Schools
The Department maintains important links with schools through two competitions: Problem Challenge and the Junior Mathematics Competition, run by Departmental staff, and by providing a comprehensive series of video presentations aimed at supporting the New Zealand Statistics curriculum.
Statistics video presentations
Statistics video presentations are for use in schools to support the New Zealand High School curriculum. The videos last between 10 and 30 minutes and cover a wide range of statistical techniques and methods, all presented in the context of actual research being done in New Zealand. The topics range from oysters, takahe and rock wrens to iron deficiency, tourism numbers and property sales.
Problem Challenge
Problem Challenge is a mathematics problem solving competition aimed primarily at Intermediate School children (years 7 and 8) although also open to year 6 Primary School children. Children participating in the competition attempt to answer five questions in 30 minutes on each of five problem sheets, which are done about a month apart starting in April each year.
Junior Mathematics Competition
The Junior Mathematics Competition is for students in years 9 to 11, although younger students may also take part. Every student throughout New Zealand sits the competition on exactly the same day, usually a Wednesday in late March or early April.
The competition lasts for one hour and in this time students answer up to six questions. The emphasis is on problem solving.