USING STUDY AND RESEARCH PATHS IN STATISTICS WITH REAL DATA TO RAISE QUESTIONS AND AWARENESS

In this paper, we link different approaches in engineering education. On the one hand, the research in mathematics education at tertiary level, which gives a big importance to the inquiry-based learning approach, and, specifically in engineering degrees, which identifies, among others, active student learning on open-ended real-life tasks as promising innovative practices. On the other hand, the research in statistics education, where importance of inquiry is commonly accepted and which highlights the importance of the use of real and realistic data. Finally, the service-learning approach, which is clearly addressed to connect engineering education to social challenges. We present two inquiry-based activities called study and research paths, a methodology under the theoretical framework of the Anthropological Theory of the Didactic, that show the great potential of this type of teaching methodologies in engineering degrees, especially in the sense of raising questions, hands-on learning, awareness and responsibility in engineering graduates, when service-learning approach is used too.