The role of context in the development of students’ informal inferential reasoning

The role of context is discussed in the setting of an extended curriculum development and research project in primary school designed to develop and study students' reasoning about statistical inference. Qualitative research methods are used to critically dissect the roles of context in the emergence of sixth grade students' informal inferential reasoning (IIR). Context is examined as part of a complex network of themes, such as inquiry, norms, knowledge of statistical concepts and tools, beliefs and expectations, and meaning making and explanations. The paper analyzes and discusses these themes and the role context plays in the emerging inferential reasoning of these students.