Use of frequency tables by prospective teachers to conduct project work

Abstract

This study analyzes the creation, as well as the reading and interpretation of frequency tables used by student teachers to conduct research project work. Participants in this study included 56 2nd-year students from the Basic Education Program of a university in northern Portugal who were part of small groups to conduct project work. Data used in the study regarding frequency tables and how to read and interpret them was obtained from the project work reports prepared by the students. Results highlight the determination of incorrect frequency types, namely determining accumulated frequencies of values of nominal qualitative variables, and how, when reading and interpreting the information in the tables regarding Curcio's three levels, students almost always offered answers for the first two levels, reading the data and reading within the data, and rarely for the third level, reading beyond the data.