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World Numeracy Programme

The notes below refer to the World Numeracy Programme insofar as the RSS Centre was associated with it in the late 1990's. During 2001/2 the programme has been re-launched under the leadership of Carol Blumberg and as part of the work of the International Association for Statistical Education.  More up to date information will be found on the relevant IASE pages.

How should the Network Proceed?

Thoughts on how, and what, the Network can achieve.

Iddo Gal As for the network's operation, here are some thoughts: I do believe the list of goals outlined within the WNP proposal is too long and needs to be prioritised. Perhaps network members could be contacted early on and asked to vote on 2-3 goals to be further developed in the first phase of WNP, with remaining goals postponed for later. Network members could then be asked to join one of several task groups, each working on a single goal, and brainstorm by email/fax. Tentative plans or ideas generated throughout the year could be discussed at ICOTS-5 by whomever wants to contribute. In this way more inputs could be obtained, and more coherent plans may emerge.

Marcel Van den Broecke I could imagine - being a novice to the world of statistics - that organisations like EUROSTAT and UNESCO, which have resources and an interest in spreading understanding and appreciation of statistics, might be partners in developing ideas. Then there is the basic choice of whether to promote numeracy via the educational system or via other media for public understanding such as TV programmes or museums. Any action will in principle be nationally oriented with the possible exception of European Science Week, which is held yearly in all 12 member states of the EC, and is financed by DGXII.

Giuseppe Cicchitelli This is a difficult question. The network should be, first of all, a means to inform each other on the activity and initiatives taking place in one's reality. In this regard, I seize the opportunity to inform that the Italian Statistical Society and the National Statistical Office (ISTAT) have jointly organised a conference on the spread of statistical literacy (26-27 November 1997), where the emphasis will be on the role of school, of media and of ISTAT as producer of statistical information. I would like to mention also another initiative taken by ISTAT: the publication of two brief (4-5 pages) notes named Istat News (bimonthly) and Quick Notes (not regular, almost monthly) which present friendly (with comments) statistical data in the social and economics context, making large use of graphs and tables. These notes are received also by schools and could be (I hope they are) used as teaching materials.

John Truran Harder. May I suggest as a basis for debate that an aim of ‘the dissemination of examples of good practice’ might be an achievable aim and not stretch budgets too far. Clearly such dissemination might be by text, video, computer programme, electronic link-up, collection of data sets, etc., while being equally conscious of the limited resources of some countries.

I observe that we are closer than ever to the removal of statistics from primary curricula in Australia, just years after it first came in. In one state, for example, a professor of mathematics has almost persuaded the minister that the learning of probability will damage children’s learning of number facts. Twelve months later no decision has been reached, but I think the professor will win. I emphasise that the issue of statistical literacy is not a developing country issue only.

Dr I Chacko The need for basic numeracy is very urgent in places like Papua New Guinea which are at the developing stage in terms of education. Schools have some Statistics in the curriculum but those who teach these do not have any idea about Statistics hence the whole business of teaching and learning is a mess. So here, both numeracy and statistical literacy need to be handled simultaneously. Although there may not be any financial backing now, depending on the impact the group might have in various regions, we could approach and get funding from several sources.

Chris Heyde In the first instance I see our most important task as that of selling the idea of the WNP to major players such as UNESCO, perhaps in the context of a project to herald in the new millennium. Various societies could probably be persuaded to join into a consortium of activities to make up a WNP.

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