Abstract:

The teaching of probability and statistics continues to be a challenge across different undergraduate degree programmes, as students often experience difficulties in connecting theoretical concepts with real random phenomena, which negatively affects their motivation and attention. In this context, the Galton board, an experimental device consisting of rows of pins that allow the observation of how a set of balls randomly falls to produce an approximately normal distribution, emerges as a particularly suitable teaching resource for illustrating fundamental statistical concepts in a visual and intuitive manner.

This work presents an innovative teaching experience based on the design, construction, and classroom implementation of Galton boards as manipulable materials in Basic Statistics courses across different undergraduate degree programmes. The devices were developed by faculty members of the Department of Statistics and Operations Research and used in several courses with groups of students enrolled in the subject. During the sessions, students directly manipulated the board, observed the random behaviour of the balls, collected experimental data, constructed histograms, and compared the obtained results with the expected theoretical distributions. The evaluation of the educational impact was carried out qualitatively, based on classroom discussions, student participation, and the analysis of their reasoning and explanations.

Observations made during the sessions show a noticeable improvement in students’ motivation, sustained attention, and engagement when compared with more lecture-based methodologies. Classroom discussions reveal a more intuitive understanding of concepts such as randomness, the law of large numbers, and convergence towards the normal distribution, as well as an increased ability to relate statistical theory to experimentation. Furthermore, the interest generated by the Galton boards has led to their use in science outreach activities, such as World Statistics Day and Science Week, extending the scope of the experience beyond the university classroom.

The experience highlights that the use of the Galton board as an experimental resource promotes more active and meaningful learning in probability. In a context where the abstract nature of the content often hinders understanding, the incorporation of manipulable materials contributes to improving attention, participation, and the overall quality of learning, demonstrating a positive educational impact in both teaching and outreach contexts.

Keywords:

Active Learning, Galton Board, Probability Distributions.