Francisco Rodríguez-Alveal

Understanding teachers’ attitudes towards statistics is essential, as these attitudes influence both teaching practices and students’ learning outcomes. This study examines attitudes toward statistics among Chilean teachers, comparing pre-service and in-service teachers across emotional, cognitive, and behavioral dimensions. Using quantitative methods, data were collected from 111 teachers through a modified version of the Attitudes Toward Statistics and Its Teaching Scale survey. The results show that in-service teachers display more positive attitudes toward statistics than pre-service teachers, suggesting that professional experience and continuous development contribute to greater confidence and competence in teaching statistics. Positive emotional experiences, such as enjoyment and interest in statistics, are strongly associated with higher engagement in both learning and teaching the subject. Additionally, perceiving statistics as valuable has a positive effect on teachers’ instructional behavior. These findings have important implications for teacher education. They highlight the need for targeted professional development initiatives that strengthen statistical knowledge while addressing emotional and attitudinal barriers. Furthermore, integrating real-world statistical applications into teacher training programs can enhance relevance and engagement. Overall, promoting positive attitudes toward statistics among teachers is key to improving the quality of statistics education and preparing students to function effectively in an increasingly data-driven society.

This article describes the levels of reading and the arguments provided by future secondary mathematics teachers from two Chilean universities when decoding the information presented in a histogram and a box plot. A qualitative methodology was followed, based on content analysis. As a data collection technique, an instrument with two activities was applied. The 36 participants were selected through non-probabilistic sampling. Among the main results, it was found that participants perform basic readings of graphical representations. The arguments provided are conceptual in nature and are not related to the activity’s context. Additionally, future teachers do not refute the conclusion formulated based on the box plot, which indicates that they do not connect the representation to the context; those who do fail to provide sufficient justification. The study concludes that there is a need to strengthen argumentation skills to foster statistical literacy and statistical thinking.

Los gráficos estadísticos son ampliamente utilizados en el ámbito educativo, lo que exige el desarrollo de habilidades para analizarlos críticamente. El objetivo de esta investigación fue diseñar un cuestionario validado que evalúe la comprensión gráfica en estudiantes rurales de 5º y 6º de escuelas rurales multigrado, garantizando la claridad, pertinencia y confiabilidad de sus ítems para su aplicación en contextos educativos diversos. El estudio tuvo de carácter descriptivo, validando un cuestionario mediante la técnica de juicio de expertos. El análisis de las puntuaciones de los expertos muestra un alto consenso sobre la claridad, pertinencia y relevancia de los ítems del cuestionario, con medias y modas cercanas a 5 y bajas desviaciones estándar, lo que indica una formulación adecuada y confiable. Los valores del Coeficiente de Validez de Contenido reflejan la aceptación de los ítems. La retroalimentación cualitativa permitió mejorar redacción, contextualización y presentación, fortaleciendo la validez y funcionalidad del instrumento para su aplicación en contextos rurales.

El estudio analiza las competencias de profesores en formación en la resolución de problemas de modelación matemática, caracterizando niveles de logro, interrelaciones y su influencia en el éxito, usando GeoGebra y colaboración entre pares. Examina errores y dificultades en cada competencia. Los resultados muestran un menor desarrollo en codificación, validación e interpretación de resultados, y una correlación significativa entre representación, visualización y construcción de modelos reales. Aunque no se midió el impacto de GeoGebra y la colaboración, se observó que estos elementos son prometedores para la indagación, visualización y validación en la modelación matemática.

[Objective] This study evaluates the processes of construction and argumentation of tables and graphs submitted by pre-service and in-service teachers. [Methodology] For this purpose, a mixed approach was used, predominantly focused on a quantitative inferential analysis. Information was obtained using an instrument with open questions related to the construction and justification of graphic representations associated with qualitative and quantitative discrete variables. The instrument was administered to a non-probabilistic sample of 102 subjects, of which 71 corresponded to pre-service primary education teachers and 31 to in-service primary education teachers in south-central Chile. [Results] In general, both groups correctly summarize the distribution according to the nature of the data; however, they make mistakes in their construction, such as labeling the axes according to the context of the problem. In addition, the arguments about the choice of graphical representation deviate from the theory. [Conclusions] Pre-service and in-service primary school teachers have not developed skills such as argumentation and transnumeration, which are characteristic of the statistical literacy and reasoning that would help them perform adequately in the school system.

Resumen El objetivo de esta investigación fue evaluar la alfabetización y pensamiento estadístico alcanzado por profesores de matemática en formación. Mediante un estudio cualitativo, sustentado en un diseño de estudio de caso. Participaron 36 futuros profesores, quienes realizaron un proyecto estadístico. Entre los hallazgos se destacan errores conceptuales relacionados con seleccionar representaciones gráficas pertinentes al tipo de dato, como así también al proporcionar argumentaciones, evidenciando debilidades en el desarrollo de habilidades afines a la alfabetización y pensamiento estadístico. Lo que permite concluir que no han desarrollado una alfabetización ni pensamiento estadístico para conducir aprendizajes en estadística escolar.

The objective of this research was to evaluate the literacy and statistical thinking achieved by mathematics teachers in training. Through a qualitative study, based on a case study design. 36 future teachers participated, who carried out a statistical project. Among the findings, conceptual errors related to selecting graphic representations relevant to the type of data stand out, as well as when providing arguments, evidencing weaknesses in the development of skills related to literacy and statistical thinking. Which allows us to conclude that they have not developed statistical literacy or thinking to conduct learning in school statistics.

This article aims to evaluate how teachers, in training and in-service, define the concepts of randomness, probability, chance and variability, fundamental terms in the teaching of statistics. To this end, a printed recording protocol of natural semantic networks was applied to 16 teachers in training and 58 in-service teachers, selected through non-probabilistic sampling. The results provide evidence that the concept with the lowest conceptual density in both groups is variability. Likewise, a greater presence of similar words was observed between randomness, chance and probability, despite being different concepts. Another finding is the association of the inducing concepts to words that are used within the basic lexicon in Chilean Spanish, whose dictionary is not specialized in statistics. It is concluded about the scarce use of technical language by the participants, which would eventually affect the teaching of statistics.

A pandemia evidenciou a importância da Estatística e da Probabilidade como um conhecimento vital para compreensão do mundo, em especial, em momentos de crise. Aliado a isto, notou-se o aumento do interesse de professores/pesquisadores por publicações científicas sobre a Educação Estatística com foco no processo de ensino e aprendizagem. Nesta edição especial, que foi dividida em dois números (2023 e 2024), apresentamos pesquisas e ações que buscam refletir sobre como a Estatística e a Probabilidade são ensinadas e aprendidas nas escolas e nas universidades.

[Objective] The main purpose of this study was to analyze the activities related to statistical inference present in secondary education textbooks in Chile, and their relationship to the development of statistical thinking. [Methodology] For the purposes of the study, a qualitative approach was used through a content analysis of the secondary education books disseminated free of charge by the Chilean Ministry of Education during the years 2016, 2018, 2020, 2021 and 2022, which were selected using intentional non-probabilistic sampling. [Results] Among the main results obtained, it was found that most of the activities related to statistical inference in the textbooks analyzed had to do with procedures related to the calculation of confidence intervals, without addressing their interpretation in the context of the problem. In addition, it was observed that there were few activities related to informal inference. Likewise, the activities and questions presented in the textbooks do not refer to the formulation of hypotheses or conjectures about the sample data made to guide the formulation of conclusions related to statistical inference. [Conclusions] The findings indicate that despite the fact that confidence intervals are among the topics related to statistical inference in the textbooks, these textbooks are not focused on decision-making at the population level, but rather on description.