Instructional programs from prekindergarten through grade 12 should enable
all students to--
- formulate questions that can be addressed with data and collect, organize,
and display relevant data to answer them;
- select and use appropriate statistical methods to analyze data;
- develop and evaluate inferences and predictions that are based on data;
- understand and apply basic concepts of
probability.
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To reason statistically--which is essential to be
an informed citizen, employee, and consumer--students need to learn about data
analysis and related aspects of probability.
The amount of statistical information available
to help make decisions in business, politics, research, and everyday life is
staggering. Consumer surveys guide the development and marketing of products.
Experiments evaluate the safety and efficacy of new medical treatments.
Statistics sway public opinion on issues and represent--or misrepresent--the
quality and effectiveness of commercial products. Through experiences with the
collection and analysis of data, students learn how to interpret such
information.
Young children will not develop statistical
reasoning if it is not included in the curriculum. Work in data analysis and
probability offers a natural way for students to connect mathematics with other
school subjects and with everyday experiences. Students in grades 9–12, for
example, should understand the various purposes of surveys, observational
studies, and experiments.