Case Study – Post 16 – INS Guindabols

16-17 year old students investigated with 15 lessons if there is any relationship between weather (such as Temperature, Wind, Relative Humidity, pluviometry, etc.) and diseases (such as respiratory diseases or mental health). Key data analytic skills were taught such as define a research question, collect and consider data, interpretation of graphs, graphical data, interpretation of averages and drawing conclusions from data.

Four types of data were provided: a) Metereological data from 21st /8/2018 to 28th/2/2019; b) Atmospheric pollutants data at Lleida Railway Station from 5th/6/2018 to21st /4/19; c) Casualties and hospitalization data at Arnau de Vilanova and at Santa Maria Hospital of respiratory diseases Monthly from 2018 and 2019 and d) Mental Health pathologies data in Lleida, monthly data from 2018 and 2019.

The students have studied basic statistical concepts, such as appropriate graphical representation involving discrete, continuous and grouped data; and appropriate measures of central tendency (mean, mode, median) based on the Catalan national curriculum.

Activities were carefully designed and sequenced guiding students through an inquiry cycle in which students were scaffold to define a research question and a hypothesis; to consider data; to explore data with CODAP and Excel, and then to make conclusions and communicate their findings.

The students used CODAP and Excel to explore and interpret their data, and the students learned to read and interpret to make their inferences and reach conclusions that let them to answer their research questions and validate or refute their hypothesis. Students selected key data to answer their questions

Students’ findings are, for example:

In winter and cold months when rain and wind prevail, diseases such as schizophrenia may increase, and in hot and summer months, personality disorders are the most prevalent.
The weather causes many illnesses to predominate at each time of the year but it is not the only factor that causes mental illness.

Students were asked and scaffold to write a report, readers can find examples of students’ reports

Teachers can get inspiration at the lesson plan of the whole project.

Case Study – Post 16 – INS Guindabols – Lleida, Spain