Better statistical teaching....

Means focussing on teachers....

This Australian video on VIMEO makes some important points...
Great Teachers are Great Learners...

We are exploring some of the innovative ways that teachers develop as learners, particular with regards to statistical literacy - they will form part of the materials which we develop as part of our iUSE website.


Great Teachers Are Great Learners - AITSL from Innovation Unit on Vimeo.

If we take a look at the TPACK model in this context, what do we need to provide, to ensure that the training package that is created as part of the project finds its widest audience ??

Exciting times ahead...

Significance Magazine

One useful website I've come across while researching the available resources is SIGNIFICANCE magazine.

There are previous copies available to view, as well as a poster on the International Year of Statistics.

There is a useful section of WEB ONLY articles which accompanies the print edition of the magazine. For those who are starting out thinking about statistical literacy, this would make good reading.

If you have an iOS or Android device you can also download an app and request all the issues of the SIGNIFICANCE magazine that are published in 2013 to be sent to your app free of charge.

Statistics in the UK Curriculum

“My basic idea is that the world has changed so much, what people need isn’t more data but a new mindset …countries and corporations alike need to adopt that same data-driven understanding of the world if they are to make sense of the changes we are experiencing in this new century and the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead”

Professor Hans Rosling

One of the tasks of the I've started to explore this with the aid of a few sources, is to explore where statistics lies within the UK curriculum. We are looking to map the places where statistics and databases are covered other than the obvious place within the Mathematics and ICT areas.

In early January, there was a useful and timely article in the Times Educational Supplement (TES). I'd bought a copy as there was an article in it by a colleague of mine: Paula Owens, but found the statistics article was perhaps more useful.

Regardless of your subject interest, if you can help and identify a place where statistics is mentioned and forms part of your subject at KS3 or KS4 please get in touch, or add a comment below. That will help feed into the work that is already being done in this area.

New UK Curriculum

A new National Curriculum for England and Wales, for pupils aged 11-14 was announced today. It is a draft and open for consultation until mid April.
The Numeracy statement is interesting in the context of this project. I have highlighted the first section in red:

Teachers should develop pupils’ numeracy in all subjects so that they understand and 

appreciate the importance of mathematics. Pupils should be taught to apply arithmetic 

fluently to problems, understand and use measures, estimate when using calculators 

and other technologies to produce results, and then interpret them appropriately. 

Pupils should apply their geometric and algebraic understanding, and relate their 

understanding of probability to the notions of risk and uncertainty. They should also 

understand the cyclical process of collecting, presenting and analysing data. They 

should be taught to apply their mathematics to both routine and non-routine problems, 

including breaking down more complex problems into a series of simpler steps.

Thought for the Day

"While it is easy to lie with statistics, it is even easier to lie without"

Frederick Mosteller

New LOGO for the project

Thanks to Alex and Irena for their work on the logo for I-USE.


We will be using this to brand all the materials that will emerge during 2013...

Statistics Resources Online

While carrying out the research to uncover some of the available resources and ideas for statistics teaching in the UK, I came across some other materials

USA

A useful set of materials has been produced and shared at STEW: Statistics Education Web

This has a range of activities for different grades within the US system.

If anyone reading this is aware of any specific support for statistics education within the UK in particular, please get in touch. I am already pursuing several avenues, but you may be able to save me some time, and for that I would be grateful.