In this special issue contributors observed a class of seventh graders making their first steps in analyzing statistical data. From a number of different perspectives, they applied a different conceptual lens to answer a set of well-defined questions about the process of learning. The approaches offered in the six contributions differ in their foci, questions asked, organizing principles, and methods of analysis. As such, this issue presents and contrasts the differing perspectives and methodologies of each contributing author, while showing that they are complementary rather than mutually exclusive.

Appended to this issue is a CD-ROM disk on which the reader will find hypertext versions of all the articles together with video clips presenting the classroom episodes. The episodes are subtitled and the hypertext enables smooth transitions from the transcript lines quoted in the articles to the corresponding segments of video clips.