Ideas Needed for the World Numeracy Project

Newsletter for the Section on Statistical Education
Volume 7, Number 2 (Spring 2001)

The ISI (International Statistics Institute) established a committee in 1994 to stimulate the spread of quantitative skills around the world in areas and populations (especially in developing countries and among the young) that could benefit from increased knowledge of numbers and their applications, with particular regard to statistics. The committee was chaired by Prof. Luigi Biggeri (Italy). Under his chairmanship some very concrete successes were realized.

In 2000, it was decided that this Project would now come under the umbrella of the IASE (International Association for Statistical Education), an arm of the ISI. I have agreed, as a major portion of my sabbatical year, to work on the development of a working plan for the World Numeracy Project. If time permits, I will also begin on the implementation of this plan once the IASE officers and the ISI Council approve it.

My first step in developing the World Numeracy Project is to gather information from as many people as possible as to what directions they want the World Numeracy Project to take. In order to do this, I need anyone reading this article to give me suggestions as to what tasks the World Numeracy Project should undertake. Below does Professor Biggeri chair a list of possible ideas that were given in various reports from the ISI Committee? You may use this list as a starting point for your thoughts. But, what is also very important to me is to have people give me ideas that are NOT on this list.

LIST OF IDEAS FROM FORMER ISI COMMITTEE ON THE WORLD NUMERACY PROGRAM

1. Promotion of national numeracy programs
2. Production of a TV series
3. Survey of International Statistical Training efforts
4. Survey of National Statistical Training efforts
5. Register of International Statistical Standards
6. Hall of fame of great Statisticians
7. Museum of Numbers
8. Developing a code and/or booklet on correct data collection procedures
9. Addressing the needs of teachers, media, and journalists
10. Addressing the needs of national and local governments
11. Promoting a World Statistics Day or World Statistics Month
12. Assisting with the development of national and international training efforts in statistics
13. Assisting with the development of national and international training efforts in the teaching of statistics and numeracy.

Please send your ideas and comments to me by mail or email at the addresses given at the beginning of this article. If you wish to contact me by telephone or fax, my telephone number is (507) 457-5589 and fax number is (507) 457-5376.

Thank you very much for your help.