It is well known that students of inferential statistics find the hypothetical, probabilistic reasoning used in hypothesis tests difficult to understand. Consequently, they will also have difficulties in understanding "p"-values. It is not unusual for these students to hold misconceptions about "p"-values that are difficult to…

Statistical literacy is complex and multifaceted. In every country, education and numeracy are a function of a multitude of factors including culture, history, and societal norms. Nevertheless, since the launch of the International Statistical Poster Competition (ISLP) in 1994, a number of patterns have emerged to suggest there are some common or…

Epidemiology is the study of the distribution of disease in human populations. This means that authentically teaching primary data collection in epidemiology is difficult as students cannot easily access suitable human populations. Using an action research methodology, this paper studied the use of a virtual human population (called "The…

Open book assessment is not a new idea, but it does not seem to have gained ground in higher education. In particular, not much literature is available on open book examinations in mathematics and statistics in higher education. The objective of this paper is to investigate the appropriateness of open book assessments in a first-year business…

The Australian education and training system offers a range of options for young people. This publication provides a summary of the statistics relating to young people aged 15 to 19 years who participated in an education and training activity during 2013 Information on participation is presented for VET in Schools students, higher education…

The National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) was asked by Technical and Further Education (TAFE) Directors Australia to consider, in a discussion paper for their conference held on the Gold Coast in September 2009, how a "tertiary education" sector impacts on the way people think about research and statistics. While a…

In 1854 the German scientist Zeising claimed that the ratio of a person's height to the height of their navel is in the same ratio as the Golden Ratio ([phi] = 1.62). There is so much hype about the Golden Ratio that it is worth reading an article at http://www.maa.org/devlin/devlin_06_04.html. It explains why some of the more far-fetched ideas…

This report presents results of a project to produce a set of strategies to ensure the compatibility of Australian state and territory information systems with the requirements of the National Management Information and Statistics System (NATMISS) and the Australian Vocational Education and Training Management Information Statistical Standard…

This publication contains the three numeracy units of the three levels of Support Materials for Agricultural Training (SMAT) in the area of occupational health and safety: Level 1 (starting), 2 (continuing), and 3 (completing). The units are designed to help the learner improve his or her numeracy skills needed to deal with occupational safety and…