Critical Mathematics Education as an approach for teaching descriptive statistics

Abstract

This article presents an excerpt from a research study linked to a Professional Master's project, which aims to investigate the contributions of Critical Mathematics Education (CME) to the teaching of Descriptive Statistics in the 1st year of High School at a public school in Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The proposal is grounded in the integration of CME principles—which emphasize dialogue, active participation, and critical reflection—and the use of Learning Scripts (LS) mediated by Digital Technologies (DT), with the goal of fostering contextualized, meaningful, and socially relevant learning. The study adopts a qualitative-quantitative (mixed-methods) approach, with an exploratory, applied, and participant design, and is based on the constructivist strand of Grounded Theory (GT). Data collection instruments included diagnostic questionnaires, classroom observation records, and student self-assessments throughout the formative process. The results show that the use of LS contributed to the development of democratic competence, the enhancement of student autonomy, and a deeper understanding of statistical concepts. Furthermore, the study highlights that the integrated use of Digital Technologies enhanced digital literacy and fostered a collaborative, reflective learning environment connected to students’ realities. It is concluded that this approach represents a promising strategy for teaching Statistics, by connecting mathematical knowledge to real-world social contexts and supporting the formation of critical and engaged learners.