he importance of statistics and its education in today’s world, full of information and data, is not hidden from anyone. Statistical thinking is the main core of correctly understanding statistical concepts, data analysis, and interpretation of phenomena.
With the aim of achieving a comprehensive definition of statistical thinking and determining its elements, the present research
has studied research conducted over the last thirty years. This descriptive research has been carried out using a qualitative
meta-composite method to provide insight into the totality of existing studies. Based on the entry criteria, 123 research studies
were identified between 1990 and 2022, and finally, after screening, 22 studies were selected for detailed review and analysis.
According to the present meta-composite findings, the elements of statistical thinking are: 1) Being data-oriented: paying
attention to data, identifying the need for data, collecting and considering data, different representations of data, and methods
of converting them to each other. 2) Variability: Considering permanent changes in all phenomena. 3) Statistical inference:
paying attention to the types of sampling, reasoning, and inference using statistical models, including the use of statistical
charts and generalizing the results from the sample to the population. 4) Analysis of the statistical context: combining the
statistical problem and context