Data collection and monitoring and evaluation (M&E) have always been an integral part of development work. In the past, these tasks were performed with paper and pen, which made them prone to error, difficult to conduct on a large scale, and high in transaction costs.

ICT tools such as mobile devices and software that allows users to create surveys, collect, manage and upload data to storage facilities in real-time, have reduced the conventional challenges associated with remote data collection and M&E.

If you have always wanted to learn how to collect, manage and analyze project data using mobile devices, this training course is for you. This training course also comes with additional M&E and GIS modules to help participants put the skills acquired into perspective. The GIS module will help participants work with spatial data.

Course Objectives

By the end of this course the participants will be able to:

• Understand ICT tools and methods to conduct data collection, statistical analysis, and reporting.
• Gather data for project/programme using innovative Mobile data gathering tools.

Duration:        5 Days

Who Should Attend

The course targets government representatives, project teams, NGOs, multi and bilateral development organizations, consultancies, etc., who work as M&E specialists, project managers, researchers, and technical specialists.

Course Content

Module I

Introduction to the course

• Refresher to M&E
• Refresher to ICT
• Introducing mobile data collection system architecture
• Introducing common mobile based data collection tools, techniques and platform.
• Mobile data collection benefits
• Mobile data collection challenges
• Best Practices.

Module II

Introducing Survey Authoring/Digitization

• Introduction to xlsforms syntax for survey authoring - Digitizing questionnaires for ODK using xlsforms.

Intermediate Survey Authoring/Digitization

• Intermediate survey authoring: Digitizing questionnaires for ODK using xlsforms.

Module III

Advanced Survey Authoring/Digitization

• Advanced survey authoring: Digitizing questionnaires for ODK using xlsforms.
• Questionnaire logic.
• Troubleshooting Xlsforms
• Convertion of xlsforms to XML
• XML forms validation

Module IV

Survey Data Hosting

• Apps Engine Account set up
• ODK aggregate server in a cloud server set up.
• ODK Collect for Mobile data collection set up.
• Uploading XML forms to ODK Aggregate
• Management of hosting platform quota.
• Data Visualization and analysis using ODK Aggregate.
• Analysis by downloading/extracting data from ODK Aggregate.
• Calibration of mobile device for data collection.
• Management of field data collection.

Mobile Data Collection Using KoBo Toolbox

• Using web-based interface to digitize questionnaires.
• KoBo Toolbox for hosting data
• Mobile data collection using KoBo Collect set up
• Calibration of mobile device for data collection.
• Data Visualization and analysis using KoBo Toolbox.
• Downloading/extracting data for analysis.

Module V (GIS)

• Spatial Mapping
• Introducing GIS
• Working with Spatial data (GPS Coordinates)
• Introducing the Fusion Table
• Exporting GPS Coordinates (Google maps) to Fusion tables
• Using QGIS to export data to Fusion tables.
• Conversion of data to shape files
• Platform choice
• Platform choice discussion
• Integration of tools of Mobile Data Collection into projects.

General Notes

• This course is delivered by our seasoned trainers who have vast experience as expert professionals in the respective fields of practice. The course is taught through a mix of practical activities, theory, group works and case studies.
• Training manuals and additional reference materials are provided to the participants.
• Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be issued with a certificate.