Knowledge of independent events by prospective primary school teachers

Abstract

This article studies the knowledge of prospective primary school teachers about independent events based on the following three objectives: 1) to classify two given events as independent or non-independent; 2) state the definition of independent events; and 3) formulate examples of independent events. The study included 37 students who were attending the 2nd year of the Degree in Basic Education at a university in the north of Portugal. The students answered a questionnaire with several questions about different types of events, being treated in this study only those related to independent events. Thus, the data used in the investigation consist of the students' resolutions of these questions. In terms of results, it should be noted that the students revealed difficulties in all objectives, more pronounced in the formulation of examples of independent events and less in the definition of independent events. From these results it appears that many students, despite knowing the definition of independent events, were not able to apply this knowledge to distinguish independent events from non-independent events and to formulate examples of independent events.