Impact of the Mobile Phone

This activity gives students an opportunity to investigate the historical changes to lifestyles that the mobile phone has brought to Uganda.

We would like you to take the interview questions below to members of your family in different age groups. Ask them the questions and make a record of each person’s reply.

You can analyse the results by hand or use a calculator.

Alternatively, if you have access to a computer, you can enter the responses into a spreadsheet and analyse the data with the various spreadsheet functions.

You might be able to submit this activity as a piece of coursework for your computer studies examination.

Each student, or pair of students, should ask the questions below to at least 3 people in their family in the age groups: Under 21, 25 to 60, Over 60.

IMPACT OF THE MOBILE PHONE
ON LIFE IN UGANDA

INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

Pre-interview information:

School Name:

Class:

Nearest town:

Distance to town in km:

How long does the bus journey take from home to Kampala? (in hours):

Date of Interview:

Sex of Interviewee: Male (1), Female (2)

Introducing the interview:
At school we are investigating the effect the mobile phone has had on Uganda. Would you mind answering a few questions?
There are also one or two personal questions.
Do you mind telling me?

Your age:

What you do? (e.g. student, job, retired)

Do you have the use of a mobile phone? Yes (1), No (0)

Is it one you own (1) or one you borrow (2)?

In which year did you first have use of a mobile phone?

How many mobile phones have you had?

What did you pay for your first one?

What did you pay for your latest one?

How do you use your mobile phone? Say Yes(1) or No(0) to each of the following:

  1. To call family and friends for a chat
  2. To meet people
  3. To call for a bodaboda or taxi
  4. To check on prices of goods and place orders
  5. To check prices in markets of things I am selling
  6. To read the news
  7. To take photographs
  8. For social networking (Facebook, whatapp etc)
  9. To search the internet
  10. Other – please specify:

How important is the mobile phone in your life? 
Tick one. Tick(1), No tick(0)

  • Not at all
  • I use it sometimes
  • I use it often
  • It is essential, I use it all the time

How has having a mobile phone affected life?
(Record 1 for Yes and 0 for No for each of the following)

  1. Not at all
  2. It has saved money on my purchases
  3. It has enabled me to get higher prices for what I sell
  4. It has made it possible to pick up work
  5. It is essential to my work
  6. It has helped me to keep in touch with people
  7. It has made me happier
  8. Other (please specify):

FINAL QUESTION: Is there anything else you would like to say about the effect of the mobile phone on your life? Write down what they say:

Analysing Your Data by Spreadsheet

If you intend to analyse your data using a spreadsheet then click the link below to download this Microsoft Excel template:

Mobile Phone Interview.xlsx

Once you have analysed your data, present a report of your findings to the class.

Enter your data into an Online Questionnaire

If you have access to a computer or a smart phone connected to the internet, you can help us by entering your results into an online database. This will allow us to pool the results from different schools throughout Uganda and we will make available a link to the results so you can see them.

To complete the online questionnaire please click this link:

https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/PhoneuseUganda

If you would like to complete the questionnaire on a smart phone or to send the link to someone else then please use this QR Code:



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