Finding current statistical data

Module 7

As a teacher, you will normally find the data in textbooks to be several years old. Your teaching and, more importantly, learning may be enhanced if you are able to access current data giving the latest results of financial, statistical, geological, climatological and sports data, to name but a few. What kinds of statistical data might your learners require in their investigations? Sometimes current data is not statistical - it could be a live web cam image of a volcano or a water hole in a game reserve, for instance. Have you ever used such a resource before in your teaching? If so, where did you find it? How would you go about finding current statistical resources on the Internet?

Plan It Plan It

Think about the following questions, and if working with a partner, discuss your ideas. Writing your ideas on a sheet of paper might be helpful.

For what reason might you decide to use current data?
What concept or idea would you like to teach via the use of this current data? What sort of resource might you use?
In what classroom context will you use this current data?
How would you use specific keywords to identify current information and data?

For help on how to do certain tasks, look at the following groups in the
Help Guide:

3.1 To open a web browser
3.4 To go to a page on the Web
3.5 To bookmark a favorite page on the Web
4.3 To save a page or pages from the Web

Do It

Start the web browser software, and go to www.google.com or www.bing.com.
Type in the keywords of the current data that you wish to find. Do you think that the word "current" will help as a keyword? What keywords would you use to ensure that the information or data for which you are searching is current?
Some sites specialise in hosting and publishing statistics. Try the Statistics South Africa site (www.statssa.gov.za). Have you found similar sites that you can share with others?
Try to find a website that hosts live webcams in different cities worldwide.
Look for a website that provides current statistics of a sport in which you are interested.
Look for a website that hosts the latest share prices from the Johannesburg Stock Exchange.
Spend time exploring sites that may host current information or data that you would find useful in your teaching.

Review It

Review the websites that you found. Consider the following questions:

Will the use of this current information or data enhance the lesson?
How will you introduce the use of the information / data?
How will you know whether the use of the information / data has been a success?
How will you follow up after the use of the information / data?

Share It

Be prepared to discuss your answers to the following questions during
sharing time:

How will your current information / data help you or another teacher to make the lesson a success?
For what other reasons might you use current date with learners?
Which of the Internet skills that you learned today might you use again? For what types of tasks might you use those skills?

Module 7 Exploring the Internet

	Module 7 Finding current statistical data As a teacher, you will normally find the data in textbooks to be several years old. Your teaching and, more importantly, learning may be enhanced if you are able to access current data giving the latest results of financial, statistical, geological, climatological and sports data, to name but a few. What kinds of statistical data might your learners require in their investigations? Sometimes current data is not statistical - it could be a live web cam image of a volcano or a water hole in a game reserve, for instance. Have you ever used such a resource before in your teaching? If so, where did you find it? How would you go about finding current statistical resources on the Internet? Plan It Think about the following questions, and if working with a partner, discuss your ideas. Writing your ideas on a sheet of paper might be helpful. For what reason might you decide to use current data? What concept or idea would you like to teach via the use of this current data? What sort of resource might you use? In what classroom context will you use this current data? How would you use specific keywords to identify current information and data? For help on how to do certain tasks, look at the following groups in the Help Guide: 3.1 To open a web browser 3.4 To go to a page on the Web 3.5 To bookmark a favorite page on the Web 4.3 To save a page or pages from the Web Do It Start the web browser software, and go to www.google.com or www.bing.com. Type in the keywords of the current data that you wish to find. Do you think that the word "current" will help as a keyword? What keywords would you use to ensure that the information or data for which you are searching is current? Some sites specialise in hosting and publishing statistics. Try the Statistics South Africa site (www.statssa.gov.za). Have you found similar sites that you can share with others? Try to find a website that hosts live webcams in different cities worldwide. Look for a website that provides current statistics of a sport in which you are interested. Look for a website that hosts the latest share prices from the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. Spend time exploring sites that may host current information or data that you would find useful in your teaching. Review It Review the websites that you found. Consider the following questions: Will the use of this current information or data enhance the lesson? How will you introduce the use of the information / data? How will you know whether the use of the information / data has been a success? How will you follow up after the use of the information / data? Share It Be prepared to discuss your answers to the following questions during sharing time: How will your current information / data help you or another teacher to make the lesson a success? For what other reasons might you use current date with learners? Which of the Internet skills that you learned today might you use again? For what types of tasks might you use those skills?