NSPC
NEW:
Why should kids have all the fun??
E-textbook
Textbook cover

Video Guides

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Overview
1 minute

This video provides an overview of the SSA National Schools Poster Competition.

(Click on the video and use up/down
arrow keys to control the volume.)

Rationale
4 minutes

This video describes the rationale behind the SSA National Schools Poster Competition.

How to Deliver the Activity
6 minutes

This video explains the process to follow for teachers and mentors taking part in the SSA National Schools Poster Competition.

Testimonials
6 minutes

Participants talk about the competition.



SSA National Schools Poster Competition (NSPC)

The 2023 competition is open - with increased prizes!

10th Anniversary in 2023!

In 2023 the NSPC will celebrate its 10th year with increased prizes ($100 to $400 per division to the winning team AND to the school of the winning team) and free online teacher Professional Learning workshops and student workshops surrounding Statistics, Systems Thinking, Sustainability and STEM. Download this flyer: PDF icon

Please visit www.ssss.org.au for details.

Statistics + X: what's your X?

Join in an investigation which will support your journey into the Data Age!

The SSA National Schools Poster Competition is a fun, project-based learning activity which encourages primary and secondary school students to develop, implement and creatively report upon an investigation on any topic of interest to them (the 'X')... for great prizes!

Students conduct small-scale versions of real-world investigations in teams, developing core STEM and cross-functional skills. They create an informative e-poster presentation communicating their investigation clearly, concisely and creatively.

The competition is judged in five divisions: one for each of Stages 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6.

Select a Grade and Discipline within this excel file to see how the NSPC maps to and supports the national curriculum. The NSPC also addresses all General Capabilities and Cross-curriculum priorities.


How the NSPC works

How it works


How the NSPC maps to the curriculum

Alignments between the national curriculum and the National Schools Poster Competition are provided in this Excel spreadsheet, 'Curriculum Links'. Click on the tab corresponding to the year of your students.

Key information

Prizes!

Everyone receives a certificate of participation.

Certificates will be provided for division winners and honourable mentions.

In 2023, the winning team and the school of the winning team for a division will each receive (by e-transfer to the teacher): $100 (Years 3-4); $100 (Years 5-6); $150 (Years 7-8); $250 (Years 9-10); $400 (Years 11-12). Prizes may be split in the event of joint winners.

Year 9-10 and Year 11-12 division winners may be forwarded to the International Competition delivered once each two years.

Resources

E-textbook

Textbook cover Teachers, educators, or those generally interested in some upskilling in statistics may find this easy-to-read e-textbook helpful to contextualise and develop a conceptual understanding of statistics... and inspire investigations and analyses. This textbook is used to support introductory undergraduate and postgraduate courses in Statistics and Data Science (written for the Business context, but applicable more broadly!). Click on the cover for more information.

Example Projects

Sample of project ideas

  • compare bacteria levels between finger and toe nails (using petri dishes), or on toothbrushes left in different areas of a bathroom;
  • assess whether music affects concentration or reactions (using mobile phone apps to test participants' skill levels);
  • collect data on body part lengths in an attempt to predict one's height (forensic anthropology);
  • how do various brands of cereals compare in terms of nutrition?
  • how does electricity or water usage vary with numbers of members in a household?
  • conduct blind taste-tests of Pepsi/Coke or Lift/Solo or Brand A/B for people's preferences;
  • test whether Vitamin C levels differ between organic and non-organic oranges;
  • do some educational or memory techniques have greater success than others when learning a new language?
  • conduct an in-class survey to find out what your fellow students think, depending also on the support students have.

Sample Posters: (Click here for more...)

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Video resources

On the right of this page are our short video guides which explain the competition.

Below are videos from experts explaining how statistics works in practice to benefit industry, business and society.

Photos of some statisticians

Jose Martinez

Jessica Pritchard


Suzanna Cramb

Dr Peter Howley

Click here for more

Mentoring Programme

We may be able to connect schools with mentors who will attend your school (in person or remotely).

A mentor might provide insight into the practice of statistics and data science through examples of its application, and help to facilitate the commencement of your investigative projects.

Our mentors may be pre-service teachers; professional society members; university academics; retired school teachers; undergraduate or postgraduate university students; scientists and statisticians.

It is recommended that you contact the CSIRO's STEM Professionals in Schools Program early to see if they may be able to provide a mentor to attend your school.

Additional resources

What students, teachers and other professionals are saying about the NSPC

See also: Testimonials Video

"2015 was the first year I've had students participate in the SSAI Poster competition and I've found it to be a rewarding experience. So often in the arrangement of the mathematics curriculum and ordering of textbooks, statistics is taught and practised in segregated pieces, and it's not that often that students, especially in the Junior year of high school, get a chance to put it all together in a meaningful way. I think my class found it a valuable learning experience being able to go through the whole process of Research Question > Data Collection > Data Organisation and Presentation > Data Analysis > Conclusions."

Mathematics and Film, Television & New Media Teacher, Queensland

 

Contact Us

Please contact Prof. Peter Howley at PeterHowley0@gmail.com.

 

Our Sponsors

SSA
ISI IASE ISLP ABS

Why sponsor the NSPC

Have an interest in supporting the future STEM workforce and sponsoring this competition? Please contact Professor Peter Howley at PeterHowley0@gmail.com to discuss; he can send you a description of the various levels of sponsorship.

Credits

Page designed and realised by David Allingham. © 2020.