A picture is worth a thousand words: Insights into graphicacy skills of primary prospective preservice teachers

Abstract

Graphs are an integral component of primary and secondary level mathematical experiences as a part of the probability and statistics strand. A review of curriculum implementation in primary mathematics revealed that, relative to other areas of mathematics, teachers found the data strand least useful in the planning for and teaching of mathematics. Furthermore, it was ascertained that data received the least classroom attention leading to the recommendation that research is needed to help ‘develop guidance to support teachers in implementing this aspect of the Mathematics Curriculum’ (NCCA, 2005b, p.7). This paper presents an analysis of the content knowledge skills of 456 preservice teachers in the area of graphical representations in an effort to identify their professional development needs. Participant responses on a survey of statistical knowledge are analyzed and discussed in an effort to identify strengths and weaknesses in graphicacy skills. Tasks were derived from the OECD Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA, 2003) and the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), the largest nationally representative assessment of school mathematics in the United States. Analysis of the data indicates wideranging difficulties with graph construction, graph selection, and understandings of data type.