Children Statistical Literacy: Empowering and Informing Our Future Decision-Makers

• Activity Number: 366
• Type: Contributed
• Date/Time: Tuesday, August 11, 2015 : 10:30 AM to 12:20 PM
• Sponsor: Section on Statistical Education
• Author(s): Matilde Sanchez-Pena* and Joyce B. Main
• Companies: Purdue University and Purdue University
• Keywords: K-12 ; statistical literacy

Abstract

During the last couple of decades, the exponentially increasing amount of information available have helped Statistics to become recognized as a relevant science for the decision making process to solve worldwide relevant problems. Consequently, there have been many efforts to improve the statistical education of college and graduate students. However, the efforts to deliver statistical skills to the youngest generations are not at the same level. This work aims to present the design of a statistical literacy summer course for children in 7th to 12th grades as well as the results from its implementation during Summer 2015. Activities were planned and designed around three main objectives. First, students will be able to evaluate the quality of the information provided from the huge amounts of sources they are exposed nowadays. Second, they will be able to make a big picture of their reality, locating themselves in space and time when comparing their personal characteristics to the overall composition of the world. Finally, it is envisioned that they will develop a better awareness of worldwide problems such as poverty, health-care access, sustainability, etc.