Comparing graph competence of economics students in Germany and South Africa (since 2022)
In this research project, we analyze and compare the graph competence of undergraduate economics students in South Africa and Germany. We investigate how well different learners are able to work with graphs from the economics domain, such as the supply and demand model, at the beginning of their studies. Ultimately, the project aims at supporting learners in the study of economics, we are interested in describing the skills with which students enter university and identifying different factors on which these skills depend.
To assess students’ competence level, we use a previously developed instrument which distinguishes various subcomponents of graph competence (e.g., reading or evaluating the underlying model assumptions) for three different graphs. We administered the instrument to undergraduate students at the University of Witwatersrand in South Africa in February 2023. A second survey with German students in Tuebingen is planned for October 2023.
Research Team:
• University of Tuebingen: Malte Ring & Taiga Brahm
• University of Witwatersrand: Volker Schoer & Emmanuel Ojo
Graph competence in economic education (since 2021)
Graphs occupy a central position in the economic domain and are inextricably linked to understanding economic principles. Especially in comparison to a rather extensive research tradition in science education, there is no systematic research in the field of economic education that models graph competence as a domain-specific skill. Based on a prior research project (see below) we first defined six subcomponents in a theoretical framework: reading, interpreting, choosing the right graph to display a relationship, using the graph in an example, identifying errors in a graph, and evaluating the underlying model assumptions. For each of these subcomponents, we developed items for three types of graphs: the supply and demand model, cost curves and indifference curves. The resulting instrument was administered as an online survey at multiple higher education institutions in south-western Germany with students of different academic disciplines at the end of 2021. In future research, the instrument could be used to analyze the effect of interventions on graph competence as an intersection of quantitative mathematical skills and economic competence.
Finished project: Visual Representations (2017-2020)
Visual representations such as graphs and charts are important tools to make data and models more understandable. In this research project, we investigated how 8th graders can read data graphs; how visual representations are used in secondary economic education; and lastly, how learners can be supported in integrating graphs and text.
Publications:
- Ring, M., Brahm, T., Richter, J., Scheiter, K., & Randler, C. (2021). Does active or passive signaling support integration of text and graphs? Applied Cognitive Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1002/acp.3896
- Ring, M., & Brahm, T. (2020). Logical pictures in secondary economic eduaction: textbook analysis and teacher perception. RISTAL. Research in Subject-Matter Teaching and Learning, 3, 86-107. https://doi.org/10.23770/rt1836
- Ring, M., Brahm, T., & Randler, C. (2019). Do difficutly levels matter for graphical literacy? A performance assessment study with authentic graphs. International Journal of Science Education, 41(13), 1787-1804. https://doi.org/10.1080/09500693.2019.1640915
The three studies of this project are part of the dissertation of Malte Ring "Visual Representations in Economic Education From an Interdisciplinary Perspective" (http://dx.doi.org/10.15496/publikation-51233).