4.6 Fieldwork

• Meaning and value of fieldwork in Social Studies
• Steps in conducting fieldwork in the school compound
• Sketch map of the school compound as a fieldwork tool
• Data collection: observation
• Data collection: questionnaire
• Data collection: interview
• Data collection: focus group discussion
• Challenges in fieldwork including road safety, and possible solutions
• Data analysis: mean, median and mode using local road-safety or compound data
• Reporting findings and valuing fieldwork

• examine methods of data collection used in fieldwork
• explore challenges and possible solutions in carrying out fieldwork
• illustrate methods of data analysis after fieldwork
• value field work in investigating phenomena in the immediate environment

“Why is fieldwork important in social studies?”

“How should we conduct fieldwork?”

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1. What fieldwork is
   40 min · 1 practice tasks · quiz
   Fieldwork is organised investigation outside the desk. The school compound is a real field for Social Studies.
2. How we conduct fieldwork
   40 min · 1 practice tasks · quiz
   Conduct fieldwork in six steps: question, plan, permission and safety, collect, analyse, report.
3. Sketch map of the compound
   40 min · 1 practice tasks · quiz
   Walk and sketch the school compound with title, north, key, gate and a safe observation point.
4. Observation
   40 min · 1 practice tasks · quiz
   Observation is watching with a purpose and recording, for example a timed tally of walkers, boda and cars at the gate.
5. Questionnaire
   40 min · 1 practice tasks · quiz
   A questionnaire is the same short written questions for many people. Pilot four items on gate safety.
6. Interview
   40 min · 1 practice tasks · quiz
   An interview is a planned conversation with permission, a short guide, listening, notes and thanks.
7. Focus group discussion
   40 min · 1 practice tasks · quiz
   A focus group is a short guided talk with a small group on one issue, with a facilitator and a note-taker.
8. Challenges and solutions
   40 min · 1 practice tasks · quiz
   Explore fieldwork challenges, especially road safety at the gate, plus rain, refusal and bias, each with a solution.
9. Analyse with mean, median, mode
   40 min · 1 practice tasks · quiz
   Illustrate analysis: mode is most often, median is the middle of the ordered list, mean is the total divided by how many. Then interpret for safety.
10. Report and value fieldwork
    40 min · 1 practice tasks · quiz
    Write a short report (question, methods, findings, one action) and say why fieldwork matters in Social Studies.