Abstract:
This paper presents some results from the incomplete doctorate of the late Roger Edwards that explored the notions raised in the literature concerning teachers’ lack of statistical background and knowledge. This study started with four assumptions. Firstly, primary school teachers have a rich source of ideas about statistics from their everyday and teaching experiences. Secondly, they have a greater understanding of statistics than they are often credited with. Thirdly their ideas influence their teaching. Fourthly their ideas about teaching statistics are closely influenced by their ideas about teaching mathematics. In this paper some results from this study which explored these notions are presented.