Active learning ideas
Data collection is the heart of the research process, where students move from theory to evidence. This topic covers the design and execution of primary research, such as surveys and interviews, alongside the rigorous review of secondary sources. In the Singapore context, students must be culturally sensitive when designing instruments, ensuring that their questions are appropriate for a multi-racial and multi-religious society.
Activity 01
Students take turns playing the interviewer and a difficult interviewee (e.g., someone busy or reluctant). They practice building rapport and using follow-up questions to get deeper insights.
What is the difference between primary and secondary data?
Activity 02
Groups swap their draft survey questions. They must identify 'leading' or 'confusing' questions and rewrite them to be more objective and clear.
How do we design unbiased survey questions?
Activity 03
Students find one online source related to their topic. They use the CRAAP test (Currency, Relevance, Authority, Accuracy, Purpose) to evaluate it and then explain their rating to a partner.
What ethical considerations must we keep in mind?
A few notes on teaching this unit
Watch Out for These Misconceptions
A survey with 50 responses is enough for a project.
Sample size matters for reliability. Through 'Data Sampling' simulations, students learn that a small or biased sample can lead to incorrect conclusions, prompting them to seek more diverse and larger respondent pools.
Primary data is always better than secondary data.
Both are essential. Secondary data provides the context that primary data often lacks. Peer discussion helps students see how a government report can validate the findings from their small-scale survey.
Methods used in this brief