Statistical Literacy

[Maria-Gabriella Ottaviani <ottavian@pow2.sta.uniroma1.it>]

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Cari colleghi,
vi invio l'informazione sull'attivitą di ICOTS 6
riguardo alle sezioni sulla "Statistical literacy".

Se siete interessati al tema per favore mettetevi
in contatto con:
IDDO GAL:  <iddo@research.haifa.ac.il>
BRIAN PHILLIPS:  <bphillips@swin.edu.au>

Cari saluti

Maria Gabriella Ottaviani





Dear Colleague:

This message is about the Statistics Literacy activities 
planned for the 6th International Conference on Teaching 
Statistics (ICOTS-6), Durban, South Africa, 7-12 July, 2002. 
All general details about the conference can be found at: 
    http://www.beeri.org.il/icots6/  

ICOTS-6 will have multiple Topic areas covering a wide 
range of issues. The conference theme is "Developing a 
Statistically Literate Society". In this regard, below are  
more details about Topic 1, STATISTICS LITERACY, for which 
we have updated information. Several clusters (areas) of 
activities are envisioned under Topic 1:

CLUSTER 1:  CONCEPTUALIZING AND PROMOTING 
STATISTICS LITERACY
  (Organizers: Iddo Gal and Brian Phillips)
      This cluster will include keynote talks and other "big 
picture" presentations that will address the conceptualization 
of statistics literacy, examine the relevance of statistics 
literacy for the average citizen, and outline requirements 
from citizens in general or in particular target groups. Talks 
in this cluster will also address needs, policies, or plans that 
governmental agencies, community and Non Governmental Organizations, 
the media, employers, unions, and non-formal or adult education 
systems may have for promoting statistics literacy, and the roles 
they could play in this regard.

CLUSTER 2:  RESEARCH AND STUDIES ON 
STATISTICS LITERACY
   (Organizer:  Iddo Gal)
      This cluster may include reports describing people's 
statistics literacy skills (as opposed to formal knowledge in 
statistics), such as on the basis of large-scale comparative 
surveys or more focused forms of both quantitative and 
qualitative research. Presentations may suggest research 
agendas, examine useful assessment methods, or discuss 
educational, social, or policy implications of such research. 
(Researchers who are only starting a relevant study in this 
regard are encouraged to send an inquiry now).

CLUSTER 3:  STATISTICS FOR THE CITIZEN
   (Organizers: Brian Phillips)
      This cluster will involve presentations discussing the 
role of statistics in everyday contexts and ways to enable 
citizens and non-specialist users of statistical data to better 
deal with statistical and probabilistic information and 
arguments. The approach will be suitable for a non-specialist 
audience (e.g., teachers, policy makers, administrators, 
journalists, health professionals) who would like to learn 
how to make better use of and critically interpret statistical 
messages they may encounter in everyday or work settings 
in which chance, risk, and data are involved. Talks in this 
cluster will be held throughout the ICOTS-6 program and 
will be different from the traditional papers given. These 
talks should be of interest to general audiences such as those 
outlined above who will be invited to join ICOTS-6 
expressly for that purpose, as well as to the regular ICOTS 
participants (possibly for use as models for outreach 
activities).

Overall, we hope that the availability of keynote 
presentations, talks, and paper sessions with diverse formats 
pertaining to all three areas envisioned under Topic 1, and 
the synergy between Topics in this regard, will enable 
ICOTS-6 to address its general theme and promote a 
statistically literate society.

To submit a proposal or for more details regarding "Topic 1: 
Statistics Literacy", please contact the organizers:
     IDDO GAL:  <iddo@research.haifa.ac.il>
     BRIAN PHILLIPS:  <bphillips@swin.edu.au>

Further information about the Statistics Literacy activities 
envisioned for ICOTS-6, as well as about all other Topics 
and their content, and about submission procedures and 
contact information for all Topic Convenors and Session 
Organizers, can be found at:  http://www.beeri.org.il/icots6/

=================================
Dr. Maria-Gabriella Ottaviani     ottavian@pow2.sta.uniroma1.it
Chair of the IPC of ICOTS 6
Dip.di Statistica, Probabilita' e Statistiche Applicate
Universita' di Roma "La Sapienza"
P.le A. Moro, 5 - 00185 Roma (Italy)
Tel. (+39)-06-49 91 05 61      Fax (+39)-06-49 59 241