Can statistics help to uncover the ocean’s secrets?

Suitable for 14-19-year olds (secondary and high schools, and college), this article and accompanying activity sheet can be used in the classroom, STEM clubs and at home.

This resource links to KS4 and KS5 maths, statistics and biology.

It can also be used as a careers resource and links to Gatsby Benchmarks:
Gatsby Benchmark 2: Learning from career and labour market information
Gatsby Benchmark 4: Linking curriculum learning to careers

• This teaching resource explains the work of Professor Joanna Mills Flemming, a statistician at Dalhousie University. She is developing statistical models to gain insights into ocean data, allowing her to uncover information about marine animals.

• This resource also contains an interview with Joanna and offers an insight into careers in statistical ecology. If your students have questions for Joanna, they can send them through the Futurum Careers website.

• The activity sheet provides ‘talking points’ (based on Bloom’s Taxonomy) to prompt students to reflect on Joanna’s research and challenges them to conduct their own statistical research project.

This resource was first published by Futurum Careers, a free online resource and magazine aimed at encouraging 14-19-year-olds worldwide to pursue careers in science, tech, engineering, maths, medicine (STEM) and social sciences, humanities and the arts for people and the economy (SHAPE).

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