CensusAtSchool, 2012: Let the Questionnaire Commence

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MEDIA RELEASE
10 February 2012
Embargo: 11.30 am (Canberra time)
14/2012

CensusAtSchool, 2012: Let the Questionnaire Commence

Australian school students are being invited to take part in the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) CensusAtSchool 2012.

CensusAtSchool is a FREE and voluntary online questionnaire and analysis resource for students in Years 5 to 12. It allows them to submit real data about everyday life interests and opinions on various environmental and social issues.

CensusAtSchool has proved popular among students and teachers, largely due to its innovative student-centred approach and its cross-curricula learning possibilities. Students are especially engaged in the project because it enables them to work with data that is relevant and meaningful. The more students that participate, the richer the data resource available to teachers and students in the classroom.

In 2011, approximately 1 in 4 Australian schools participated in CensusAtSchool. This represents participation of over 25,000 students.

Jean Arnott, Specialist Teacher Consultant to the ABS, said CensusAtSchool is a great learning tool. "I have used CensusAtSchool with several classes. All students enjoyed collecting and entering their data into the questionnaire. When it came to taking a sample and interpreting the data, they were engaged because the results of their investigations had real meaning for them", Ms Arnott said.

"The important process of anticipating and predicting was inherently a natural part of the process. Students actually cared about the results and enjoyed discussing unexpected outcomes and suggesting reasons for them."

The CensusAtSchool questionnaire will remain open until 6 July and can be completed on the ABS website at www.abs.gov.au/censusatschool.