Relational-Curiosity and Mathematics: A Dynamic Exploration of Dataviz

This paper examines preservice teachers' experiences when they engage with tasks using dynamic technological applets to analyse data pertaining to societal issues. We examine two vignettes that discuss preservice teachers' interaction with dynamic visual representations of data related to plastic pollution and food supply. We analyse this data with an eye toward the relationship between the affordances of the technology and the emergence of participants' curiosity. We adopt the Embodied Curiosity theoretical lens to show how the foundational construct, relational-curiosity, provides opportunities for curiosity to be visible and recognized as a tool for meaning-making. This research provides insights into how preservice teachers can mitigate the challenges and tensions they face when navigating connections between mathematics and social justice issues.