Training Course in Mobile Data Collection Using ODK

Description

 

Course Preview Video

 

 

Course Details

Course Name:  Mobile Data Collection Using ODK

Delivery Mode: E-learning (Online/Web-based/Self-paced)

Course Price: USD 400

Methods of Payment: Bank Transfer, PayPal, Credit Card, Neteller, MPESA, Skrill, Western Union, Crypto

 

Demo Course

 

Click here to access the demo course

 

Introduction

In the past, data collection was performed using paper and pen, which made it prone to error, difficult to conduct on a large scale, and high in transaction costs.

 

ICT tools such as mobile devices and software that allow 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.

 

One of the commonly used tools is ODK (Open Data Kit). Open Data Kit has been used to observe elections, monitor rainforests, track outbreaks,  conduct one-off surveys, rapid assessments, baseline studies, project mid-term evaluation, project end-term evaluation,  market research, during and directly following disasters, and in many other cases.

 

This course is a hands-on, step-by-step guide that will teach learners how to set up, administer, and manage a mobile-based data collection platform using ODK, Open Data Kit.

 

Course Details

ODK or Open Data Kit is a set of free and open-source tools that are used for field data collection using Android mobile phones and tablets and allows data submission to a local self-hosted server or an online cloud-based server.

 

The ODK – Open Data Kit ecosystem comprises the following components:

 

1. ODK Collect – An open-source Android app that is used to collect data on android mobile phones and tablets.
2. ODK Build – A form designer with a drag-and-drop user interface.
3. XLSForm – A standard for building forms in Excel.
4. ODK Aggregate – An open-source application that stores, analyzes, and presents survey data collected using ODK Collect.
5. ODK Central – This is the ODK server.
6. ODK Cloud – A fully-managed and fully-supported cloud infrastructure for hosting the ODK Central server.
7. Enketo Forms – Enables preview and submission of forms directly from a web browser.

 

Other tools in the ODK ecosystem include ODK Briefcase, ODK Aggregate VM, ODK XLSForm Converter, ODK Validate, GEOODK, ODK Scanner, ODK Printers, and the ODK Sensor Framework.

 

There are other tools that were inspired by the ODK ecosystem including but not limited to KoBoToolbox which is also free and open-source.

 

Others include Ona.io, Hoji, and Survey CTO. These have a free trial period as well as a premium version with added functionalities and unlimited survey data storage capacity.

 

Other commonly used mobile data collection tools include CSPro for android (CS Entry), Magpi (Regular data collection and also supports SMS data Collection), fulcrum, mobenzi, visitbasis, dimagi, zapier amongst many others.

 

This training course will focus mainly on how to set up, manage and administer a mobile data collection platform using ODK.

 

If you have always wanted to learn how to collect, manage, visualize and analyze project field data using mobile phones, this course is for you.

Who should take this course?

This training course is suitable for individuals and organizations who are interested in learning how to set up, manage and administer a mobile data collection platform using ODK.

 

Course requirements

1. A laptop
2. Intermediate computing skills
3. A mobile device running Android OS
4. Working knowledge in Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets
5. Access to the internet
6. Proficiency in English

 

About the instructor

The course instructors are seasoned industry experts.

Other than training and implementation of mobile data collection systems, the instructors also work as mobile and web-based systems developers.

 

What can you do in ODK?

1. Build/digitize a data collection form/questionnaire/survey using ODK Build, Excel, or Google Sheets (XLSForms syntax)
2. Collect data offline on a mobile device and send it to a cloud server.
3. Collect data online using web forms
4. Visualize, map and analyze data online
5. Stream data to analysis and dashboard applications like Excel, Power BI, or R
6. Aggregate the collected data on a server and extract it into useful formats for analysis
7. Manage data collectors and managers

 

How and where has ODK been used

ODK has been used to:

1. Observe elections
2. Monitor rainforests
3. Track outbreaks
4. Conduct one-off surveys
5. Conduct rapid assessments
6. Conduct baseline studies
7. Project mid-term evaluation
8. Project end-term evaluation
9. Market research
10. Monitor and manage disasters in Haiti and in many other cases

 

Topics To Be Covered

1. ODK Collect
2. XLSForms
3. ODK Central
4. ODK Cloud
5. Enketo Forms
6. ODK Build
7. ODK aggregate
8. ODK Validate
9. ODK Briefcase

 

Course Objectives

This online training course in Mobile Data Collection using Open Data Kit (ODK) will teach learners how to:

1. Build/design forms (Digitize questionnaires) in ODK Build, Excel, or Google Sheets (XLSForm syntax)
2. Check for xlsform syntax errors and validate forms
3. Setup a free sub-domain on Free DNS
4. Set up an account on Digital Ocean
5. Setup ODK Aggregate server on Digital Ocean
6. Setup ODK Central server on Digital Ocean
7. Collect data offline on mobile devices using ODK Collect
8. Collect data online using webforms
9. Upload and aggregate collected data in a cloud server
10. Visualize, manage, analyze and map data online
11. Download data from the cloud server for further analysis
12. Stream data to analysis and dashboard applications like Excel, Power BI, or R

 

Learning Outcomes

At the end of the course, learners will be able to:

1. Digitize any paper-based questionnaire to an ODK compatible format using MS Excel and ODK Build
2. Setup a free sub-domain on Free DNS
3. Setup and operate an account in Digital Ocean VPS
4. Setup and administer an ODK aggregate server on Digital Ocean
5. Setup and administer an ODK Central server on ODK Central
6. Setup ODK Collect and collect data offline on mobile devices
7. Collect data online using webforms
8. Upload data to a cloud-based ODK Aggregate server
9. Upload data to a cloud-based ODK Central server
10. Manage data collectors and managers online
11. Analyze, visualize and map data online on ODK aggregate
12. Download data from ODK aggregate using ODK Briefcase for further analysis using software such as MS. Excel, Stata, SPSS, R, etc
13. Stream data from ODK Central to analysis and dashboard applications like Excel, Power BI, or R

 

Course Outline

1. Introduction to mobile data collection
2. Advanced survey digitization in Excel using the XLSForms syntax
3. Free DNS sub-domain setup
4. Digital Ocean setup
5. ODK aggregate installation on Digital Ocean
6. Enabling HTTPS
7. ODK Aggregate administration
8. ODK Collect setup on a mobile device
9. Offline mobile data collection
10. Data visualization, analysis, and mapping on Aggregate server
11. Export data for analysis using ODK Briefcase
12. ODK Central installation on Digital Ocean
13. ODK Central administration
14. ODK Collect and ODK Central integration
15. Data streaming from ODK Central

 

Course Topics (Lessons)

#	Lesson	Duration (Mins)
	Introduction to the course and course materials
1	Introduction to the course and ODK application in M&E	16
2	Course materials, downloads, and layout	3
3	Getting started with XLSForms syntax (Setting up the workbook)	5
4	Worksheets explained	3
5	Getting started with simple questions	10
6	Select one, select multiple and required questions	13
7	Validating forms	4
8	Referencing and specify other questions	26
9	Hint, relevance, and skip logic	15
10	Constraints, select multiple and specify questions	16
11	Specify others, relevance and grouping questions	10
12	Relevance and skip logic (Revision)	3
13	Repeating questions (Loop)	5
14	Calculate, take photos and record GPS questions	10
15	Consent and multiple language questions	10
16	Troubleshooting and validating and converting forms (Questionnaire)	7
	Setting up the ODK Aggregate Server
17	ODK Aggregate server setup introduction and preview	3
18	Creating an account at FreeDNS and adding a sub-domain	5
19	Creating an account in Digital Ocean	9
20	Installing ODK Aggregate in Digital Ocean	17
21	Enabling HTTPS on the server	14
22	ODK Aggregate management and administration	9
	Mobile Device setup and Mobile Data Collection
23	ODK Collect and mobile phone setup	9
24	Collecting data on mobile phones and uploading to the server	18
25	Viewing and analyzing data on the server	11
26	Exporting data for further analysis using ODK Briefcase	17
Total (Mins)		265

 

 

Demo Course

 

Click here to access the demo course

 

Contact Information

Email: outreach@t4d.co.ke

Email: outreach@teefodee.com

Mobile: +254 706909947