Interpretation of statistical information and the role of contextual knowledge – a pilot study among fourth-grade students

Overview & Synopsis

The relevance of the development of statistical literacy has become apparent within the last decade as a consequence of our data-driven society. Therefore, fostering the competencies needed to interpret statistical information has become a well-accepted focus within the elementary school mathematics classroom. The role of contextual knowledge is highlighted and poses a crucial part of statistics. The here presented pilot study hence aims at describing situations in which fourth-grade elementary school students make use of their contextual knowledge when interpreting statistical information presented in stacked dot plots to contribute to a local learning theory that explains when and how the integration of contextual knowledge might foster or hinder the interpretation of statistical information. The role of the task is highlighted as connections can be established between the integration of contextual knowledge and what the task aims at.