From a source of real data to a brief news report: Introducing first‐year preservice teachers to the basic cycle of learning from data

• Published in: Teaching statistics Vol. 43; no. S1; pp. S110 - S123
• Main Authors: Ubilla, Francisca M., Gorgorió, Núria
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Wiley 01-07-2021; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Data Analysis; Elementary School Teachers; Graphs; Learning; Learning Activities; News; News Reporting; Postsecondary Education; Preservice Teachers; real data; Secondary Education; Statistical Data; statistical sense; Students; Tables (Data); Teacher Education Programs; Teachers; teaching; teaching statistics; the basic cycle of learning from data
• ISSN: 0141-982X; 1467-9639
• DOI: 10.1111/test.12246

Statistical data is used in the media and on online platforms, often with an interpretation that serves some commercial or political purpose. Primary preservice teachers must be able to understand statistical data and analyze it critically. Only in this way will they be able to contribute as future teachers to the development of a critical spirit in the community. We present the process of construction on a teacher‐training program of an activity for first‐year students (aged 19) based on data published by Eurostat. The activity, structured around the basic cycle of learning from data, provided real data on different topics in the form of tables, graphs and infographics, and its final goal required students to generate a brief news report based on what they had learned from the data. Finally, we note that this activity can be used at various levels, from secondary education to the introductory tertiary.