Lies, Damn Lies and Statistics

gapminder.jpg" style="border: medium none ; display: block;" width="240" height="169">Image by guspim via Flickr

I have blogged about gapminder before - a great way to visualize data over time. Only problem is is that the information is still very dense, plus you have to be online to access this application.

So for a different application try StatPlanet. You can use it online or there is a download version as well. It only looks at 2000 and 2005 data, but maps it out on world and regional maps. the statistics are from the same place as Gapminder - UNESCO.

You can also down load software to make your own maps and charts with your own data.

This is great for both mathematics and Society and environment. It work well on an IWB as well so great for introducing a topic or statistics.

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Mind the gap!!

I keep forgetting how cool TED.com is.

I was watching a few videos while the other half was watching a chick flick in the lounge room. (yes we only have one TV in our house and sometimes even that is too many).

And came across this little gem - http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/hans_rosling_shows_the_best_stats_you_ve_ever_seen.html

Followed it up and went to his website - this is the coolest way to play with statistics I have ever seen. Click on Gapminder world and you can visually see a whole range of data and how it related to other data all from places like the UN and it's agencies.

OK so not strictly something that I would use on an interactive whiteboard but - well you can - each bubble is clickable and the whole graph is interactive. Actually it would work quite well with eBeam or a Wacom tablet now that I think about it.