Initiating Interest in Statistical Problems: The Role of Picture Story Books

Abstract

This chapter presents results of a study that explored children’s interest in picture story books that were used to contextualise and initiate statistical problems and statistical problem solving. The chapter presents the results of a small study conducted with 5-year-old children in a public school in Australia and identifies the characteristics of the books the children were interested in. It discusses the role of picture story books in initiating interest in the data context and task context of a statistical problem, and the unique challenges in identifying books for contextualising statistical problems.