Course: Year 8 - What do we think?

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	Data handling This unit is concerned with: Constructing suitable questionnaires to capture data Storing that data in a flat file database Analysing that data to produce a report Key terms: questionnaire, validation, verification, field, record, flat file. data types: text/alphanumeric, numeric, integer, real, boolean(yes/no) This unit is based (loosely) around the QCA scheme of work found at: http://www.standards.dfee.gov.uk Unit 5 (see below) Unit 5 Data News forum

1	Activity 1 - Designing for data collection, the questionnaire. This site has comprehensive advice file Main points about questionnaires (from the above website) Resource A sample questionnaire (worksheet) Word document Upload the new and improved questionnaire (assignment) Marking rubric for the questionnaire Word document Lesson Plan for week 1 Word document This week's homework is: Re-design the questionnaire (delete the old questions afterwards to make space). Due next week beginning 14/01/08. Upload as an assignment in this topic. Additional tips for this assignment: A questionnaire should have a title and simple user instructions Spaces should not be used to layout text The original questions were poor – the idea was that you apply the criteria we discussed to improve them The original questions should be removed from the document No new questions need be added

2	Activity 2 - Data types This will be important when we want to store the data from the questionnaire in the computer. Different types of data Resource Data types in the questionnaire (assignment) Data types assignment (Word template) Word document Lesson plan 2.1.2 Word document This week's homework is: Decide what data types (text, code, number, yes/no) are needed for each of the 7 questions in the sample questionnaire. Complete and upload the worksheet provided. The original questionnaire should be perfect by now, each student should get 4 of them filled in so we can enter the data into a spreadsheet.

3	Activity 3 - Constructing the database using Excel Here we need to use a single spreadsheet and get all the data entered. each student can take turns to enter the data from their own questionnaires into a common spreadsheet. The students not doing this can begin work on their own surveys. Survey report: You need to write a report drawing conclusions from your survey data (how many girls prefer soccer, how many boys, is there a difference?) and choose charts in Excel which will illustrate your points. The charts should be cut and pasted into a Word document. This task should be completed for homework. This is for 8MB, KM and SO: Lesson plan 2.1.3 Word document Your spreadsheet - assignment Please submit your survey report here - assignment

4	Activity 4 - Problems and solutions in Beijing - A survey By you. This questionnaire should be designed by you and used to inform your work on the geography topic - "Problems in Beijing". For example it could be a survey of people's attitudes to existing problems or to any proposed solutions to those problems. Be careful in designing the questionnaire and put what you have learned in this unit to work. Your own survey "Problems in Beijing" Resource Marking rubric for problems survey Word document Homework for this week: Complete your own survey questionnaire - Problems in Beijing. Get some responses to analyse in a spreadsheet. Study the marking rubric for this exercise. Your very own survey - assignment for 8TG ONLY!

5	Activity 5 - Finishing up the Unit We need to complete the spreadsheet/database of survey results and analyse them using appropriate charts. The data gathered should be used to complement your geography work. Substitute work while Mr J is away Make sure all your assignments are done (check the assignments link in Moodle) When you have completed the final task (the report, including graphs) - form a small group of 4/5 and: Make a poster which is a guide to students on "How to do a survey" - include points about "good questions", illustrate "good" and "bad" ones, include the best survey from your group and some marketing stuff about how much you enjoyed this project and how much you learned from it Scissors, glue and coloured pens are available You may use the computer to write up text, add pictures etc Be good and have fun. Teacher comments: The first sections were OK. The whole project could have been improved with tighter cooperation between the subject area and ICT. The last assignment putting the report together weas different for different groups. Some groups did not understand the task well and this needs to be specified in greater detail with a slightly different rubric if tasks have been set slightly differently (depending upon whether they were integrated into another subject or not). More time could be spent on the analysis of the "big survey" and a sample report produced to clarify what could be done and how data might be interpreted and presented. Probably should let the Year 8's modify the survey to produce questions that interest them. Difficult to do across 4 tutor groups though. Some students actually wrote their reports into text boxes in Excel - this is quite good in that all the data is in one place but they probably should be encouraged to produce a word processed report. Most students did not include the questionnaire itself so that should have been a clearer requirement.