Doing Remote Field Research: Training of Local Enumerators

One of the health facilties included in the pilot study
© EnerSHelF

Within Work Package 1.2, the team of the EnerSHelF project analysis the factors that are determining the adoption of technologies in Ghana – specifically of Solar PVs. To do so, a line of quantitative interviews with health facility managers is conducted.

Originally, the German partners of the EnerSHelF project planned to travel to Ghana to train local enumerators for the conduct of the interviews. The training is meant to ensure consistent results across the 200 interviews spread over the country. However, due to the global pandemic, the plans had to be revised. Instead of taking the plane to Ghana, Ana Maria Pérez from Hochschule Bonn-Rhein-Sieg and Kennedy Alatinga from SD Dombo University of Business and Integrated Development Studies in Wa carried out the training online.

Training Topics

At the beginning of June, ten enumerators took part in the one-week training course on various aspects surrounding the data collection. It included a walkthrough of the previously developed questionnaire, aspects of confidentiality, an introduction of the tools for the survey and responsibilities of the enumerators, as well as other data collection and interviewing principles.

Pilot Study and Feedback

Subsequently, the team did a two-week pilot study with 35 health facilities. The aim of the test run was to identify any flaws in the questionnaire or other aspects that needed adjustment. After testing the survey, the team met again for an evaluation and exchange of experience. An integral part of the evaluation was feedback from the enumerators as their insight and local perspective is of great importance for the validity of the study. The team then adjusted the questionnaire accordingly and the conduct and field work started on the 01st of July.

Pilot Sites across Ghana
© KoBo Toolbox/GoogleMaps

Article by Jonas Bauhof