Home internet survey

The learning object L3150 Home Internet survey is an appropriate activity for students who are unfamiliar with the statistical investigation process. It models the process and can stimulate discussion about the steps involved.

After choosing a question of interest, students are guided through conducting a survey, collating and displaying data for analysis. They identify conclusions that can be supported by the evidence.

 

Lists the 3 possible topics: Which people use the Internet? What is the internet used for? And Where do people connect to the Internet?

Screen grab from Home Internet survey: topics

 

Students are required to make choices at each stage of the investigation, and they receive immediate and detailed feedback.

Students choose survey questions, graph type and an article headline appropriate to the investigation.

Discuss with students how the data have been organised into tables and how the appropriate graph types are well-labelled. These are good examples for them to follow in their own investigations.

 

Comparative column graph showing that no matter the age the use of a home computer is consistent, but that the older the child the more the Internet is used at home.

Screen grab from Home Internet survey: who?

 

Ask students to use the provided report template to write a newspaper article using the results from the investigation.

The Internet survey activity is one of a series of three, which also includes L3154 Leisure survey and L3158 Healthy life survey. It is also part of a unit of work for year 8 students, which is featured in R11397 Using 'Investigating us' – Teacher idea.

Curriculum links

Year 6: Interpret and compare a range of data displays, including side-by-side column graphs for two categorical variables

Year 8: Investigate techniques for collecting data, including census, sampling and observation

Source