One small step for a pupil - one giant leap for citizens

Abstract

OECD has launched its Global Project that aims to develop new measures of the nature and progress of societies and to increase the capability of citizens to understand and use this information. We contend that this needs to be accompanied by a developing programme at school level to equip the next generation to understand relationships in complex data. This paper looks at the current uses of data within the UK curriculum and identifies some barriers to change. We show examples of tasks which offer opportunities for students to work with real, relevant, complex data in ways which develop sought after generic employment skills,such as collaborative working, communication and integration of ICT skills. We believe that this research has important implications for the statistical literacy of both the next generation of citizens and the current adult population.