Research on the Cognitive Degree of Pre-service Junior High School Mathematics Teachers for Data Concept Literacy in China

Abstract

Educational issues about data concept literacy have recently received widespread attention from all sectors of society in China. There are a lot of studies on the meaning and current situation of data concept literacy and training strategies, but there is little research on the cognition of pre-service teachers on data concept literacy. In this study, 22 master's degree holders in education from two grades at a university were investigated for their data concept literacy cognition using the semi-structured interview method. After encoding the interview results, we used Excel to make statistical data and quantitative data analysis. It is found that in China pre-service junior high school mathematics teachers: 1. were not accurate and reasonable enough in their cognition of the content related to data concept literacy; 2. did not have a wide range of cognition of data concept literacy, and the pre-service teachers' cognition of data concept literacy was mainly focused on the content that was more general and closely related to their own lives; 3. the overall cognition of data concept literacy was shallow and mainly focused on a lower level; 4. The overall cognitive clarity of data concept literacy is low, and fewer points can be recognized clearly. It is thus suggested that: 1. special training and education about core literacy should be strengthened in the training of pre-service teachers so that data concept literacy can be emphasized; 2. pre-service junior high school mathematics teachers should take the initiative to learn the core literacy and improve their knowledge of data concept literacy.