Stats and I-USE - preparing for GA conference session

One of the workshops that I am taking part in at the GA Conference is related to to the I-USE project, which is one of the EU projects I'm currently taking part in. This is aimed at developing teachers' ability in statistical literacy.

Statistics were also in many people's minds earlier this week when the new GCSE Subject Content guidance for Geography was released.

Appendix: Use of mathematics and statistics in geography 

The list below outlines the range and extent of mathematical and statistical techniques considered appropriate to geography GCSE. The following should all be covered in any specification. Examples in bold are to aid understanding and suggest range, and these are not compulsory. 
Cartographic skills 
 use and understand gradient, contour and spot height on OS maps and other isoline maps (e.g. weather charts, ocean bathymetric charts) 
 interpret cross sections and transects
 use and understand coordinates, scale and distance
 describe and interpret geo-spatial data presented in a GIS framework (e.g. analysis of flood hazard using the interactive maps on the Environment Agency website)

Graphical skills 
 select and construct appropriate graphs and charts to present data, using appropriate scales and including bar charts, pie charts, pictograms, line charts, histograms with equal class intervals
 interpret and extract information from different types of graphs and charts including any of the above and others relevant to the topic (e.g. triangular graphs, radial graphs, wind rose diagrams, proportional symbols) 
 interpret population pyramids, choropleth maps and flow-line maps

Numerical skills 
 demonstrate an understanding of number, area and scale and the quantitative relationships between units
 design fieldwork data collection sheets and collect data with an understanding of accuracy, sample size and procedures, control groups and reliability
 understand and correctly use proportion and ratio, magnitude and frequency (e.g. 1:200 flood; and logarithmic scales such as the Richter scale, in orders of magnitude) 
 draw informed conclusions from numerical data

Statistical skills 
 use appropriate measures of central tendency, spread and cumulative frequency (median, mean, range, quartiles and inter-quartile range, mode and modal class)
 calculate percentage increase or decrease and understand the use of percentiles
 describe relationships in bivariate data: sketch trend lines through scatter plots; draw estimated lines of best fit; make predictions; interpolate and extrapolate trends
 be able to identify weaknesses in selective statistical presentation of data

We'll explore these at the meeting and make sure that we cover them.
Finally, here is David Rogers' view on the changes, which makes interesting reading as does the GA's thoughts on the document.

UPDATE
Also some really interesting thoughts from Carl Phillips here.

Come along to the I-USE workshop at the GA Conference 2014, on Wednesday next week at 9am - we'll be talking about support for statistics.

Follow us on Twitter @StatsinEdu for more details

I-USE website now developing

Regular readers will know that I am involved in the I-USE project.

This has a remit to develop statistical literacy across a range of subjects, and in a range of EU countries to start with, but eventually across the whole community.

Please follow the Twitter feed @StatsinEdu and also join our FACEBOOK group.

More to come on this project shortly...

Come and see our WORKSHOP at the GA Conference in April

Packing for Bruges and i-USE

I-USE partners are preparing to travel to Bruges later this week for the EuroGeo conference.
Some are already there taking part in other courses which are dove-tailed to the event, including an iGUESS GIS course, which has some innovative new ideas for using ArcGIS Online.

I-USE will also feature in one of the sessions at the conference, and after the main event, project partners will be having a meeting to discuss progress so far, view the draft website and discuss the next steps.

I'll be heading to Bruges, representing the Geographical Association, who are one of the partners, on Thursday via Eurostar, and will be tweeting and sending other updates from the event.
The hashtag for the conference is #eurogeo13

Further information on the things that we have developed will appear here, on this blog, during and after EuroGeo, as with the first meeting in Ghent.

Sign up to follow the Twitter account for I-USE  @StatsinEdu to find all the latest on the project as we move into the second phase.

We are scheduled for a presentation as part of the conference, on the Saturday morning.
If you're a delegate, come and find us and say hello and find out more.

Details below:

I-USE

One of the projects I am going to be involved in over the next few years is the I-USE project. I have blogged about it previously.
This involves a range of partners from several EU countries on the theme of statistical literacy.

The BLOG is up and running already...

The official website is currently being built, and will be going live shortly.
It will then be developed through the next few years, and lead to a major new resource

I am heading off to Bruges in 3 weeks for the EuroGeo conference, where I will be involved in a GeoCompetencies workshop along with colleagues from several EU countries, Michael Solem from the AAG and my old boss Professor David Lambert from the IoE.
This will be followed by several meetings related to this project....

All of which will appear here and on the official blog.