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Students collect research data

Brief description

In this activity, students contribute to a research project by collecting data from relevant sources. They receive instructions from and collaborate with a teacher. The exercise can be used both for qualitatively and quantitatively based research projects.

Teacher's motivation

The students acquire knowledge and awareness of theory and methodology while experiencing some of the first stages in a research project. The collected data may be used by and benefit both you as a teacher and the students. At the same time, other researchers, teachers, and students in your academic field may use the data, or it may be used in interdisciplinary studies. Finally, the close collaboration between students and teachers may improve the academic environment and install a sense of productivity and relevance in the students, which may be motivating for them.

Description of the activity

Performing the exercise

  • As a teacher, you must consider which data the students should collect for a concrete project. Do you need qualitative or quantitative data?
  • You must make agreements with the relevant informants and collaboration partners from whom the data is to be collected.
  • You must make a description of the project, including deadlines and the type data to be collected and how. You distribute the description to the students, who can then begin their data collection.
  • The students must form small groups and collect the data according to the guidelines they have received and within the deadlines. You as a teacher must be available for academic consultancy in the process.
  • Finally, the students deliver the collected data, which is then used in a research context.

 

Options:

  • It may be motivating for the students to be allowed to work with the data they have collected, for instance processing, analysing and communicating it. This may for instance be included as an element in their exam.
  • You may let your students approach and make contact with relevant informants or collaboration partners on their own. This will make the students familiar with another stage in the research project, which may be challenging and instructive. You must bear in mind, however, that this requires an extra effort from the students, which you must then include when calculating the students’ time consumption.

You will need:

  • Concrete data to be collected in connection with a project and agreements with relevant informants and collaboration partners.
  • If equipment must be used for the collection of data (a camera, audio recorder etc.), you must make sure this is available for the students.

Worth considering:

  • Is the data well suited to be collected by students?
    • Does the task match the students’ academic level, for instance?
    • Is the selected data of a particularly sensitive type?
  • How should the students be introduced to EU’s General Data Protection Regulation?
  • Can the students be included in the project after this introduction? And how?

Activities

    Examples of practice