A Systematic Review of Empirical Research on Graphing Numerical Data in K-12 STEM Education
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| Title: | A Systematic Review of Empirical Research on Graphing Numerical Data in K-12 STEM Education |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Verena Ruf (ORCID |
| Source: | International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education. 2026 24(3). |
| Availability: | Springer. Available from: Springer Nature. One New York Plaza, Suite 4600, New York, NY 10004. Tel: 800-777-4643; Tel: 212-460-1500; Fax: 212-460-1700; e-mail: customerservice@springernature.com; Web site: https://link.springer.com/ |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 39 |
| Publication Date: | 2026 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Information Analyses |
| Education Level: | Elementary Secondary Education |
| Descriptors: | Literature Reviews, Elementary Secondary Education, STEM Education, Graphs, Data Interpretation, Data Analysis, Educational Research, Units of Study, Barriers, Instructional Effectiveness |
| DOI: | 10.1007/s10763-026-10653-3 |
| ISSN: | 1571-0068 1573-1774 |
| Abstract: | Graphs are essential representations in the professions and education concerning the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines. Beyond their academic relevance, graphs find extensive utility in everyday scenarios, ranging from news media to educational materials. The ability to understand graphs is connected to the ability to create graphs. In school education, particularly in STEM subjects, not only the understanding but also the skill of constructing graphs from numerical data is emphasized. Although constructing graphs is a skill that most people do not require in their everyday lives and professions, it is a well-established student activity that has been empirically studied several times. To provide an overview of the empirical literature on this important topic, our systematic review identifies how the construction of convention-based graphical representations of numerical data, referred to as graphing, has been studied in previous research, how effective graphing is, and which types of difficulties are encountered by students. Based on these aspects, we defined inclusion criteria that led to 54 peer-reviewed empirical studies on graphing in K-12 STEM education found in SCOPUS, ERIC, and PsychInfo. Graphing instruction seemed to be beneficial for student learning, not only improving graph construction but also graph interpretation skills. However, the students experienced various difficulties during graphing, both during graph construction and the interpretation and usage of data. The review's results indicate that students could benefit from an in-depth analysis of authentic data during graphing. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2026 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1510521 |
| Database: | ERIC |
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