Resumen

This article is a reflection on more-than-a-decade research in the area of statistics education in upper primary school (grades 4-6, 10-12 years old). The goal of these studies was to better understand young students’ statistical reasoning as they were involved in authentic data investigations and simulations in a technology-enhanced learning environment entitled Connections. The article describes three main paradigms that guided our educational and academic efforts: EDA, ISI, and Modeling. The first, EDA, refers to Exploratory Data Analysis – children investigate sample data they collected without making explicit inferences to a larger population. The second, ISI, refers to Informal Statistical Inference – children make inferences informally about a larger population than the sample they have at hand. The third, Modeling-children use computerized tools to model the phenomenon they study, and simulate many random samples from that model to study statistical ideas. In each of these three paradigms, we provide a short rationale, an example of students’ products, and learned lessons. To conclude, current challenges in statistics education are discussed in light of these paradigms.