Abstract:

Visual reasoning is an essential skill and plays a key role in learning in mathematics (Natsheh & Karshenty, 2014). Visual reasoning helps students understand problems in new and different ways, develop different solving strategies, as well as notice the mathematical relationships that are sometimes hidden behind numbers (Uvan Dur, 2014). Data visualizations (dataviz for short) are increasingly prevalent, conveying information about health, society, finance, and so on. There is a need to foster critical engagement with such representations since “data visualizations cannot be taken at face value or assumed to be neutral carriers of information” (Rubel, et al., 2021, p.252). Further, there is a need to support teachers’ understanding of how to integrate dataviz about societal issues into their mathematics lessons. Such interdisciplinary teaching is recognized as empowering for students, yet is fraught with tensions for teachers who must navigate competing intentions for teaching about society and about mathematics. Teachers struggle to balance time and attention spent on mathematics and on societal issues, leading to reluctance to incorporate such approaches (Bartell, 2013).

In this research, we worked with preservice mathematics teachers (PSTs, n=16) as they created an interactive dataviz about a societal issue and led a mathematical discussion about their dataviz. This study draws on Kieran’s (2019) framework for intentionality in task design to analyze the design decisions made by PSTs as they attempted to realize their vision for their dataviz and for learners’ discussion-based mathematical activity. Our presentation focusses on the research questions: How can we understand intentionality in the context of designing tasks that leverage dataviz for teaching mathematics for social justice? What tensions might emerge for teachers navigating intentions for interdisciplinary teaching during the design of a dataviz task?

Our analyses suggest that tensions emerged with respect to PSTs intentions for:
(i) how to capture and convey a societal issue with data,
(ii) how to leverage technology to create dataviz, and
(iii) how to balance attention and time between the societal issue and the mathematics.

This study forges new ground by considering intentionality in the task design work of PSTs learning to teach mathematics with interdisciplinary connections to important societal issues, data and trends about the issues, and visual reasoning. Our findings contribute new understandings for preservice teacher education and identify implications for future research.

References:
[1] Bartell, T. G. (2013). Learning to teach mathematics for social justice: Negotiating social justice and mathematical goals. J Res Math Educ, 44(1), 129-163.
[2] Kieran, C. (2019). Task Design Frameworks in Mathematics Education Research. ICME-13 Monographs.
Natsheh, I., &Karsenty, R. (2014). Exploring the potential role of visual reasoning tasks among inexperienced solvers. ZDM—Mathematics Education, 46(1), 109–122.
[3] Rubel, L.H., Nicol, C., & Chronaki, A. (2021). A critical mathematics perspective on reading data visualizations: reimagining through reformatting, reframing, and renarrating. Educ Stud Math, 108, 249-268.
[4] Uyan Dur, B. (2014). Data visualization and infographics in visual communication design education at the age of information. Journal of Arts and Humanities, 3(5), 39-50.

Keywords:

Dataviz, infographic, intentionality, interdisciplinary, mathematics education, teacher education, society, task design.