www.i-use.

eu
Whats available on the website ?
Readymade tables (EU and World
statistics)
Databases (Eurostat, World Bank,
Google data, Gapminder)
Tools (Collecting your own data,
using statistical tools with video guides)
Use (How to use statistics in different subjects, Quantitative
and qualitative data, Examples of misuse)
Resources (Best practice and Course materials)
Quizzes
I-Use Statistics
in Education
for a proactive and
interactive worldview
Funded by Lifelong Learning
of the European Union
Statistics in the curriculum of
secondary schools in Europe
There is an increasing importance for the
development of statistical literacy for everyday life.
To be an intelligent active and participative citizen,
it is necessary to develop ones statistical literacy.
Virtually all everyday activities rely on statistics in
one way or another. It plays a prominent role in
business and industry, aspects of government and
in scientific and economic progress.
While the world is changing rapidly and the open
availability of data is increasing, the curriculum in
schools, and the approaches teachers adopt need to
respond to such changes. Therefore creating
meaningful, innovative teacher training is crucial in
developing statistical thought processes. Students
are now living in a society that demands evidence-
based arguments and decisions. The use of
statistics helps provide more critical analyses of
information. Statistics also support the
development of social reforms that would help
benefit the standard of living of many people. It also
helps decision-makers know which problems or
matters should be prioritised.
Approaches for innovative teaching
of statistics in secondary schools
Student-centred (meaningful and relevant to
everyday life)
Interdisciplinary
Real-world examples with real data/metadata
Use of media and news
Problem-based learning
Statistics as evidence for decisions and policy-
making
Collaborative learning in groups
Active learning by collecting own data and/or find
solutions
Discussion of misconceptions and manipulation
of statistics
Present and explain statistics graphically
Examples of interdisciplinary units
Migration and refugees (Geography, Social
science, Literature)
PISA and the measurement of educational
performance (Maths, and Social science)
Air and water quality at local and regional levels
using crowd-sourcing website Eye on Earth
(Natural science and Geography)
(Over)-population? (Geography, Literature,
History)
Photographs taken at the International School of Stockholm
by Yanna van der Vlugt, University of Stockholm
The key competences gained from
the use of statistics in education
Statistical literacy
Intelligent, active and participative citizens
Effective use of numbers
Critical analysis of information
Reasoning and thinking with data
Understanding of time and space
Interdisciplinary and interactive worldviews
Decision-making and advocacy
Model of
statistical
research
The web and teacher training course
The I-Use project will result in materials and courses for
both in-service and pre-service teacher education, which
can be adapted to suit different needs and demands. The
project uses the potential of visualisation through
information technology to enhance statistics education
both in and beyond the classroom. It offers a face-to-face
(Erasmus+ funded) course and an online mode of delivery
through Moodle. These products enable teacher trainers to
integrate the results of the European open data movement
into school education and encourages exploration of
information and the critical consideration of its meaning,
to promote active citizenship and participation in debates.
The project is funded by the EU and runs for three years:
from November 2012 to the end of 2015.
Contact information
Luc Zwartjes, Geography Department Ghent University,
Krijgslaan 281, S8 9000 Gent Belgium
luc.zwartjes@ugent.be