The increasing prevalence of data in our digital world necessitates robust data analytic skills. However, many secondary students harbor negative attitudes towards statistics, hindering their ability to acquire these crucial skills. Previous research highlights the strong correlation between positive attitudes and improved academic performance in mathematics and statistics. Students often lack an understanding of statistics' real-world applications, leading to anxiety and a perception of difficulty. This study addresses this challenge by designing and evaluating an innovative instructional approach that combines project-based learning (PBL), data analytics, collaborative work, and technology to foster positive attitudes towards statistics. The overarching research question is: What are the effects of a collaborative, technology-enhanced, and data-driven project-based intervention on students' attitudes towards statistics?

Attitudes are defined as psychological tendencies expressing favor or disfavor towards a particular entity. In education, attitudes towards statistics are shaped by students' experiences and influence their behavior. Math anxiety, a significant factor, stems from the perceived difficulty and lack of real-world application of statistics. Educational research suggests that positive attitudes can be cultivated through student-centered learning, PBL focusing on real-world problems, data analytics skills development, collaborative learning, and the use of interactive technologies. PBL's benefits include student-centered learning, problem-solving structured in research phases, contextualized learning, and collaborative work. Data analytics encourages creative exploration of data to draw conclusions and make informed decisions. Interactive technologies offer dynamic and intuitive ways to engage with data, fostering improved statistical literacy and positive attitudes. Collaborative work, particularly when supported by technology, enhances learning and improves attitudes through exploratory talk and knowledge co-construction.

This quasi-experimental study employed a pre- and post-test design with 174 eighth-grade students (13-14 years old) from two Spanish schools. Participants were divided into an experimental group (EG, n=110) and a control group (CG, n=64), with similar gender distribution and socioeconomic backgrounds. The EG participated in the SPIDAS intervention, a 30-hour, two-month program integrating PBL, data analytics, collaboration, and technology (CODAP software and Google Drive applications). The SPIDAS project involved a real-life statistical project on how weather influences daily activities, using the PPDAC cycle to structure the research process. Collaborative learning was explicitly promoted using strategies from the "Thinking Together" program. The CG followed traditional teacher-centered instruction covering the same statistical concepts, utilizing Excel for data analysis. Students' attitudes were measured using a validated questionnaire with three factors: anxiety, learning statistics with technology, and affect. Non-parametric tests (Wilcoxon and Mann-Whitney U) were used to analyze the data due to non-normal distribution.

Wilcoxon tests revealed significant intragroup differences in the EG's global attitude, anxiety, and technology factors after the SPIDAS intervention. The CG showed no significant changes. Mann-Whitney U tests showed significant intergroup differences in post-test scores for global attitude, anxiety, affect, and technology use. The EG displayed significantly higher scores than the CG in all four areas. Specifically: * **Global Attitude:** The EG demonstrated a significant improvement in their overall attitude towards statistics, while the CG showed minimal change. * **Anxiety:** The EG experienced a significant decrease in anxiety levels, unlike the CG. * **Affect:** The EG showed a significant increase in positive affect towards statistics, while the CG's affect decreased. * **Technology:** The EG displayed significantly more positive attitudes towards using technology for learning statistics compared to the CG.

The findings strongly support the effectiveness of the SPIDAS intervention in positively impacting students' attitudes towards statistics. The integration of PBL, data analytics, collaboration, and technology created a meaningful learning environment that engaged students and reduced their anxiety. This contrasts sharply with the control group's experience with traditional instruction, which failed to improve attitudes. The active role students played in the SPIDAS project, investigating a relevant real-world problem using technology and collaborating with peers, fostered a sense of ownership and accomplishment. This aligns with previous research highlighting the benefits of student-centered learning and contextualized learning in statistics education. While the EG showed overall improvement, some students still expressed anxiety; however, this might reflect a healthy level of engagement rather than purely negative affect.

This study demonstrates that technology-enhanced, collaborative, and data-driven project-based learning can significantly improve secondary students' attitudes toward statistics, reducing anxiety and increasing positive affect. The SPIDAS intervention effectively combined several pedagogical elements identified in the literature as beneficial for statistics education. Future research could explore the impact of longer interventions, investigate the role of different levels of anxiety in learning, consider socioeconomic factors as an independent variable, and further validate the questionnaire used in this study across diverse educational settings.

This study's limitations include the relatively short duration of the intervention and the students' lack of prior experience with statistics or the specific learning approach used. The relatively small sample size may also limit the generalizability of the findings. Future research with a larger and more diverse sample, and a longer intervention period, is recommended to further enhance the generalizability of this study’s findings and to further explore the nuanced effects of this innovative pedagogical approach.