CensusAtSchool: Real projects that use real, raw data.

(www.abs.gov.au click on the CensusAtSchool icon)

Are you looking for a way to engage students in statistics in the upper primary years through to senior secondary? Lots of real, raw data about themselves is one way to do it!

What is CensusAtSchool?

CensusAtSchool (Australian Bureau of Statistics) provides the opportunity for students to:

• Respond to a FREE online questionnaire that focuses on themselves
• Access an online database to obtain data samples Australia wide
• Use a spreadsheet to analyse data
• Be engaged by investigating questions they originate
• Learn statistical techniques
• Work on real cross curricular projects about themselves, using ICT

Your students will also be able to make international comparisons (censusatschool.ntu.ac.uk).

Why should I be interested?

VELS and modern practice is asking you to work on real projects, that use technology and are meaningful to student. CensusAtSchool provides the data to enable students to raise their own questions for investigation.

The activities on the web site incorporate planning and communication as well as analysis and can be easily modified to meet your needs.

Students who complete a questionnaire are part of the data. The data is them and should lead to higher levels of engagement.

The data is about students so they should have an increased understanding.

You can use CensusAtSchool as a supported vehicle to build your skills at using spreadsheets in the classroom. Professional development sessions will be offered next year.

What year levels does it cover?

Students from Year 5 through to Year 12 will be interested in completing the questionnaire. The more students that complete a questionnaire the richer the database and the more useful it will be for students .

Year 11 & 12 students will find the access to large and meaningful multivariate data sets a great resource for their statistics studies.

Years 5 through to 10 will use the activities that are on the web site or generate their own questions to investigate.

How to get involved:

To join CensusAtSchool you will need to complete the Registration Form.
A form was included in the Introduction Pack that was sent to all school principals in early October.

You can also obtain a Registration Form online at www.abs.gov.au
Click on the CensusAtSchool icon and select the School Registration link in the middle of the Homepage.

CensusAtSchool Key Dates

For more information you can:

• View the web site at www.abs.gov.au
• Email censusatschool@abs.gov.au or
• Ring 1800 623 273.