Knowledge of independent events by prospective primary school teachers

In this quantitative study, prospective primary school teachers’ knowledge of independent events is investigated based on three objectives: 1) classify two given events as independent or non-independent; 2) state the definition of independent events; and 3) formulate examples of independent events. The study included 37 students attending the 2nd year of the teaching degree in basic education at a university in the north of Portugal, who solved a task about independent events. In terms of results, it should be noted that the students revealed difficulties in all objectives, more pronounced in the formulation of examples of independent events and less in the definition of independent events. Therefore, it can be inferred that many students, despite knowing the definition of independent events, could not apply this knowledge to distinguish independent events from non-independent events and formulate examples of independent events.