Tauranga Boys’ College HOD Mathematics and Statistics teacher Andrew Ferguson has spent a year out of the classroom. During this time he has been based at Te Puke with the Plant and Food Research (PFR) kiwifruit breeding team. The aim of his project was to investigate the use of statistics in the PFR kiwifruit breeding programme, specifically, to examine if the number of neighbours a kiwifruit seedling had affected its phenotype. This opportunity, which was co-hosted by the Statistics Department of the University of Auckland, has allowed him to experience first hand the challenges of modelling and applying statistical tools to data gathered by the kiwifruit breeding team.

Andrew Ferguson out of the classroom.

Highlights for Andrew included the opportunity to work with and be assisted by experienced PFR scientists, statisticians, research associates, technicians and casuals in the biggest kiwifruit research orchard in the world. Visits to the other PFR orchards involved in kiwifruit research in Kerikeri and Motueka was another enjoyable learning experience for him. He also visited the PFR Mount Albert research centre which has close links to these research orchards. The Mount Albert centre is where more sophisticated research is done, such as gene mapping and identifying the locations in China where the different kiwifruit varieties occur.

Spending time in Auckland at the Statistics Department gave him the opportunity to attend some lectures and explore the skills that are required to be a statistician. Professor Chris Triggs mentored him as he took up the challenge of attempting to model the neighbour effect.

Learning about statistics outside the classroom has given him greater insight into the need to view statistics as a process. This process, called the PPDAC cycle, involves a problem, plan, data, analysis and conclusion which may loop back to asking new questions or refining the initial question. He anticipates positive learning outcomes when he returns to teaching by using the PPDAC cycle to address relevant, complex and authentic problems that relate to issues, such as exercise, obesity, pollution of the local environment, the greenhouse effect, and carbon footprint. These topical issues provide students with opportunities to critically analyse the strengths and weaknesses of their approach and to refine their questions. Such topics are also best suited to ongoing work and discussion over several terms rather than in a block of two or three weeks.

While teaching statistics Andrew had faced the challenge of finding suitable contexts for which he could access appropriate data with enough background information, so that his students could fully understand how the statistical process is applied. At times he had ended up manipulating the data for assessment or teaching purposes or providing data without full background information. This manufactured data without full information made it difficult for students to critically evaluate the statistical process in any depth.

He is looking forward to returning to teaching in 2010 despite the probable increase in his stress levels. This is because:
• Statistics has greater emphasis in the new curriculum with the subject Mathematics now renamed Mathematics and Statistics.
• There is ongoing development and refinement of Statistics teaching and learning in New Zealand schools with the associated professional development.
• There is an opportunity to take advantage of the Census at Schools website as an interactive learning tool with his classes.
• There are opportunities to work collaboratively with teachers and students of other subjects, such as senior biology students with their project work.
• He is looking forward to sharing best practice with other teachers both within the school he is teaching, and with other schools.
• He will continue to enjoy networking opportunities in the future with scientists, statisticians and academics that he has met during 2009.