Abstract
In this paper we provide an overview of the international CensusAtSchool project, designed, written and implemented first in the UK from October 2000 - April 2001 for pupils aged 7 -16 in primary and secondary schools. It has been adapted for similar aged school children in South Africa and Australia and was implemented in those countries in July and October 2001, respectively. We present our motivation, aims and objectives for carrying out such a project and show some results of analysis from the returns we have received from all three countries. Key outputs from the project include: worksheets that are suitable for enhancing data handling skills of pupils; a training course that wraps information and communications technology with data handling skills that is suitable to enhance the professional development of teachers; a raised awareness amongst pupils and teachers of the need to properly collect, present and analyze primary data; a contribution to improving the statistical numeracy and thinking skills of both teachers and pupils.
Highlights
During 1999 a funding partnership was formed between the Royal Statistical Society (RSS) Centre for Statistical Education at Nottingham Trent University in the UK, the Department for Education and Employmentfunded UK Maths Year 2000 initiative and the UK Office for National Statistics (ONS)
For school children that take part and use the materials produced it is motivational, can be fun and is, at the same time, educational. It is helpful for the professional development of teachers, both to enhance their statistical knowledge and the associated Information and Communication Technology (ICT) skills that can be an integral part of taking part in the project
The teacher course wrapping together ICT and data handling uses data collected from the project and can be used for the professional development of teachers
Summary
UK National census and saw the CensusAtSchool project as a precursor to it, potentially raising its profile and encouraging a more positive image through association with a school-based event that is children-friendly and up to date. With the emphasis being on using a simple census with school children, the RSS Centre for Statistical Education devised 18 questions, divided into three sections, occupying three columns on a single A4 questionnaire sheet. Two versions of the questionnaire form were developed, one targeted for pupils aged 7 to 11, and the other for pupils aged 11 to 16. These forms can be viewed at, and are downloadable from, the UK section available from the portal web site http://www.censusatschool.ntu.ac.uk
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