Trainers guide
Trainers Guide
Summary ........................................................................................................................................ 1
Background .................................................................................................................................... 2
What is in the training pack? ....................................................................................................... 2
Who is it for? ................................................................................................................................. 3
Computing ..................................................................................................................................... 3
Statistical computing? ................................................................................................................... 6
CAST- an electronic statistics textbook .................................................................................... 9
Interactive demonstrations ........................................................................................................ 10
Methods of delivery .................................................................................................................... 10
Module 1 – Building confidence in statistics .......................................................................... 12
Module 2: From the data to the report.................................................................................... 14
Module 3: Designing a survey ................................................................................................... 18
Module 4: Data analysis using a specialised statistical package ............................................ 19
Module 5: Project planning and implementation ................................................................... 21
Module 6: Training the trainer (statistically) ........................................................................... 22
Summary
This guide provides general information for trainers who may use the UBOS Districts
Training Pack.
This pack provides training resources in a modular format. There are six modules each
corresponding to a full week (6 days) of work. The titles are as follows:

Module 1: Building confidence in statistics

Module 2: From the data to the report

Module 3: Designing a survey

Module 4: Data analysis using a specialised statistical package: Stata Version 10
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
Module 5: Project planning and implementation

Module 6: Training the trainer (statistically)
The approach is practical throughout and is largely problem-based, rather than techniquebased.
This overall guide gives general information on the training materials. Each module has a
guide that provides the objectives and a summary of each session. Some of the modules
also have an individual trainers guide.
Background
Draft materials for each of the 6 modules were prepared in Uganda and sent to the SSC,
Reading in mid-2007. There was then an inception visit in late August. This resulted in an
agreed syllabus for each module, and a timetable for the preparation of the training
materials. The objectives of the assignment imply a style of statistics teaching that is new
for some resource people and for many participants:

This was to be largely a problem-based courses, rather than a technique-based
course that is more the norm in statistics courses.

Courses require participants to have access to computers from the outset.
The materials for three of the modules were tested in a training-of-trainers workshop in
October 2007 and the remaining modules were tested similarly in a workshop in late
January 2008.
Each module has 12 sessions with each session designed to be half a day (about 3 hours) of
work. It is intended that modules be a single (full) week of work, with participants
normally arriving on a Sunday, working Monday to Saturday and leaving on the following
Sunday.
What is in the training pack?
The pack is distributed on CD or DVD. It consists of a core set of printable notes that
cover each topic in detail and provides guidance on the use of other training materials.

PowerPoint presentations

practical exercises

relevant datasets

simulations

software applications

video lectures.
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A set of resources compiled by the SSC has also been added to the Training Pack. The
pack is provided on a web site and on CDs/DVDs.
Who is it for?
The materials are intended primarily for staff in the planning section of District Offices,
and from other sections that are involved in data collection and processing. These staff
may have a statistics degree, or a degree in economics or the social sciences that has
involved some statistics teaching. The materials are also intended to be used by staff
working in other government offices that are part of the National Statistical System in
Uganda.
Computing
These training materials assume that participants have reasonably good access to
computers.
The varied uses of computers are considered first.
Uses of computers on statistics training courses
Integrating the use of computers into the teaching of statistics will be a new experience for
some trainers. We hope the course structure used here, avoids some of the weaknesses of
earlier uses of computers in the teaching of statistics. These weaknesses include the
following:

Courses that remain unchanged, and merely use the computer as a teaching aid for
the same syllabus that was taught earlier. This is not wrong, but misses the
opportunity of improving the syllabus, now that such a powerful tool has been
added.
Typical courses without computers have only small (and hence usually
uninteresting) data sets. Without large datasets the whole area of organising or
managing the data is usually omitted. Also descriptive statistics is relatively trivial,
and hence courses move quickly to statistical inference, and other more challenging
topics. Participants are then ill-prepared for the statistical challenges in the real
world.

Courses that introduce a statistics package, e.g. SPSS, Genstat, Stata and then
concentrate on teaching the package, rather than the concepts of statistics.
Participants are misled into thinking they are being taught statistics, while they are
largely learning about software.

Courses that use computers too much, and forgot the value of participants thinking
and understanding the concepts of statistics away from the computer.
Paradoxically there can be a problem if participants have individual machines,
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rather than hiving to share. They may then work too individually and miss out on
group and discussion work.

Courses where participants were initially not computer literate. They are then
unable to concentrate on statistical ideas, because they had first to master the use of
the computer.
There are new opportunities from recent developments that are included in the course
materials. They include the following:

Most participants are already computer literate. Hence they can easily add ideas of
statistical computing and quickly concentrate on statistical ideas.

Excel is known by most participants and is therefore an easy way to start teaching
statistics with computers. A guide on the use of Excel for organising data is
provided and used in Module 1.

Statistics packages have become easy to use, with most having a common Windows
interface. Thus separate training on a new statistics package is hardly needed.
Participants can easily migrate from one package to another and courses can be
largely generic, allowing trainers to choose whichever package they wish. Hence
multiple packages are used on this course. A simple statistics package (Instat) is
introduced in Module 2 and Stata is used extensively in Module 4.

There are other resources, besides statistics packages. An an electronic statistics
textbook, called CAST is supplied here. This is designed to be read from the
screen and may be copied for each computer. It is often too expensive to supply
individual printed textbooks for each participant and this provides an interesting
alternative. It also is in colour, and includes dynamic graphics to enliven the
training.

Other resources can also be provided by trainers for reading on the computer.
They include handouts and Powerpoint presentations. Some may wish to print
these notes, but keeping them as soft copies on class computers, or supplying a CD
or DVD are cheaper alternatives.

Some training organisations already us a “Learning Management System” (LMS).
Examples include WebCT, Blackboard and Moodle. An LMS provides facilities for
storing and monitoring information on participants and storing course materials.
They also provide a learning environment where participants can discuss among
themselves and with trainers and where they can take quizzes, etc as part of the
learning process. This course used a Moodle site to stimulate discussion on the
preparation of the training materials. Moodle is open source software and can
therefore be copied freely by any organisation who wishes to use an LMS.
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Computers are not available
So what of an organisation that does not yet have computers for their teaching?
Computers are a natural tool for statistics. If they are needed when you use statistics, then
they should be a used in the teaching. You should train so participants have “transferable
skills”. How can you do this, without using a computer within the teaching?
So, this may sound hard, but if you do not have computers for your students or
participants, and have no plans to get them, then we suggest that you teach other subjects –
not statistics!
On the positive side these training materials may help to strengthen your case for
computers for training in your organisation. You can explain how you will be ready with a
modern approach to teaching statistics as soon as the computers arrive. If classes are large,
then you may wish to consider going for quantity, rather than getting a few new machines
each time (that are sometimes taken by staff or senior participants). There are
organisations that have acceptable (second-hand) computers1 for about $80 each, (plus
shipping).
Computers are available
Where computers are available, participants are usually taught their use, with Word,
Windows and Excel, etc. But this computing experience is then sometimes not integrated
into the teaching of other subjects.
The teaching of statistics benefits greatly from being integrated with the use of computers.
With them it becomes easy:
1

to use real and interesting data sets

to show how data need to be organised before analysis

to spend longer on simple descriptive statistics

to teach in a more practical way

to teach the way statistics will be used after graduation

to make the subject more fun

and so on.
One example is Computer Aid, on www.computeraid.org
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Access to the internet
In a few years we would like to assume that participants will also have reasonable access to
the internet. This is vital if the materials are later to become available as part of e-learning
courses.
Currently good access to the internet is a “step too far” for some districts. In the future
these modules would benefit from internet access, but this is not assumed here.
Using a computer projector (beamer)
In the training notes most sessions include a Power point presentation, but more important
is often the use of the projector to illustrate analyses or other teaching points. For example
the dynamic graphics in CAST (see below) can help considerably in teaching key concepts.
They are of more value if they are sometimes used by the trainer, and not just by the
participants on their own computers.
Similarly, a collection of videos and interactive demonstrations is provided. Some benefit
from being projected, rather than just being for self-study, so they can form the basis for
subsequent discussion.
A projector used to be a luxury. Now prices are similar to those of a laptop computer and
hence a projector can be considered as a routine teaching aid. They remain a luxury if they
have to be installed each time they are used.
Statistical computing?
Many people use Excel for simple statistical work. Excel is therefore the default software
for Modules 1. Excel is adequate for descriptive statistical analyses. An add-in, called SSCStat is also provided that supports good use of Excel for statistical work.
For some courses, the trainees may already be using a statistics package. Everything that is
done in Excel can equally (sometimes more easily) be done with a statistics package.
Hence the materials could be adapted for any particular package. Four statistics packages
are also provided and used in the different Modules:

Epi-Info is used to teach data entry and quality control in Module 2. It is also used
for simple analyses and compared with the use of Excel and Instat.
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
Instat is a simple statistics package, designed to illustrate how easy they have
become. It also has special facilities for tabulating survey data. An interactive
tutorial on Instat is also provided. Instat is used for a few sessions in Module 2.

Stata is a very powerful statistics package that is becoming increasingly used within
the NSS it is used in Module 4. It is commercial, but is very reasonably priced2.

Genstat is a major statistics package. A special version, called the Genstat
Discovery Edition is available free of charge in developing countries, and
distributed from Uganda. It is supplied on the DVD/CD, but not needed for these
modules
Trainers who adapt the training materials may wish to consider a different software strategy
to the one proposed here. The list below gives contact information for most of the
“contenders”.
This list of software is considered in the presentation for participants, in Module 4, Session
12
2
Version 10 is the current version in 2007. Stata is bought, rather than being leased on a yearly basis and this
is an advantage to many organisations in the developing world. Thus, further payment would be needed to
upgrade to the next version, but Version 10 may be used without a time limit. The current version is
upgraded regularly over a 2 to 3-year period and these upgrades may be downloaded without charge from the
Stata website.
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SOFTWARE
WEBSITE AND COMMENTS
CSPRO
www.census.gov/ipc/www/cspro
Package for entering, editing, tabulating, and mapping census and survey data. It
is used by UBOS and is an alternative to Epi Info for survey data entry.
www.cdc.gov/epiinto
Package for entering and processing survey data (especially epidemiological
studies), with some statistical facilities.
www.vsn-intl.com/genstat
A general package noted for promoting good practice in modelling and the
analysis of designed experiments.
www.ssc.rdg.ac.uk/instat
A package for training and promoting good statistical practice; includes special
facilities for climatic data.
www.minitab.com
A general package for data analysis; popular in universities for teaching.
www.multilevel.ioe.ac.uk
A package for fitting multilevel models for a variety of distributions.
www.r-project.org
An object-oriented, statistical programming language; open-source software
giving access to cutting-edge statistics.
www.sas.com
A general package, with a comprehensive system of components.
www.insightful.com
A general package based on an object-oriented, statistical programming language.
www.spss.com
A general package, the standard choice for survey data processing.
www.ssc.rdg.ac.uk/ssc-stat
An EXCEL add-in for data manipulation and basic statistical work.
www.stata.com
A general package, noted for processing survey data.
www.statsoftinc.com
A general package with dynamically-linked graphics.
www.mrc-bsu.cam.ac.uk/bugs
Sotware for Bayesian analysis of complex statistical models.
EPI INFO
GEN STAT
INSTAT
MINITAB
MLWIN
R
SAS
S-PLUS
SPSS
SSC-STAT
STATA
STATISTICA
WINBUGS
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CAST- an electronic statistics textbook
The lack of textbooks is a limiting factor in designing training courses in Africa. Books
provide a valuable resource for participants to learn for themselves.
CAST, (Computer Assisted Statistics Teaching) is a series of electronic statistics textbooks.
A special version was tailored for training courses for the NSS in SADC countries and is
also supplied here. It is used in Module 1 and also provides background information for
the statistical ideas introduced in Module 4.
CAST is also a useful resource for participant’s use for self-study outside the training
course.
CAST is easy to install, or it can be run directly from the DVDs. We expect you to
arrange for installation of this software for your participants. You may well wish to
practice yourself, or to evaluate the software first. It is introduced in Session 1 of Module 1
and trying this session first is a way of evaluating the resource. An interactive
demonstration about CAST is also provided.
CAST makes the following claims, which you may wish to check as you evaluate the
software/book.
Claim 1: CAST is highly interactive. Interaction with diagrams on most pages retains
attention and enhances learning.
Claim 2: Dynamic graphics explain difficult concepts. Animations, simulations and
other dynamic displays are extensively used.
Claim 3: The approach is data-focused. Learners are exposed to many data sets
Claim 4: Some advanced topics are included. With a computer-based approach, readers
can learn topics that were once considered 'advanced'.
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Interactive demonstrations
A series of interactive demonstrations and interviews is included in the training materials.
Most are short (3-10 minutes) to illustrate specific points. They may be used by individual
participants, or be demonstrated within a lecture. Some are used in Module 1
In addition the way these demonstrations have been produced is “low-tech” and within the
range of individual trainers. Hence further demonstrations may be added as the materials
are revised. The cost of the software and recording equipment is roughly the same as the
cost of one computer.
The current demonstrations are of 2 broad types. The first is to show how participants can
undertake a certain task. They usually consist of pictures of the software, e.g. Excel, with a
spoken commentary. For example:

How to get a pivot table in Excel

How to re-organise data in a table to make it effective
The second is a video interview of someone to discuss a general point. For example:

How did the electronic textbooks, CAST for Africa and for SADC arise?
Methods of delivery
Trainers should not underestimate the challenges the new style of teaching will make on
them.
Each session has a document that describes the session as a whole and summarises the
activities. Many sessions include a Power point presentation, and other resources for
practical work by the participants. Some sessions also add a detailed lecture note, which is
to be used as background materials. Others will direct participants to read the relevant
sections of CAST (the electronic statistics textbook described above).
How might trainers use the materials?
The course is designed to be given by trainers who understand the materials. Where Power
point slides are given they provide a summary of the information. Trainers will not simply
read the slides – the participants can do that for themselves! Hence trainers can use the
slides as a starting point and talk round them or prepare notes round them. Sometimes we
have supplied part of a lecture that uses the slides. We anticipate most trainers will edit the
slides, so they are tailored for their own needs.
The Power point slides and other handouts can be printed. We use 3 to a page, so there is
space for participants to write the extra information that is given by the trainer. In addition
the presentations and other handouts are supplied to the participant on a CD or DVD.
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This makes it clear that participants need not write what is presented. They are there to
learn, not just to practice their copying skills.
Lectures should be short, so the emphasis shifts to the practical, discussion or group work.
There is a large literature that agrees on the general directions for change that are needed in
training courses. For example the book with the provocative title “Telling ain’t training”3,
summarises the research from many years that shows participants learn when they
discover for themselves, not when they are continually being lectured to.
In the longer term, all organisations involved in training will incorporate a learning
Management System (LMS). This can become a key resource for both types of training
initiative. It is vital when course more to become (partly?) e-learning, but is also extremely
useful to support face-to-face teaching. We consider the LMS associated with this course
below.
Module 6 is on “Training of trainers”. Those trainers who are used to a relatively
“traditional” approach of teaching statistics may like to study these materials first. As the
participants are to be taught about modern training methods in that module, it would be
unfortunate if the other modules did not live up to the principles that Module 6 is covering.
3
Stolovitch, H.D. and Keeps, E.J. (2002) Telling Ain’t Training. ASTD Press. ISBN-13: 978-1-56286-328-9.
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Module 1 – Building confidence in statistics
This module starts the training process and hence it is also designed for students to gain
confidence in the training process for the whole set of six modules. There is therefore also
a special training guide for this module that gives guidance session-by-session. Here we
repeat the information from that guide for the module as a whole.
This module requires participants to have access to computers. Ideally the lecture sessions
will have access to a computer projector, so Power point presentations can be used and
demonstrations can be given and discussed within the class. However, it can be run with
the access to computers being largely during practical sessions.
Software Installation
The software should be installed prior to the start of the training, if at all possible. It is
assumed that Excel is already installed. The other software packages needed are as follows:


CAST electronic textbook. (It could otherwise be run directly from the DVD.)
The SSC-Stat add-in to Excel.
The datasets and relevant case studies must also be made easily available. This could be
through supplying the DVD, or by copying the DVD image to a central server, or even to
each machine. Or it could be by copying individual files needed for the particular sessions,
though that is likely to be more error prone, for both staff and students.
Pre-requisites - Computing
Some computing experience is assumed. If participants are beginners to computing, they
inevitably concentrate on mastering the key computing skills, like moving a mouse and
learning about pull-down menus. These general ideas of using Windows software need to
be covered outside the training time allocated in this module. In situations where this is
not possible, then more time must be allowed on these skills, or the objectives of this
module cannot be reached. The overall trainers guide gives more details.
This course may be the first time that some participants use computers to support their
statistics training. Participants (and maybe some trainers too?!) need time to consider how
to integrate the use of computers in the course so the learning process is enriched. This
may be helped by discussion sessions during the module.
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The electronic textbook, called CAST, (Computer Assisted Statistics Teaching) is
introduced in Session 1. The ease with which participants are able to use this electronic
book is a good indicator of computing capabilities. This will be a new piece of software to
almost all participants and we expect them to become comfortable with its use almost
immediately. If not, then trainers may need to extend the training period to more than one
week. Using CAST just needs general experience of using Windows software.
Simple experience of using Excel is also needed. Those who need a review could make use
of Chapter 1 of the guide called:
SSC Guide to data handling in Excel
This guide is used from Session 3, starting from Chapter 2. Those aspects that are needed
in statistics, e.g. lists, sorting, filters, etc are not assumed and are covered within the
Module.
Sessions 8, 11 and 12 involve a group project where some students in each group should
know at least a little of PowerPoint.
Pre-requisites - Statistics
This module does assume prior knowledge of statistics. It reviews the subject from the
start, but at a speed that assumes some topics are revision. Many participants will have had
statistics training, even though they require this “refresher” course.
Training style
This Module assumes participants are prepared for some individual study. It also has a
critique aspect that may be new to some, particularly when looking at good tables and good
graphs. And the project involves group work.
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Module 2: From the data to the report
Module order
When you start Module 2 one obvious question is whether Module 2 and Module 3 are “in
the right order”. Module 3 is on data collection, while Module 2 is on processing the data
once collected. Some participants may wonder why they are learning about data processing
before data collection. The reasons the UBOS and SSC teams agreed on this order are as
follows:
 More staff are involved in aspects of processing data than in decisions on the
appropriate design
 This Module on processing data follows well from Module 1 and is slightly less
demanding than Module 3
 Staff often have data for entry and analysis
Software use
Sessions 1 to 6 cover the process of data entry and checking. They introduce and use Epi
Info. An alternative would be to use CSPRO. The handouts would need adaptation, but
the sessions could proceed in exactly the same way. Session 9 asks participants to define a
strategy for data entry and analysis, and mentions CSPRO as an alternative to Epi Info. It
also challenges participants to assess whether each new package really still\needs a formal
training course. The alternative is for participants to teach themselves. If there were more
time, then trainers could take CSPRO, that has a simple tutorial, and see whether
participants are able to learn the package for themselves. The task could then be for them
to choose between CSPRO and Epi Info for data entry work in their district.
On the statistics side, the simple statistics package, called Instat, is introduced in Sessions 7
and 8. There are many other statistics packages that could be used instead, but this is
simple to introduce. The handouts would have to be changed in a more major way is
another package is substituted.
Statistics or software training
This module is designed primarily to teach statistical concepts. Two new software tools,
Epi Info and Instat are introduced. Some participants are happier to learn new software,
than new ideas in statistics. However, currently the software is all in Windows, and is all
therefore relatively easy to learn.
As trainer you may occasionally have to remind participants that the objectives of this
module are to improve expertise in statistics, and not merely to master all thsat is to be
known about the software – that can be done after the training course – and only if that
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particular software is to be used further. Thus, for example, Sessions 1 to 6 cover many
important ideas of data entry, quality control and data management. They also introduce
Epi Info. Later the participants may find they prefer to use CSPRO for their data entry, or
to continue using Excel (if data sets are small). Whatever they use, the statistical principles
remain the same. The Epi Info software is just a tool to support both the training and also
to support high quality data entry.
Sessions 1 to 6 – data entry and checking
Epi Info is supplied on the CD/DVD and participants are asked to install the software at
the end of Session 1. An alternative is for the software to be installed and tested, prior to
the start of the Module.
Session 2 covers data entry using a form that has already been designed. Session 2 should
be easy, but it needs careful preparation by the trainer, for it to run smoothly.

There should be a working directory for the Module (or the set of Modules) on the
trainer’s and the participants’ computers.

Copy the Epi Info project file (called Household Survey - Empty.mdb) to show
data entry to the working directory on the trainer’s and the participants’ computers.

Copy the 2 Epi Info files (Household survey – data 1.mdb and data2.mdb) to
show data comparison to the working directory on the trainers’ computer only. It
is to demonstrate the role of double-entry to the participants. They will have their
own data to practice.

If handouts are being printed, then print the questionnaire file as well.

There is also a pdf file with completed questionnaires. Data entry is in pairs, or
small groups. Print a copy of the completed forms for each group.
Within the Power point file, slide 24 proposes that Epi Info be demonstrated by the
trainer. This uses the Empty file, and shows how the screen resembles the printed form,
and then how data entry is done. The trainer should work through the first part of the
practical, perhaps entering 2 or 3 of the completed household questionnaires.
Sessions 3 and 4 show participants how to set up their own data entry screen. No files
need be copied for these sessions. The trainer should again do a short demonstration,
working through the first couple of pages of the practical, to show the participants how to
get started.
Participants then enter the person-level data from the same survey where they entered the
household data in Session 2. There is a pdf file with a batch of completed questionnaires,
and a copy needs again to be printed for each pair or group of participants to use.
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When developing the training materials, some trainers felt that designing the data entry
screen (Sessions 3 and 4) should precede the practice in data entry (Session 2). Except for
the discussion of double-entry, currently at the start of Session 3, it would be possible to
exchange these sessions.
Session 5 discusses data management more generally. The file called Household Survey
– Access demo.mdb should be copied to the trainer’s working directory in preparation,
but need not be copied to the participant’s machines.
The file contains a form for the Household Questionnaire and is to demonstrate how data
entry forms constructed directly in Microsoft Access can be made to resemble the
questionnaires even more than they do when created in Epi-Info. In the future, much
more can be added to the Access database such as automatic checks, automatic skips,
command buttons to move between forms and a main menu.
Session 6 is on data analysis using Epi Info. If the participants have entered their data as
described in Sessions 2 to 4 then you should not copy the files called individual
survey23.mdb and individual survey24.mdb to their machines. They already have this
information from the earlier sessions. It could be copied for those participants who did
not complete the work.
The third file is called household survey – alldata.mdb. This is a large file. And a
second file, called household survey – partialdata.mdb may be used instead, if machines
are slow. This should be copied to the working directory, but it is to be merged with the
data that were entered, so it can be left on the CD/DVD and merged from there.
For the trainer’s machine it will probably be useful to copy all four files to your working
directory.
If you, or the participants, wish to investigate Epi Info’s facilities for analysis, without
going through the data entry sessions first, then these files can be used as they stand.
It is important that participants do the analyses as described in this Session, because the
results are used later, in Sessions 10/11 on report writing.
Sessions 7 to 9 – data analysis and software strategy
Sessions 7 and 8 introduce Instat – a simple statistics package. As with Epi Info earlier, the
aim is to teach strategic and statistical ideas, rather than to promote the use of this
particular package.
As we move to analysis the key point is that Excel may not be enough on its own. For
analysis there are many statistics packages that can be used, and they have become
surprisingly easy to learn to use.
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Module 1 should have given confidence in statistics generally. Here we want to give people
confidence in using statistical software. As it is (hopefully) so easy to learn to use a
statistics package, participants might be prepared to look more broadly at developing their
skills for analysis, taking advantage of the existence of specialised tools. And they don’t
have to restrict themselves to a single package either. For this reason, we deliberately
introduce a simple statistics package in this Module and then use a more powerful package
(Stata) in Module 4. So, in this whole sequence, participants will have met 3 statistics
packages – if Excel with SSC-Stat is counted as a statistics package.
Just as we hope some participants might feel able to investigate CSPRO (as an alternative
to Epi Info) for data entry, without requiring a special course, so we hope they might
consider investigating further statistics packages, should they find the ones we suggest here
are not ideal for their needs.
The materials in Sessions 7 and 8 may take a little longer than one session, so we have
made Session 9 into a half-session to compensate.
Sessions 10 to 12 – Report writing
These sessions assume the data were analysed as described in Session 6. The presentation
and accompanying handout describe the structure of a good report, and participants work
in groups to write a report. They then present the report in Session 11. Other groups or
participants use the principles to commend writers for aspects they have done well and to
suggest improvements where needed. In both cases they make suggestions by referring to
the relevant section in the report-writing handout to back up their points.
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Module 3: Designing a survey
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Module 4: Data analysis using a specialised statistical package
This Module to combines the introduction to a major statistics package, Stata, with
continued review and updating of participants’ statistical skills.
In Module 2, session 9, we proposed that some participants might be able to learn a new
statistical package, without needing a special course on the software itself. This is because
the software is in Windows and hence has a common interface, that is already familiar.
This idea applies to the use of Stata, except that we do introduce some elements of the
Stata language. Stata can be used either through the menus, or by typing commands. We
largely use the menus, but do introduce a small element of the commands, and this might
be new and challenging to some participants. For this reason, we devote more time to
practicing using Stata itself, than if just the menus were used.
The first half (6 sessions) of the module combines the introduction of Stata with further
data processing using the UNHS data.
Sessions 7 to 9 review the key concepts of statistical inference, i.e. standard errors,
confidence limits and significance tests.
Sessions 10 and 11 continue the project work that gives further practice with Stata and in
the report-writing skills reviewed in Module 2. Finally session 12 challenges participants to
outline a possible strategy for their future use of statistical software, now they have been
introduced to the full range of packages in this set of Modules.
Stata is a commercial statistical package, and hence is usually supplied separately from the
other training materials. It should be installed on the individual computers, or on the
network, prior to the start of the training. Installation is assumed, and is not covered in the
training.
Stata is bought, rather than rented on an annual basis. Once bought, it can be updated
over the web (or from updating files that are downloaded. We recommend that this be
done regularly. The updating files, that were current when the DVD/CD was prepared,
are included for those who do not have good internet access.
The sessions make use of a special guide, prepared by the SSC, called Stata for surveys.
This is in 2 parts and just the first part, Chapters 1 to 10, is needed here. Ideally copies
would be printed for each participant. The examples in the guide and other supporting
materials are on the CD/DVD and should be installed. How to do this is described below,
and also in Chapter 0 of the guide.
There is also a brief guide that reviews the concepts of statistical inference. This is useful
background reading for Sessions 7 and 8 and could be printed also.
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Installation of supporting materials for Stata.
The files needed for the Module are all in a special directory on the CD/DVD and should
be copied to the working directory.
The data files for the five surveys in the guide are an integral part of this manual, together
with several other files with programs (*.DO files) and user-written commands (*.ADO
files). All files are provided in a single bundle called survey10 (a ‘package’ in Stata parlance)
stored on the CD accompanying this manual.
These files need to be copied into a convenient folder: for example you could make a
folder called SurveysStata10 within the C:\temp folder. Choose any name you wish but
change the instructions below accordingly.
Start Stata 10 and type the following lines in the command window.
First, change the default working directory to the newly created folder with:
. cd C:\temp\SurveyStata10
Next, indicate where the files from the survey10 package are stored, for example on the
CD in a subdirectory D:\stata\survey10 on drive D. If your CD drive is referred to by a
letter other than D, change the –net from- command accordingly:
. net from D:\stata\survey10
Then, to load the necessary files from the CD drive, simply type:
. net install survey10
This line installs ADO files that provide user-written commands
The next line installs the rest of files provided in the survey10 package, including DO files.
. net get survey10
Watch for error messages: if files with the same names have already been installed, Stata
will not overwrite these and will display an error message. To overwrite the old files with
the new ones, you need to add the option –replace- to the last two commands as follows:
. net install survey10, replace
. net get survey10, replace
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Module 5: Project planning and implementation
This module has only a small statistics component – using statistics in Session 3 and
monitoring and evaluation in Sessions 8 and 9.
There are 9 sessions covering Days 1 to 5. Day 6 is a review and wrap-up day. There
are no special materials for it.
Sessions 1, 2 and 3 set the scene for the rest of the week. Then Sessions 4 to 7 go through
the key areas of Project Identification, Project Design, Project Appraisal and Project
Implementation. The trainer should try to use the same example(s) all the way through
these sessions, and the practical work gives the participants the opportunity to take a
project from conception through to implementation. The sessions need to be presented in
the order given here.
When the statistical aspects are discussed the trainer should relate the materials to earlier
sessions such as Module 3 (planning studies) and Module 2 (data quality).
The trainer should ensure that the wrap up session addresses what has been learned about
project cycle management, as well as what contributions a statistician can make to the
process.
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Module 6: Training the trainer (statistically)
This module is concerned with developing the training skills of District Office staff who
will themselves train others on statistical topics and ideas. The trainees may be colleagues
and other professional contacts concerned with the District Office work; they may be staff
engaged as enumerators on a forthcoming survey, or staff employed at sub-country offices.
The module therefore outlines general “Train the Trainer” concepts and put them in the
context of providing statistical training.
Ideally, participants should bring a training course with them that can be used in practical
work. So the presenters this module should remind participants of this requirement well in
advance of the course. UBOS has also provided a small training course that can be used, in
case participants do not bring any suitable course. This is currently referred to as No-name
training course. The course that is brought by participants may be a model of good
practice, but this is not necessary. If it is slightly old-fashioned in its approach, or
incomplete, or only in a draft form, there is then scope to criticise and improve it.
The module starts with reviewing adult learning and types of training, before moving on to
communication skills and facilitation. Once the ideas of learning and communicating have
been covered the module introduces how to present a session effectively, how to prepare a
session and finally how to prepare a small training course.
Much of the material in this version of the course notes is generic. Hence it is partly
through the examples brought by participants, the course supplied by UBOS, and the
experience of the trainers, that the slant to statistical training is reviewed.
This is the final Module in this first set of courses.
The Train-the-Trainer materials are for the first five days, so the final day (Sessions 11 and
12) can concentrate on plans by participants for their return. The materials assume that
participants first discuss what they can do differently on their return, given the training, and
then prepare a Power point presentation. Trainers may wish to use these materials, o0r
plan a different wind-up to the set of Modules.
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