Trainers guide
Trainers Guide
Summary
This guide provides general information for trainers who may use the SADC Basic
Statistics Training Pack.
This pack provides training resources in a modular format. There are modules at the
Basic, Intermediate and Higher levels. The full set of materials is designed to provide
training to the same level as the Royal Statistical Society Higher Certificate course.
Each full module corresponds to 2-3 weeks of full-time study and the materials from a
module could therefore also be used as a short course.
The approach is practical throughout and is problem-based, rather than technique-based,
particularly at the Basic and Intermediate levels.
This overall guide gives general information on the training materials. Each module also
has an individual trainers guide.
The assignment
The Terms of Reference set by SADC were very clear and highly relevant to this training
document. They were as follows:
OBJECTIVES OF THE CONSULTANCY
The development of a model syllabus and support training material for a course in basic
statistics, targeted at the sub-professional staff in the National Statistical Systems (NSS) of
SADC Member States (MS), will be the overall objective of the consultancy. The output of
this activity will be a model syllabus course in basic statistics aimed at providing basic skills
for the production and utilisation of official statistics within MS.
The purpose of this specific activity of the project is to strengthen the basic professional
capacity of each NSS in SADC MS by providing training tools to enhance the basic
statistical skills of National Statistical Offices (NSO’s) sub-professional staff and for staff
responsible for completing statistical questionnaires and forms in Government Ministries
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and elsewhere. The said tools should cater for skills needed for both the production and
analysis of statistical data at the national and regional level.
The ultimate aim of the consultancy is to contribute to an enhanced professional capacity
of NSS especially NSO’s of the member states to enable the delivery and use of requisite
national and regional statistical data required for regional integration and monitoring and
evaluation of regional programmes.
The specific role of the selected service provider(s) will be to undertake the development
and adaptation of the model training syllabus and relevant materials. This will include the
task of developing the Course outline, including the topics to be covered and respective
details for the various topics. In addition, a practical guide for the training of trainers
should also be developed.
The regional model syllabus should address the basic statistical skills needed by NSO subprofessional staff and staff of Government ministries responsible for completing statistical
questionnaires and forms for the production and analysis of official statistical data. It
should also be possible for the respective course to be undertaken through in-house
training or through distance learning. For professional recognition and quality control the
course content and the respective course materials should aim at providing statistical skills
comparable to level 2 (Higher Certificate) of the Royal Statistical Society (RSS).
The specific goals were as follows:
To provide training in basic concepts in Statistics
 To facilitate understanding of how to use Statistics to address real problems
 To enable learners to think critically about data
 To enable learners to choose the most appropriate technique for solving specific
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problems from different options at their disposal
 To equip learners with common or similar understanding of concepts, definitions,
notations, and methodologies to facilitate the production of comparable statistical data;
and
 To provide relevant practice in the application of various statistical methods in the work
environment, using common computer statistical software e.g. software for spreadsheet.
The overall objective and purpose were as follows:
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Overall objective
The model syllabus and the respective training materials to be developed should contribute
to achieving the overall objective of the regional statistical system of providing harmonized
statistics required for regional integration and the various SADC programmes.
Purpose
The purpose of the model syllabus and training materials is to strengthen the basic
professional capacity of each NSS, especially the NSO in each SADC Member State,
through in-house training and distance learning. In this regard the development of the
model syllabus and training material is aimed at enhancing the capacity of national
statistical systems to deliver the required statistics for the regional system and at the
national level hence to contribute to the achievement of the Overall Objective.
In addition to specifying the statistical content, the Terms of reference required that the
development of the materials should “address the following non-statistical skills:
communication, problem solving, working with others, and information technology. It
mentioned the following general skills:
General skills
The course should be designed in a manner such that the student after undertaking the
course the participant would be:
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Able to plan and manage his/her own leaning and work;
Able to work in groups and independently; and
Aware if the need for continuing professional development after completing the
current NSO programme and be motivated to do it.
Background
The objectives of the assignment, specified above imply a style of statistics teaching that is
new for many centres in Africa. The Statistical Services Centre (SSC) welcomed these
demands and have tried to fulfil the requirements.
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The first major activity was an inception meeting in May 2007. There, the initial ideas were
debated vigorously by the representatives from the SADC countries. For each country, the
meeting brought together the training officer from the NSO together with a lecturer in
statistics from a key training organisation, usually the main University. We emphasised our
wish to have:
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A largely problem-based approach, rather than a technique-based course that is
more the norm in statistics courses.
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Courses that require students to have access to computers from the outset.
(This is not assumed by the current syllabus of the Royal Statistical Society).
We also outlined a possible course structure that had 3 levels and a modular structure.
They were Basic (2 modules), Intermediate (4 modules) and Higher (6 modules).
The main structure was endorsed by the meeting and many amendments were provided to
the proposed course content. We had expected trainers to be concerned about the
proposed changes in the style of teaching statistics, but found the opposite. The approach
demanded by the Terms of Reference (and with which we strongly agreed) was
enthusiastically endorsed by the participants at the workshop.
For example the University staff did not consider their existing courses as fixed, but were
keen to evaluate how the proposed materials could be integrated within their teaching.
This is most welcome, because it would support future generations of graduates having an
improved base in statistics. The future is bright, if there is similar enthusiasm by their
colleagues at home. A major problem is often the time needed to develop a new syllabus,
and the resources provided here could considerably shorten the preparation time.
This meeting laid the foundation for the detailed work on the course content, to deliver the
required resources by mid-September 2007.
More than just a training course?
The goal of this capacity-building initiative is broader than just improved training in
statistics. There is general recognition of the vital role of a strong National Statistical
System (NSS) in the development process of a country. The Rwanda NSO has a
challenging motto, “If you don’t count, you don’t count”.
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This contract provides just one of the outputs from a 6-year EU-funded project for SADC.
The whole project had the basic premise that improved capacity-building was a key “entry
point” to an improved NSS.
So these materials are intended for present and future staff associated with the NSS. We
hope the materials will add to their conviction, that their job in the NSS is important; that
collecting and processing good quality data in an efficient and timely manner is needed for
the country to measure progress, and that these measures are a necessary input for their
country to progress.
There are specific points where the training throws challenges back to staff working in the
NSS to reflect themselves about improvements. Here are some examples:
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Students will learn about their NSS partly through information they get from the
websites of the NSO and other NSS partners. Perhaps this will support improved
websites in some countries?
The course assumes good access to computers from the outset. The provision of
access to computers and computing skills to all NSS staff, (including enumerators)
outside their training, opens many opportunities for improved data entry, and
checking. This can, in turn lead to improved timeliness as well as improved quality
of the data, partly from higher motivation of the junior staff.
Case studies of datasets are provided. The effort needed to provide good case
studies was considerable. It parallels similar efforts needed by the NSS to provide
data to others in their country (e.g. universities) so they are fully analysed. It is a
continuing challenge for services to provide data in a form that is easy for others to
use. However, unless this is done, the data sets that are so time-consuming and
expensive to collect, will remain only partially analysed.
The provision of these training materials may help the NSS in some countries to
see capacity-building as a more important component of their service. Despite this
large 6-year project, many SADC countries still do not consider training as worthy
of even a single full-time member of staff.
What is in the training pack?
The pack consists of a core set of printable notes that cover each topic in detail and
provides guidance on the use of other training materials.
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
practical exercises with solutions
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relevant datasets
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case studies
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simulations
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software applications
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video lectures.
A guide for trainers has been prepared for each module. This includes training objectives,
instructions on how to guide the learning activities of trainees and suggestions for
assessments.
A set of resources compiled by the SSC has also been added to the Training Pack. These
are different from the rest of the materials in so far as not falling under the Open
Educational Resources licence. The authors have granted permission for their resources to
be included in the Training Pack, but special conditions for use may apply.
Who is it for?
The materials were originally intended for junior staff that have joined the National
Statistical System (NSS), either through the National Statistical Office (NSO) or a ministry,
or a district office. They have been designed to be followed by users with little or no
previous experience in statistics. The Basic Level modules may also become a useful
qualification for staff who wish to be employed as temporary enumerators, or for other
producers and users of statistics, perhaps working in an NGO, a private organisation, or in
other government offices.
Graduates in statistics or economics or social sciences may also find some of the materials
useful. They may already be working in the National Statistical System (NSS), or need to
interact with staff from the NSS. This use by graduates reflects the relatively narrow and
theoretical way statistics was sometimes taught in the past. Adaptation of the materials
may be necessary for this type of participant. For example some modules could perhaps
then be taken as short courses in a more condensed form than for junior staff.
Students, who are taking undergraduate statistics courses in Universities and Colleges in the
region, provide a third group that could benefit from these training materials. Many
University staff are keen to provide a more practical approach to their training in statistics.
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This has sometimes not been possible until now, because of the lack of computers for
students. If you are in this category then we hope the materials provided can help changes
to be made relatively easily.
Computing
These training materials assume that students have reasonably good access to computers.
The varied uses of computers are considered first.
Uses of computers on statistics training courses
Integrating the use of computers into the teaching of statistics will be a new experience for
some trainers. We hope the course structure used here, avoids some of the weaknesses of
earlier uses of computers in the teaching of statistics. These weaknesses include the
following:
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Courses that remain unchanged, and merely use the computer as a teaching aid for
the same syllabus that was taught earlier. This is not wrong, but misses the
opportunity of improving the syllabus, now that such a powerful tool has been
added.
Typical courses without computers have only small (and hence usually
uninteresting) data sets. Without large datasets the whole area of organising or
managing the data is usually omitted. Also descriptive statistics becomes relatively
trivial, and hence courses move quickly to statistical inference, and other more
challenging topics. Students are then ill-prepared for the statistical challenges in the
real world.
Courses that introduce a statistics package, e.g. SPSS, Genstat, and then
concentrate on teaching the package, rather than the concepts of statistics.
Students are misled into thinking they are being taught statistics, while they are
largely learning about software.
Courses that use computers too much, and forgot the value of students thinking
and understanding the concepts of statistics away from the computer.
Paradoxically there can be a problem if there are sufficient computers for students
to have individual machines. They may then work too individually and miss out on
group and discussion work.
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Courses where students were initially not computer literate. They then were unable
to concentrate on statistical ideas, because they had first to master the use of the
computer.
There are new opportunities from recent developments that we have tried to include in the
course materials. They include the following:
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Many students are already computer literate. In these course materials we assume
that computing itself (e.g. Windows, Word, Excel, e-mail and the Web) is taught
separately. Hence they can easily add ideas of statistical computing and quickly
concentrate on statistical ideas.
Excel is known by most students and is therefore an easy way to start teaching
statistics with computers. A guide on the use of Excel for organising data is
provided and used in the Basic and Intermediate level courses.
Statistics packages have become easy to use, with most having a common Windows
interface. Thus separate training on a new statistics package is hardly needed.
Students can easily migrate from one package to another and courses can be largely
generic, allowing trainers to choose whichever package the wish.
There are other resources, besides statistics packages. One that is supplied here is
an electronic statistics textbook, called CAST for SADC. This is designed to be
read from the screen and may be copied for each computer. It is often too
expensive to supply individual textbooks for each student and this provides an
interesting alternative. It also is in colour, and includes dynamic graphics to enliven
the training.
Other resources can also be provided for reading on the computer. They include
handouts and Powerpoint presentations. Some may wish to print these notes, but
keeping them as soft copies on class computers, or preparing a CD or DVD are
cheaper alternatives.
Some training organisations already us a “Learning Management System” (LMS).
Examples include WebCT, Blackboard and Moodle. An LMS provides facilities for
storing and monitoring information on students and storing course materials. They
also provide a learning environment where students can discuss among themselves
and with trainers and where they can take quizzes, etc as part of the learning
process. This course used a Moodle site to stimulate discussion on the preparation
of the training materials. Moodle is open source software and can therefore be
copied freely by any organisation who wishes to use an LMS.
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Computers are not available
So what of an organisation that does not yet have computers for their statistics students?
Computers are a natural tool for statistics. If they are needed when you use statistics, then
they should be a used in the teaching. You should train so students have “transferable
skills” that they can use when they graduate. How can you do this, without using a
computer within the teaching?
So, this may sound hard, but if you do not have computers, and have no plans to get them,
then we suggest that you teach other subjects – not statistics!
On the positive side these training materials may help to strengthen your case for
computers for training in your organisation. You can explain how you will be ready with a
modern approach to teaching statistics as soon as the computers arrive. If classes are large,
then you may wish to consider going for quantity, rather than insisting on a few new
machines each time (that are sometimes taken by staff or senior students). There are
organisations that have acceptable (second-hand) computers1 for about $80 each, (plus
shipping).
Computers are available
Where computers are available, students are usually taught their use, with Word, Windows
and Excel, etc. But this computing experience is then sometimes not integrated into the
teaching of other subjects.
The teaching of statistics benefits greatly from being integrated with the use of computers.
With them it becomes easy:
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1
to use real and interesting data sets
One example is Computer Aid, on www.computeraid.org
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to show how data need to be organised before analysis
to spend longer on simple descriptive statistics
to teach in a more practical way
to teach the way statistics will be used after graduation
to make the subject more fun
and so on.
Experience of students in computing
These training materials assume students already have experience of computers before they
start these courses, or that they are having computing courses in parallel. Otherwise
students are side-tracked by their lack of computing skills, e.g. clicking a mouse
appropriately, saving files in their directory and finding them later. They cannot then
concentrate on the statistical ideas.
The materials in the ICDL (International Computer Driving Licence) are appropriate,
though that level is higher than is needed for these courses. The minimum needed is some
experience with Windows, and some previous use of Excel and Word. Most will also know
some Powerpoint, and how to send e-mails and use the Web.
If you are nervous about the computing experience of some of your students, then there is
information in Chapter 1 of the guide on the use of Excel for organising data. The course
materials start in chapter 2, so this can be an introduction.
In addition we are grateful to Reading University IT services, who have given us
permission to include their guides on the use of Excel, Word, etc. They aren on the DVD
under Resources. In Reading they are provided largely for self-study by students.
Access to the internet
In a few years we would like to assume that students will also have reasonable access to the
internet. This is vital if the materials are later to become available as part of e-learning
courses.
Currently good access to the internet is a “step too far” for some countries. This course
benefits benefit from internet access, but key web pages have also been captured, so they
become part of the resources available locally. If you wish to update these pages, then we
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have used software called Snag-It2. This includes a facility for capturing a whole web page
(even when parts are not visible). It looks identical to the actual page when viewed locally.
It also includes the live links, though they will go to the real internet!
A few sessions do assume access to the internet, though this may have to be outside the
lecture period.
Using a computer projector
A projector used to be a luxury. Now prices are similar to those of a laptop computer and
hence a projector can be considered as a routine teaching aid. They remain a luxury if they
have to be installed each time they are used.
In the training notes most sessions include a Power point presentation, but more important
is often the use of the projector to illustrate analyses or other teaching points. For example
the dynamic graphics in CAST (see below) can help considerably in teaching key concepts.
They are of more value if they are sometimes used by the trainer, and not just by the
students on their own computers.
Similarly, a collection of videos and interactive demonstrations is provided. Some benefit
from being projected, rather than just being for self-study, so they can form the basis for
subsequent discussion.
Statistical computing?
Many people use Excel for simple statistical work. Excel is therefore the default software
for the Modules at the Basic and Intermediate level. Excel is adequate for descriptive
statistical analyses. The modules up to Intermediate level do not go beyond descriptive
methods, hence our use largely of Excel up to this level. An add-in, called SSC-Stat is also
provided that supports good use of Excel for statistical work.
2
SnagIt and Camtasia are registered trade marks of the TechSmith corporation.
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For some courses, the trainees may already be using a statistics package. Everything that is
done in Excel can equally (sometimes more easily) be done with a statistics package.
Hence the materials could be adapted for any particular package. Two statistics packages
are provided in case staff wish to use them.
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Instat is a simple statistics package, designed to illustrate how easy they have
become. It also has special facilities for processing daily climatic data. An
interactive tutorial on Instat is also provided. Instat is used for a few sessions in
Module I3.
Genstat is a major statistics package. A special version, called the Genstat
Discovery Edition is available free of charge in developing countries. The latest
version is sold commercially
The Higher level modules assume the use of a statistics package. The notes are generic, as
far as possible. However, where a package is needed Stata has often been used to generate
the output for discussion. Stata is a very powerful statistics package that is becoming
increasingly used within the NSS. It is commercial, but is very reasonably priced3.
CAST- an electronic statistics textbook
The lack of textbooks is a limiting factor in designing training courses in Africa. Books
provide a valuable resource for students to learn for themselves, and this was one of the
specified objectives of the syllabus development.
3
Version 10 is the current version in 2007. Stata is bought, rather than being leased on a yearly basis and this
is an advantage to many organisations in the developing world. Thus, further payment would be needed to
upgrade to the next version, but Version 10 may be used without a time limit. The current version is
upgraded regularly over a 2 to 3-year period and these upgrades may be downloaded without charge from the
Stata website.
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CAST, (Computer Assisted Statistics Teaching) is a series of electronic statistics textbooks.
A special version has been tailored to parallel the other elements of these training materials.
For SADC there are therefore 4 books as shown in the figure below.
The book to support the two Basic level Modules is quite short, so students practice their
first use of an electronic textbook in a way that is closely integrated with the other course
materials. The books to support the Intermediate and Higher levels are “richer” and so
provide a resource that enhances as well as supports the training materials. And a final
“advanced” book is included with extra topics for those who proceed further in their
studies.
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CAST is easy to install, or it can be run directly from the DVDs. We expect you to arrange
for installation of this software for your students. You may well wish to practice yourself,
or to evaluate the software first. It is introduced in Session 2 of the Basic Module B2 and
trying this session first is a way of evaluating the resource. An interactive demonstration
about CAST is also provided.
CAST makes the following claims, which you may wish to check as you evaluate the
software/book.
Claim 1: CAST is highly interactive. Interaction with diagrams on most pages retains
attention and enhances learning.
Claim 2: Dynamic graphics explain difficult concepts. Animations, simulations and
other dynamic displays are extensively used.
Claim 3: The approach is data-focused. Learners are exposed to many data sets
Claim 4: Some advanced topics are included. With a computer-based approach, readers
can learn topics that were once considered 'advanced'.
Interactive demonstrations
A series of interactive demonstrations and interviews is included in the training materials.
Most are short (3-10 minutes) to illustrate specific points. They may be used by individual
students, or be demonstrated within a lecture.
In addition the way these demonstrations have been produced is “low-tech” and within the
range of individual trainers. The cost of the software and recording equipment is roughly
the same as the cost of one computer.
The demonstrations are of 2 broad types. The first is to show how students can undertake
a certain task. They usually consist of pictures of the software, e.g. Excel, with a spoken
commentary. For example:
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How to get a pivot table in Excel
How to re-organise data in a table to make it effective
The second is a video interview of someone to discuss a general point. For example:

How did the electronic textbooks, CAST for Africa and for SADC arise?
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
Why are climatic examples included in this course?
The third type is part of a lecture. This usually shows the Powerpoint slides together with
the spoken text.
Methods of delivery
Trainers should not underestimate the challenges the new style of teaching will make on
them.
Each session has a document that describes the session as a whole and summarises the
activities. Many sessions include a Power point presentation, and other resources for
practical work by the students. Some sessions also add a detailed lecture note, which is to
be used as background materials. Others will direct students to read the relevant sections
of CAST (the electronic statistics textbook described below).
How might trainers use the materials?
The course is designed to be given by trainers who understand the materials. Where Power
point slides are given they provide a summary of the information. Trainers will not simply
read the slides – the students can do that for themselves! Hence trainers can use the slides
as a starting point and talk round them or prepare notes round them. Sometimes we have
supplied part of a lecture that uses the slides. We anticipate most trainers will edit the
slides, so they are tailored for their own needs.
We distinguish between special in-service training courses and undergraduate-type courses.
Special in-service courses are usually separately funded and hence can issue resources, such
as course notes and CDs for participants.
For in-service courses the Power point slides and other handouts can be printed. We use 3
to a page, so there is space for students to write the extra information that is given by the
trainer. In addition the presentations and other handouts are supplied to the participant on
a CD or DVD. This makes it clear that participants need not write what is presented.
They are there to learn, not just to practice their copying skills.
Any lectures should be short, so the emphasis shifts to the practical, discussion or group
work. There is a large literature that agrees on the general directions for change that are
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needed in training courses. For example the book with the provocative title “Telling ain’t
training”4, summarises the research from many years that shows students learn when they
discover for themselves, not when they are continually being lectured to.
The second group is undergraduate-type courses. These may be to large classes, with
students unable to afford books, and little funds to photocopy notes.
In the past, these students have too often been used as human photocopiers. They are
expected to copy down all that is presented on the board on Powerpoint presentation.
Some writing of notes is inevitable and valuable. But taken to excess will mean that the
courses will not achieve the objectives given above.
It is crucial to aim for the same goals of students learning for themselves, even with these
limited resources. The provision of the electronic statistics textbook (CAST) can help.
Some students have their own computers and hence can be provided with a CD or DVD.
Others can use a computer lab for their resources. The computer lab is crucial, particularly
when internet access is limited. They do have Excel and statistical software and Word.
But, in addition to being used for calculation and report writing, they also become the local
resource centre. So they have CAST, the interactive demonstrations, the Powerpoint
slides, and the case studies, etc.
In the longer term, all organisations involved in training will incorporate a learning
Management System (LMS). This can become a key resource for both types of training
initiative. It is vital when course more to become (partly?) e-learning, but is also extremely
useful to support face-to-face teaching. We consider the LMS associated with this course
below.
4
Stolovitch, H.D. and Keeps, E.J. (2002) Telling Ain’t Training. ASTD Press. ISBN-13: 978-1-56286-328-9.
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Case Studies
A series of case studies is provided and documented. They can be used in two ways.
The first is to provide the courses with the materials as they stand. The second is to swap
the case studies provided for others that are from the country within which the training is
taking place.
Countries should not underestimate the time needed to provide data sets in a form that can
quickly be used for further analysis. It can take a long time to get the data “into shape”.
The effort will be worthwhile for the NSS, and not just for training. Because the requests
were for training, we had no difficulty in countries having permission to supply the data.
The problems are more practical. Most countries are not “geared up” to provide data to
others. Whether the data is in “good shape” often depends on individual staff members,
rather than a general customer services section. We are not aware of examples where the
NSS actively encourages use of their data to promote full analyses.
Adaptation of the materials for specific needs
The materials developed are primarily to be used as a course together. But their modular
structure offers opportunities for specific modules (or even parts of modules) to be given
as short courses.
There are four ways that we envisage trainers may decide to use these materials.
1. They adopt this course (once it is tested, adapted for their country, etc). This becomes
a qualification within their country. Some organisations might offer it as a qualification
in its own right and some universities might include the materials as a “stepping-stone”
in their degree.
For some countries the Basic and Intermediate levels will be the priority to establish
first, with the Higher-level modules being added in later years.
2. A module can be taken as a short course. Each session is designed to be half a day of
work, and there are 20 sessions in a module. So the modules could become a 2-week
course.
But trainers need to check on the materials in relation to the level of the participants
they are training. For example, enumerators might find a module to be demanding if
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taken in a single 2-week stretch. Perhaps three weeks, or two courses of one week
each, with a gap for reflection and practice, would be more effective.
Some graduates might benefit from some of these materials too, because their training
was long ago, or over-theoretical. But they might find that 2 weeks is too long, given
the simplicity of the materials in the Basic and Intermediate modules.
3. Materials can be taken from the modules and integrated into existing courses. These
might be single sessions, or resources, such as a case study, the statistics glossary, guide
on Excel for data management, and so on. Some statistics training staff have expressed
an interest in making some of their teaching more applied. This can be a timeconsuming process and these materials might help.
4. Materials from this pack could be adapted to become a component of an existing
course. Most of the resources are provided as Word files, as well as in pdf format. So
the documents themselves could be edited to make them easier to integrate into
existing teaching courses.
Open educational resource
We have been asked whether it is not over-risky to supply the materials as an openeducational resource, so that users in Africa can adapt and change them, and we (the
Statistical Services Centre) might not be sufficiently acknowledged as the originators of
these materials.
A lecturer, Henry Mwambi, originally from Kenya, but now teaching in South Africa put
the idea most eloquently. He spoke of the over-theoretical teaching of statistics as a
“disease”, and was keen to spread another “disease”, which was the teaching of statistics in
a practical way. Both can live along-side, but we would like to help him to spread his
disease of good teaching of practical statistics. If this practical statistics disease spreads far
and wide, with little concern for where it originated then won’t that be great? We will
certainly be very happy to have contributed.
Trainers must be aware that not all the resources are on the DVD or website are provided
under the Open Educational Resource licence. All the notes we have written are OK as are
the demonstrations and interviews recorded specially for this contract. Items that are not
an Open Educational Resource are all in the section of the DVD and website under the
heading Resources.
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Trainers guide
CAST is an example that is not an Open Educational Resource. We are delighted with the
permission from the originator, Doug Stirling, and Massey University, New Zealand, that
CAST may be distributed freely for training purposes in Africa. Currently those with good
internet access anywhere can also access CAST free of charge from Massey, on
http://cast.massey.ac.nz. What we needed however, is a version that is supplied on DVD,
because many in Africa do not have the necessary internet access.
Mathematics
Our terms of reference included providing some resources on mathematics. Although our
teaching is applied, some mathematical ideas are always needed. This is even at the Basic
and Intermediate level, but more at the Higher level.
For us the Maths skills we need parallel those we need in computing. Most students
already have some computing skills. They can therefore use the computer as a tool, and
concentrate on statistical skills. They then find it easier and more fun than before to learn
statistical skills, because the computer provides a wonderful teaching aid.
However, it is different for those who are beginners at computing. They cannot
concentrate on statistical ideas, because they have become mixed with learning simple
computer skills. The computer, far from being an aid, becomes another complication.
Similarly students can be distracted from the statistical ideas if they lack confidence or the
skills they need in mathematics.
Instead of writing them ourselves we found an excellent resource called MathTutor. It can
be used over the web, but can also be supplied on 7 DVDs. This was introduced to
participants at the inception workshop. The initial reactions were positive and most took
one of the DVDs to evaluate. We await reactions from participants before proceeding with
the provision of this resource.
SADC Course in Statistics
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