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Using Government Datasets in teaching: constraints and opportunities

Using Government Datasets in teaching: constraints and opportunities. Dr Mark Brown Centre for Census and Survey Research. Statistics User Forum: Improving Access to Government Data Sets January 18 th 2007, London . Opportunities > constraints . Context for this meeting…

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Using Government Datasets in teaching: constraints and opportunities

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  1. Using Government Datasets in teaching: constraints and opportunities Dr Mark Brown Centre for Census and Survey Research Statistics User Forum: Improving Access to Government Data Sets January 18th 2007, London

  2. Opportunities > constraints Context for this meeting… ‘Government produces many high-quality datasets, but sometimes doesn't go "the last 100 yards" to disseminate them in a form that is easily accessible to non-specialist users.’ • But is it still true? Major developments in last 10 years (e.g ESDS Government) have transformed situation for HE teachers and learners • Challenge is to communicate the good news!

  3. Government datasets as a teaching resource • Focus here on the Government Social Surveys (via ESDS) • But many others..e.g. Census via MIMAS, SARS, EDINA etc. Huge potential as resource for • Teaching research methods • Incorporating within substantive courses in the Social Sciences • but an unfulfilled potential?

  4. The challenge to HE sector.. ESRC identify.. • ‘rapid increase in the need for quantitatively trained social scientists’ • ‘UK social science lacks the critical mass to meet this need… in danger of loosing its position as a global leader in social scientific research’ • ‘a general falling away of undergraduate courses with a strong focus on quantitative methods’ • ‘Many students view the acquisition of quantitative skills very negatively… sadly so too do many lecturers..’ ESRC 2006 ‘call for The development of undergraduate curricula in quantitative methods’

  5. Potential unfulfilled… (looking back) ‘Use of numeric data in teaching and learning’ JISC funded project (EDINA, Data Archive, MIMAS) 2000/1 ‘Only one-quarter of survey respondents using data in the classroom had considered using the nationally funded academic data services provided by the Data Archive (at Essex), MIMAS (at Manchester), or EDINA (at Edinburgh)’ http://datalib.ed.ac.uk/projects/datateach.html

  6. What were the barriers in 2001? • a lack of awareness of relevant materials • lack of sufficient time for preparation • complex registration procedures • problems with the delivery and format of the datasets available. • compounding problem a lack of local support for teachers who wanted to use data in their teaching (http://datalib.ed.ac.uk/projects/datateach.html)

  7. Addressing the BarriersProject recommendations (in 2001) • 1. to promote subject-based statistical literacy for students… with tangible support for academic teaching staff • 2. The development of high-quality teaching materials for major UK datasets, in order to provide salience to subject matter and demonstrate relevant methods for coursework. • 3. The national data services need to improve the usability of their datasets for learning and teaching. • 4. A more concerted and co-ordinated promotion of the national data services could then follow, which is responsive to user demand. • 5. Universities should develop IT strategies that include data services and support for staff and students http://datalib.ed.ac.uk/projects/datateach.html

  8. So What’s Changed? • A revolution in data access and user support (ESDS, MIMAS (CASWEB), SARS (Census microdata), EDINA, ONS) • User-friendly web interface • Simplified registration • Flexibility in data formats • Extensive resources to support the non-expert user who wants to use data in teaching

  9. ESDS(Government): some highlights • Teaching datasets: British Crime Survey 2000; Health Survey for England 2002; General Household Survey 2002 (Social Capital) Labour Force Survey 2002 and 2005 (Ethnicity); • Resource ‘themes’ (different each year) so far: Employment and the Labour Market; Health; Social Capital and Social Exclusion; Ethnicity • Online thematic guides • Online statistical guides: SPSS (HSE); STATA (LFS); Weighting the Surveys; • A programme of training and outreach events http://www.esds.ac.uk/government/resources/

  10. But slow progress Despite initiatives… • Still low use in undergraduate teaching – especially outside methods courses • Significant that few undergraduates use the datasets for dissertations The Challenge is • making teachers aware of what’s available • convincing them that benefits are worth investment of their time • Requires a culture change in Social Science teaching Recommendations? • More of the same. More explicit signposting of resources for teachers. More customization of teaching resources. More outreach

  11. Putting ESDS to the test ‘Increasing the use of large scale social surveys in undergraduate dissertations in the Social Sciences: a pilot project’ (ESRC funded project: CCSR, Manchester) Context • Manchester: leading School of Social Science, hosts ESDS • But few students using Govt data sets in dissertations The project • Workshops to address the barriers and get students using Govt datasets in their dissertations • Using ESDS resources (teaching data sets etc) • Providing ongoing student support • + some financial incentives!

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