Researching a Local Issue

This ICT starter idea written by teachers for teachers describes how students could use information communication technology to investigate an issue of importance to the local community.

Curriculum reference

• Mathematics – statistics
• Health – safe communities
• Art – showing findings through various media
• Information and numeracy skills – calculate, organise, and analyse information to support an argument
• Social, cooperative and problem solving skills – identify, analyse, and solve problems
• Make decisions as a member of a group

Prerequisites

• To be able to work in a group
• Understand the use of a survey for gathering information
• To be able to use a spreadsheet to analyse information

Resources

• A spreadsheet program
• Printer for surveys
• Art resources (these would vary, depending on how the findings will be presented – they could be presented digitally)

Possible context

• Petrol prices sky rocket
• School crossing required
• PD centre in local community outrages
• Is it safe to cross the road?
• Are elderly people provided for adequately?
• Are young people provided for after school?
• Are cell phone towers bad?
• Roading changes
• Speeding limits outside schools
• Parking

Suggested process

1. Brainstorm issues.
2. Ask people in your communities what is important to them.
3. Use telephones, and face-to-face informal surveys.
4. Identify an issue.
5. Design the process for finding out information. (We suggest different groups use different ways to find out information, for example, you could have, a phone group, a face-to-face group, a postal group, and an email group.)
6. Groups determine the process they will use to gather information and the audience they will target.
7. Share back to class their method for finding information, gain feedback, and improve where necessary.
8. Students gather raw data and make predictions.
9. Input information into a spreadsheet program and input as data comes back.
10. Draw conclusions from trends found in data and begin presentation or way to communicate findings.
11. Communicate findings to your intended audience(s).

Other suggestions

• Take your case to the local council or community group/MP/etc.
• Communicate findings back to whole community in a variety of ways.
• Invite local experts (with differing ideas/opinions) to share and add to your research.
• Speak to researchers about the design of your research.

Authors
Rob Clarke robclarke@xtra.co.nz
Janet Ackerley room4@richmond.school.nz

October 2000