Teaching statistics in primary school, Silvia da Valle

Teaching Statistics in Primary school

A focus on the project developed by the territorial network of Italian National Institute of Statistics (Istat)

Authors: S. Da Valle*, P. F. Cortese, S. Osti, A. Valentini

* Speaker

2° ConferenceBrussels, 24-26 October 2014

In a knowledge-based society, being able to read, interpret, evaluate data and use data for decisions is as necessary as the ability to read and write. Statistical literacy allows us to discriminate meaningful messages from misleading ones; that is…

to extract knowledge from quantitative information

12

2

1,4

8

⅓

8

1,1

- 0,3

725

333

0,2

7

5

900

0,3

8

11

20

1

-0,21

3%

44

6,2

2

0,5

785

The data deluge - The Economist february25th 2010

1 23

Data can influence and transform individual and social decision-making

Preface: the data deluge

Teaching Statistics in Primary school, Silvia Da Valle – Brussels, 24-26 October 2014

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Cultural context: key competences for lifelong learning

Mathematical competence and basic competences in science and technology

EU Member States have to make it their goal to develop educational systems aimed at promoting the acquisition of the key competencies needed by all citizens to exercise their right to a participated citizenship.

Knowledge, skills and attitudes to face the challenges of the new cultural context

Statistics plays a central role

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Sequence of targets for the development of statistical literacy among children in primary school curricula (6-11 years old):

Statistics in Italian school curricula: primary school

She/he is able to use data representations to extract information for decision making

She/He is able to read and represent data using graphs and tables

She/He is able to summarize data (frequency, mode and arithmetic mean)

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Italian national Institute of statistics: role

DATA QUANTITATIVE INFORMATION

Knowledge

Serves the community by producing and communicating high-quality statistical information

Promotes statistical literacyto support decision making at all levels

Istat is a public research body which:

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Active citizenship in the knowledge

society

Particular attention on younger generations

Istat for young generations and school system

Strategic role ofthe school system

5


How to realize the project: the territorial network of experts (NPSL)

6

NPSL is a team of about 80 people who work in Istat’s Regional Offices with the aim of:

the school system promoting statistical literacy within

the whole society assessing implementation of proposals

Teaching Statistics in Primary school, Silvia Da Valle – Brussels, October, 24-26 2014

It is within this group that new

working ideas for younger

generations through the school

system were initiated

The driving idea: learning tools

Address children through their teachers,

by providing them learning tools ready to be used in the classes.

Tools must be a concrete support for the teachers, ready to be used,

flexible, and particularly attractive for young children.

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Careful analysis of school curricula in force in primary schools precise references to core topics to propose.

Six curricular topics covered: one-way and two-way frequency tables, pictograms, bar charts, arithmetic mean, mode + additional exercises

Extra materials to introduce children to the activity of statisticians and to the role of Istat are also available

Methods - Step one: choice of topics

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Design of learning tools in accordance with three basic requirements: the need to pay particular attention to the presentation, considering the

age of the target group

the possibility of doing exercises on the topics, to reinforce concepts through application

the possibility of using them in different learning contexts

Methods - Step two: intrinsic requirements


Tools are devised as thematic folders, one for each topic, and each folder is structured in the same format

Methods – Step three: formats

9 A concise guide for the correct use of the tools is also available.


Description of the structure of each dossier target tool

Interactive presentationto introduce the topic in a friendly way to pupils.

10/15 minutes long

Thematic exerciseswith control cells for the children's responses

flexible in use: on PC, with IWB or on paper

Technical notefor additional information to teachers

methodological references, ideas for further activities

Students/ Teachers

Power Point file

Students/ Teachers

Excel file

Teachers pdf file

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Results

Tools are created to be used with students in various learning contexts

in a traditional classroom, with paper and pen; for individual or group activities, in a computer lab for lessons with interactive whiteboards (IWB).

In addition, tools can be used with pupils for different kinds of activities:

to reinforce, to consolidate, children's competences to strengthen

This ensures the highest level of freedom for the teacher and takes into account the recent innovations in teaching due to the introduction of ICT.


Easily managed (by teachers or pupils)

animations to capture attention

flow of the animations supported by specific icons

introduces the topic through a situation familiar to children

introduces technical aspects gradually, with methodological rigour

friendly language, suited to the audience

ends with some indications for further activities

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Extract from a presentation


WHO WON THE GAME?TO FIND OUT IT QUIKLY,

WE CAN LINE UP ALL THE TOWERS

YELLOW WINS!

THE TEACHER HAS ASKED THE CHILDREN IN HER CLASS

WHICH IS THEIR FAVOURETE FRUIT.

SHE HAS COLLECTED THE DATA IN A TABLE

FRUITNUMBER OF

CHILDREN

APPLE 12

PEAR 3

STRAWBERRY 12

WATERMELON 6

BANANA 16

GRAPES 2

MELON 11

PINEAPPLE 1

KIWI 2

WHAT IS THE MODE?CHECK YOUR ANSWER WRITING CORRECTLY IN THE BLUE BOX.

BANANA OK!

Example of an exercise

use of evocative pictures to support the comprehension of the text

input cells for the children's responses and output cells for automatic control of the answers

printable version of the exercise in order to give the opportunity to work on paper


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Where to find the learning tools: www.istat.it

http://www.istat.it/it/istituto-nazionale-di-statistica/attivit%C3%A0/scuola-superiore-di-statistica/under-21/pacchetti-didattici


http://tinyurl.com/istat-school

Outlook for the future

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- Supporting teaching of statistics in all school levels, with learning tools;

- providing specialized training for teachers together with all Institutions involved in advanced training for teachers (i.e. universities or other research Institutions);

- Activating networks of teachers, to gather useful information to realize further activities.

The active contribution of Official Statistic will be crucial to promote statistical literacy in the school system

How could Istat contribute?


Istat, on the basis of its mandate with the aim of being an active

part in the service of citizens and of democratic decision

processes, is ready to sustain an high quality education system.

Thank youfor listening!

Paola Francesca Cortese [email protected]

Silvia Da Valle [email protected]

Susi Osti [email protected]

Alessandro Valentini [email protected]

2 ConferenceBrussels, 24-26 October 2014


References1. Cortese P. F., Valentini A., 2013, Cultura statistica sul territorio: nuove modalità e nuovi attori (Statistical literacy at

the local level: new modalities and new actors), News stat 9, dicembre 2013, p. 132. EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT (2006). Recommendation of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18

December 2006 on key competences for lifelong learning (2006/962/EC) 3. GAL I. (2002), Adults’ statistical literacy: Meanings, components, responsibilities, International Statistical Review,

70, 1-514. ISTAT. 2006, Il valore dei dati, Istituto Nazionale di Statistica, Roma, http://www3.istat.it/servizi/studenti/valoredati/5. IMR, Italian Ministerial Regulation for school curricula in primary school (2009). Regolamento recante indicazioni

nazionali per il curricolo della scuola dell'infanzia e del primo ciclo d'istruzione, a norma dell'articolo 1, comma 4, del decreto del Presidente della Repubblica 20 marzo 2009, n. 89.: D. M. 16 novembre 2012, n. 254.

6. Maggino F., Trapani M., 2009c, Presentare e comunicare le statistiche: principi, componenti e valutazione della loro qualità - parte 3. Rappresentazione delle statistiche: i tool. (Presenting and communicating statistics: principles, components, and evaluation of their quality - part 3. Representation of statistics: tools) Sis-Magazine - Online Magazine della Società Italiana di Statistica

7. Ottaviani M.G. 2008, Statistica e Matematica a scuola: due discipline e un solo insegnamento. Confronto culturale e opportunità interdisciplinare. (Statistics and Mathematics at school: two disciplines and one teaching. Cultural comparisons and interdisciplinary opportunities) Induzioni, 36, 1, 2008, (p. 17-38) – Pisa

8. Peci M., 2013, La Scuola superiore di statistica dell’Istat al servizio delle scuole. (The Advanced School of Statistic of Istat for the school system) Induzioni, 45, 2012, pp. 117-120

9. SHIELD M (2011), Statistical Literacy: A new mission for data producers, Statistical Journal of the IAOS 27 (2011) 173-183 IOS Press

10. THE ECONOMIST (2010). The data deluge. http://www.economist.com/node/1557971711. UNECE. 2012, Making data meaningful. Part 4 : A guide to improving statistical literacy, United Nation Economic

Commission for Europe, Geneva.12. WADE B., GOODFELLOW M. (2009), Confronting statistical literacy in the undergraduated social science

curriculum, Sociological Viewpoints, October 1, 200913. WALLMAN K.K (1993), Enhancing Statistical Literacy: Enriching Our Society, Journal of the American Statistical

Association, Vol 88, No 421.


http://www.economist.com/node/15579717

Education

Teaching statistics in primary school, Silvia da Valle