Training Course in Mobile Data Collection using KoboToolbox

Course Level: Advanced

About this course

Instead of collecting data using paper and pen, which is then manually entered into a database for analysis, KoboToolbox enables us to enter data directly into a mobile device that is connected to a server and capable of uploading data directly into a centralized database for data processing and analysis.

KoboToolbox is a free and open-source platform for the collection, management, and visualization of data.

As the most widely used primary data collection tool in the nonprofit sector, it is the tool of choice for over 14,000 social impact organizations worldwide.

It is an intuitive tool for producing high-quality data in challenging settings, making it the software of choice for countless organizations.

This training course equips you with the skills to collect, manage, visualize, and analyze data using mobile devices and KoboToolbox.

Duration

5 days

What is KoboToolbox?

• KoboToolbox is a suite of free and open-source tools for field data collection using mobile devices for use in challenging environments.
• Most KoboToolbox users are people working in humanitarian crises, as well as aid professionals and researchers working in developing countries.

Why KoboToolbox?

• KoboToolbox was made with the needs of field practitioners in mind. It is extremely user-friendly and accessible, making it easy to get started quickly. It works offline on any device.
• Most importantly, all its core functionalities are free to use, forever.

Here are some of the reasons why organizations choose KoboToolbox:

• KoboToolbox was created to be intuitive to use, so organizations can collect high-quality data
• It was built specifically for the unique needs of collecting data in challenging settings, such as humanitarian crises and conflict-affected countries.
• KoboToolbox was designed for offline use and for inexpensive mobile devices while still providing advanced functionalities for data management and visualization.
• Its tools are free for social impact organizations to create an unlimited number of surveys and collect quality data.
• KoboToolbox was built to be compatible with the XLSForm standard and ODK XForms, making it easy to migrate between different platforms.
• Its tools are multilingual, and survey forms can be translated into hundreds of languages, making it easy to work with global teams.
• Survey forms can be translated and used in hundreds of different languages.

What can you do with KoboToolbox?

• Build complex forms with skip logic and validation using KoboToolbox Form Builder or XLSForm (XLSForm is recommended for larger forms)
• Collect data offline on a mobile device and send it to a cloud server.
• Collect data using any mobile devices via the webforms
• Map data
• Visualize, manage, and analyze data
• Store collected data on a server and extract it into useful formats for analysis
• Export data for analysis

Course Objectives

This online training course in Mobile Data Collection using KoboToolbox will teach learners to:

• Build/design complex forms with skip logic and validation in KoboToolbox Form Builder  and Microsoft Excel  (XLSForms syntax)
• Easily share projects with colleagues
• Design, Import, and export XLSForm
• Collect data online/offline on mobile devices or any browser
• Create summary reports with graphs and tables
• Visualize collected data on a map
• Disaggregate data in reports and maps
• Export data for analysis

Topics to be Covered

• Essentials for beginners
• Data collection and data management
• Advanced survey form development/Form authoring/Form Digitization
• Collect data offline or online on any device
• Collect data using an Android app or a web browser
• Survey data hosting
• Review and validate data in real time
• Visualize data with custom maps and reports
• Connecting with external applications for analysis, visualizations, and dashboards (PowerBI, Excel, Google Sheets)
• Survey planning, implementation, publishing, data visualization, and analysis
• Download data in XLS, CSV, KML, ZIP, or GeoJSON
• Easily scale projects for dozens or millions of respondents

Learning Outcomes

• At the end of the course, learners will be able to:
• Setup an account in KoboToolbox
• Digitize any complex questionnaire into a digital form that can be used for data collection on mobile devices and on browsers.
• Visualize, manage, and analyze data in KoboToolbox.
• Map data in KoboToolbox.
• Collect data on mobile devices and browsers
• Extract/Export data from KoboToolbox for analysis.

Course requirements

• A laptop
• Basic computing skills
• A mobile device running Android OS
• Access to the internet
• Proficiency in English

Course Outline

• KoboToolbox Setup and Architecture
• Course project questionnaire overview
• KoboToolbox home interface overview
• Getting started – Sign up (Create an account in KoboToolbox)
• Overview of the KoboToolbox user interface
• Creating our first project and data types
• Introduction to the KoboToolbox Form Builder – Getting started with simple questions
• Installing KoboCollect– Download and install KoboCollect on mobile devices
• Deploying forms for data collection
• Collecting data on mobile devices – Collect data and send to the server
• A preview of the collected data (A view of our data in the server)
• Editing a deployed project – Cloning a project
• Single-select questions, multiple-select questions, group questions
• Rich and multimedia data (calculate, GPS, photo, audio, video, decimal)
• Advanced Survey Authoring (Skip pattern, specify other, required, referencing, note)
• Advanced Survey Authoring cont’ (repeat, Validation, validation message, skip pattern, specify, groups)
• Metadata
• Collecting Data on Mobile Devices
• Reviewing tool and deploying for data collection (Edit and deploy)
• Editing and Exporting Data (Reports, tables, maps, media files, export data, approve submissions)