Contributed paper list


   (Thursday 17th, 15:45-17:15)   In session C14B

A case study of Cypriot primary school students’ use of a dynamic statistics software package for analyzing and interpreting data

Authors

Irene Kleanthous, Maria Meletiou-Mavrotheris

Presenter

Maria Meletiou-Mavrotheris (Cyprus)

Abstract

The use of dynamic learning environments, which are designed explicitly to facilitate the visualization of mathematical concepts, provides an enormous potential for making complicated mathematical ideas accessible to young learners. This paper explores the potential of dynamic statistics software for supporting the teaching and learning of probabilities. It shares the experiences from a case study that implemented a data-driven approach to mathematics instruction using the dynamic data-visualization software InspireData©, an educational package specifically designed to meet the learning needs of students in the middle and high school grades (Grades 4-12). We report on how a group of Grade 4 (about 9-year-old) students used the affordances provided by the dynamic learning environment to gather, analyze, and interpret data, and to draw data-based conclusions and inferences. The role of the technological tool in scaffolding and extending these young students’ stochastic and mathematical reasoning is discussed.