L’analyse de tâches probabilistes proposées dans des cahiers d’apprentissage destinés à l’enseignement-apprentissage des mathématiques au primaire au Québec : exemplification de tâches inscrites dans l’approche fréquentielle

Abstract

In this article, we present an analysis of certain didactic variables characteristic of the frequentist-based probability tasks found in workbooks used in Quebec for teaching and learning mathematics at the primary level. We conducted the analysis using a coding matrix that uses didactic questions related to probability. Our analysis reveals the small percentage (3.9%) that the 267 probability tasks represent among the total number of exercises in the three workbook collections we examined. The analysis also revealed that a strong majority (93.3%) of these probability tasks use a theoretical approach. Moreover, frequentist (15.7%) and subjective (6.7%) approaches were not strongly featured in the probability tasks, despite their usefulness in teaching and learning probability. Although it is possible for a task to involve more than one approach, we found few tasks (13.9%) that offered the possibility of combining approaches. Through the examination of five examples of frequentist tasks, we observe that their potential use in teaching and learning probability does not depend solely on the need to carry out trials. Benefits can be achieved if given a task with a large sample size and through the process of interpreting trial results. Since these didactic variables manifest themselves in various ways in frequentist tasks, we argue for the need to support the teacher’s didactic agency. This agency allows the teacher to choose and transform the resource’s proposed tasks into a game about didactic variables that replicates the didactic intentions guiding the student’s experience of learning probability