CURIOUS CALCULATIONS: UNDERSTANDING THE ROLE OF DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS IN SHAPING EARLY MATHEMATICAL MINDS

Abstract

This formative study initiates a series aimed at informing the design and evaluation of an innovative intervention fostering mathematics and computational thinking (CT) engagement among preschoolers. A design-based research approach was adopted to develop and assess hands-on curricular investigations along with a teacher-centric digital app, emphasizing collaborative control rather than autonomous play. The project seeks to determine the developmental appropriateness of data collection and analysis (DCA) aligned with preschool curricula, while also investigating the potential of hands-on activities and the accompanying app to stimulate data-driven exploration for enhanced mathematics and CT learning. The intervention's curriculum involves preschoolers in DCA processes through interactive investigations, facilitated by a teacher-oriented digital app supporting data collection, graph creation, and comparison. These activities leverage mathematical concepts such as counting, sorting, and classifying, grounding them in real-world problem-solving contexts to lay the groundwork for mathematical and computational thinking skills development. By employing the app, teachers assist students in inputting and interpreting data, while diverse representations like pictographs, object graphs, and body graphs enrich the learning experience. The study encompasses three iterative cycles of intervention development and testing. This paper details the first cycle, focusing on a formative interview and survey study conducted with preschool teachers. The study elicited feedback on the developmental appropriateness and alignment of DCA investigations and the teacher-oriented digital app with preschool curricula and routines. Moreover, the study explored design elements promoting usability and learning, alongside the potential benefits and challenges associated with employing DCA investigations and the app for educational support