An international project for the development of data handling skills of teachers and pupils

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.