This study investigates the effect of the statistical investigation activity in positively enhancing students’ statistical competence and students’ attitudes towards statistics for 8th-grade students. The statistical investigation included five phases in the teaching and learning activities such as problem phase, plan phase, data collection phase, analysis phase, and conclusion phase. This study adopted the qualitative and quantitative methods (mixed method). The qualitative method is used to analyze the development of students’ statistical competency during the teaching and learning process using statistical investigation inquiry cycle while the quantitative analysis is used to describe the student's pre-test and post-test of statistical competence and students’ attitudes towards statistics. The qualitative data used in this study was videotaped of classroom learning. At the problem phase of the statistical investigation activities, most of the students are at the uni-structural level of posing questions in the statistical inquiry. As the students critique each other questions and discuss the context, there is a possibility that students can develop to relational level. At the planning phase, the students understanding of sample can be enhanced from the informal towards critical. At the data collection phase, the students showed that they could collect data from the specific population without regard to the sample size. In the analysis phase, students ability in describing data mostly quantitative part, focusing mainly on a single data point and at the consistent non-critical as the students straightforward used the measures of center. The discussion ensued by teachers also did not provide ample opportunities for students as it still primarily based on teacher-centered. As in the conclusion phase, students showed that they could make claims only appropriate for the group of data they collected. As for the evaluation of students’ statistical competence and attitudes towards statistics was conducted through the administration of two instruments: the pre-test and post-test in the investigation inquiry cycle classroom and the survey of students’ attitudes towards statistics. The result of paired t-test of the pre-test and post-test indicated that there is a significant difference of students’ statistical competency before and after the implementation of the investigative activity. It suggested that students’ statistical competency after the implementation of the investigative activity is higher than before. For students’ attitudes towards statistics, based on the results of Wilcoxon Sign-Rank, it is shown that students’ attitudes towards statistics after the implementation of the investigative activities are higher than before the implementation of the investigative activities. In conclusion, the statistical investigation inquiry cycle is an effective strategy to promote students’ statistical competence and students’ attitudes towards statistics.

This study investigates the effect of the statistical investigation activity in positively enhancing students’ statistical competence and students’ attitudes towards statistics for 8th-grade students. The statistical investigation included five phases in the teaching and learning activities such as problem phase, plan phase, data collection phase, analysis phase, and conclusion phase. This study adopted the qualitative and quantitative methods (mixed method). The qualitative method is used to analyze the development of students’ statistical competency during the teaching and learning process using statistical investigation inquiry cycle while the quantitative analysis is used to describe the student's pre-test and post-test of statistical competence and students’ attitudes towards statistics. The qualitative data used in this study was videotaped of classroom learning. At the problem phase of the statistical investigation activities, most of the students are at the uni-structural level of posing questions in the statistical inquiry. As the students critique each other questions and discuss the context, there is a possibility that students can develop to relational level. At the planning phase, the students understanding of sample can be enhanced from the informal towards critical. At the data collection phase, the students showed that they could collect data from the specific population without regard to the sample size. In the analysis phase, students ability in describing data mostly quantitative part, focusing mainly on a single data point and at the consistent non-critical as the students straightforward used the measures of center. The discussion ensued by teachers also did not provide ample opportunities for students as it still primarily based on teacher-centered. As in the conclusion phase, students showed that they could make claims only appropriate for the group of data they collected. As for the evaluation of students’ statistical competence and attitudes towards statistics was conducted through the administration of two instruments: the pre-test and post-test in the investigation inquiry cycle classroom and the survey of students’ attitudes towards statistics. The result of paired t-test of the pre-test and post-test indicated that there is a significant difference of students’ statistical competency before and after the implementation of the investigative activity. It suggested that students’ statistical competency after the implementation of the investigative activity is higher than before. For students’ attitudes towards statistics, based on the results of Wilcoxon Sign-Rank, it is shown that students’ attitudes towards statistics after the implementation of the investigative activities are higher than before the implementation of the investigative activities. In conclusion, the statistical investigation inquiry cycle is an effective strategy to promote students’ statistical competence and students’ attitudes towards statistics.

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