Investigating statistical predictions with first graders in Greece

Abstract

This paper argues that engaging students in informal statistical reasoning from early school years is essential for the development of statistical understanding. We investigated if and how children aged six-seven years old identified variation in a table of data and made predictions through the design of a teaching experiment. The classroom teaching experiment was comprised of four 45 minutes lessons addressing the understanding and interpretation of data sets. In order to describe students’ informal predictive reasoning, we used the framework of “data lenses”. More specifically, we analyzed the different types of answers the students produced as they engaged in predictive reasoning during an interview given before and after the teaching experiment. The participation of students in (classroom) and out-of-school (family) communities of practice was also taken into consideration. Our results demonstrate that the students benefited from their learning experience and developed data understanding.