Data Representation and Interpretation by Primary School Students Working in Groups

Twenty-seven Grade 5/6 students working in triads considered a supplied data set. They were asked to hypothesise about associations in the data and to represent these. Each student was classified according to the level of interpreting the information, the level of representing the chosen data, and the type of collaboration observed in the group. Levels of interpretation and representation skills were related and there was some indication of a possible association with the type of collaboration. There was no association of type of collaboration and students' views on group work. Implications for future research and the classroom are considered.