Leading proponents of change to school mathematics, NCTM and MSEB among them, emphasize that data analysis can and must be a key component of a revitalized curriculum if mathematics is to relate to the practical world of the student and if it is to provide the necessary skills for living in the information age. In that spirit, this project addresses two complementary needs: how to use data analysis to motive the essential topics of a restructured mathematics curriculum and how to identify and teach those data analysis skills that are required for effective participation in society. Following a detailed scope and sequence for a data analysis strand, modules will be written that integrate data analysis into the teaching of many traditional topics in mathematics so that the topics will be motivated from real applications of interest to students and the statistical concepts will form a unified presentation of the subject. Instructional practices suggested in the modules will emphasize problem solving, cooperative learning, student projects, uses of technology, oral and written communication of mathematical ideas, and the interrelatedness of mathematical topics.
