Using a Database for Student Research

Abstract

Computer databases, widely available in schools, have the potential to offer new ways of approaching aspects of data handling within mathematics education. It is not always easy, however, to integrate the use of databases into everyday classroom life. Although databases can be used in ways that encourage students to test hypotheses, generate conjectures, and interpret trends in data, these results do not happen unless students are involved in meaningful inquiry in which they research an item of personal interest. The project described in this article is one of a series developed in collaboration with teachers to exploit the use of computer databases in the search for information. By orienting data handling around students' own research endeavor, we aimed to stimulate students' interest not only in the data themselves but also in the mathematical strategies underpinning the research process.