret my observations of the learning as it was happening. The teaching and learning of the unit centred on the tree diagram—a visual representation of probability experiments. The tree diagram can be a useful learning tool in facilitating rich thinking in the classroom. They not only assist learners in moving towards a conceptual understanding of probability, but are useful as tools in solving problems as well.