Promoting statistical thinking among secondary school students in the national context

Although secondary school students in many countries (like Ireland) get a limited and basic introduction to statistics, it is often of a mechanical nature with little or no emphasis on data analysis and practical examples. These students rarely see the applicability and challenging nature of statistical thinking. Statisticians need to promote these aspects of statistics to students, their teachers, and the public at large. The use of examples of a local (often a national) nature is encouraged in order to emphasize the relevance of statistical thinking. Several examples are discussed which have been successfully used in the Irish context, and which have analogues in other countries.