Lesson Notes By Weeks and Term v4 - JHS 2

Lesson Video

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Performance objectives

• Identify different methods of collecting data.
• Justify the choice of a data collection method for a scenario.
• Understand the difference between quantitative and qualitative data.
• Apply these methods to real-life situations.

Lesson summary

This lesson is about becoming a good investigator or researcher. In our daily lives in Ghana, from the market woman deciding what to sell, to the government deciding where to build a new school, people need information (data) to make smart choices. If our school wants to start a new club, how do we find out which one students would actually join? We need to collect data! Today, we will learn the different ways to collect data and, most importantly, how to choose the *best* way for any situation and explain *why* it's the best.

Lesson notes

A. What is Data? Data is simply a collection of facts, numbers, or information. To make good decisions, we need good data.

B. Types of Data There are two main types of data we will look at.

i. Quantitative Data: This is data that deals with numbers and things you can measure or count. It answers questions like "How many?", "How much?", or "How often?". Think: Quantity = Numbers. Ghanaian Examples: The number of students in our JHS2 class (e.g., 45 students). The price of a ball of kenkey (e.g., GH₵ 3.00). The height of the players on the school football team (e.g., 1.65 m, 1.72 m). The time it takes to walk from your house to school (e.g., 15 minutes).

ii. Qualitative Data: This is data that deals with descriptions, categories, opinions, and things you can observe but not easily measure with numbers. It answers questions like "What kind?", "Why?", or "How does it feel?". Think: Quality = Descriptions. Ghanaian Examples: The favourite local dish of students (e.g., "Banku and Tilapia", "Fufu", "Waakye"). The reasons why people prefer taking a tro-tro over a taxi ("It is cheaper", "It follows a fixed route"). The colours of the Kente cloth patterns. Opinions on the new school uniform ("It is beautiful", "The material is too hot").