It is important that the web sources chosen are robust and reliable.
News reports appear on topics as wide-ranging as:
- politics
- health
- town planning
- environmental control
- unemployment
- sport
- science
- attendance at cultural events.
To think critically in social contexts, it is necessary to develop:
- understanding of statistical concepts and language involved in media reports (e.g. average, median, percentage, sample, survey)
- further understanding of how the statistical concepts and language are applied in the reports (e.g. opinion polls, sports results)
- a questioning attitude in order to examine the claims made with regard to the application and interpretation of the statistics.
Questions that can be asked to develop this critical thinking include:
- What statistical terms are used and what do they mean?
- What do these terms mean in the specific context of the reports?
- Are the terms used correctly and reported without bias?
- Have they been applied and interpreted appropriately for the context?
- Is the claim made in the report believable? If not, why not?
The Numeracy in the News website provides newspaper articles with student questions and teacher discussion.
It is a valuable educational resource that aims to inspire teachers to read local newspapers to find articles that can stimulate critical statistical thinking.
