Lab Outline

Week 1: Introduction to Databases and Organizing (April 10)

Goals

  • Understand what a database does and it’s primary uses
  • Understand how databases support organizing work

Outline

  • What is a database?
  • Example of databases in organizing
  • Exercises in using MS Access to get information from database (QUERY)
    • Using the SQL Bingo data (members, organizing teams) have the class create queries to answer questions. ie list of members in the ‘Mobile Home Parks’ group, etc.
    • Generate a report (printable list of members)
  • Use, edit and create a simple form to add and edit member data.

Set up and Materials

  • MS Access DB setup with SQL Bingo data
    • Relationships setup, one or two example queries, a form and a report(?)
    • Data modified to include email and phone number if not already there

Assignments

  • Uploading Technology chapter in Radical Democracy
  • Database assignment: ie create a form, report, query of some sort

Week 2: Databases with Access cont. + Relationships (April 17)

Goals

  • Understand Relational Data
  • Be able to create queries on relational data
  • Be able to create a report that uses relational data (ie member profile that shows list of events attended)
  • Be able to create form for manual input
  • Be able to import data from file (xls, csv)

Outline

  • Start with another video or example of databases in organizing
  • Review last weeks progress and topics
  • Introduce relationships in more depth (frame questions and exercises)
  • Extend current database to include event tracking
  • Add/Import event attendance data from mock sign-up sheet
    • Have a handout prepared (paper and/or electronic) that is a sign-up sheet for a couple of events
  • Add queries/forms/reports to match new relationships (some part is HW?)

Set up and Materials

  • DB file from previous week to review
  • Need spreadsheet of event sign-ups (xls to csv format) to import

Assignments

  • Reading from Radical Democracy and/or Voter Techkit (something about collecting data)

Week 3: Data Merge (April 24)

Goals

  • Understand “anatomy” of a data merge (data, template, merged document)
  • Be able to easily create mailing labels, letters, thank you postcards, walk/call sheets

Outline

  • Explain data merging “anatomy”
    • Start with questions or an example of where it’s really useful. Perhaps give a fake assignment to create a bunch of letters or labels.
  • Go through creating a merge for labels and letters
    • Either merge directly from MS Access or export a report to Excel and merge that.
  • Explain walk and call sheets (video example, guest speaker, demonstration). Create template as class and then merge with data.

Set up and Materials

  • Need materials from Data Merge workshop in TechCamp curriculum (modified to fit our existing data)
  • Test our merging from MS Access and see if it’s worthwhile (or easy enough to do in class)

Assignments

  • Students create a merge to send a thank you note to the attendees of the last fundraising dinner.
  • Reading?

Week 4: Data Input and Merging (May 1)

Goals

  • Be able to print report with barcode data for input
  • Be able to import and merge a list from “partner organization”
    • de-duplication, cleaning data, finding matches, Excel to split/concatenate, find and replace (ie “Av to AVE”)
    • script to clean up data (“list enhancement”) – what is the format that other list-enhancement services use (Gill Foundation)?

Outline

  • Work through process of importing a “partner orgs” membership list and cross-referencing
  • Set up a report (ie call sheet) with barcode data, print and do input

Set up and Materials

  • Excel or other data file from “partner organization” (union, church, etc) – need details on how this would be implemented in Access (query to report? or new table structure?)
  • Barcode scanner (can we use on lab computers?) hooked up to laptop
  • Barcode font installed (on laptop or in labs)
  • Sample DB from previous weeks but with something to track (call sheet response? walk sheet response?)

Assignments

  • DB assignment?
  • Reading?

Week 5: Other Database Topic: Analysis with PivotCharts? Something else?(May 8)

Goals
Outline
Set up and Materials

Assignments

  • Reading to prep for voter data class
    • voter privacy reading
    • county election voter data info
    • something from voter techkit

Week 6: Voter Data (May 15)

Goals
Outline
Set up and Materials
Assignments

Week 7: Voter Data continued (May 22)

Goals
Outline
Set up and Materials
Assignments

Week 8: Other Topics: Email Advocacy Tools (May 29)

Goals
Outline
Set up and Materials
Assignments

Week 9: Other Topics: SMS Campaign Tools (Jun 5)

Goals
Outline
Set up and Materials
Assignments

Stuff to Review for Assignments, Resources and Reading

Voter Registration Assignment

From Arif: “so I’d say that it’s a great exercise for the experience, but that there isn’t really a connect to the data side of things, unless you use the inability to key it all in as a teaching moment for thinking about the strategy – what is accomplished by registration? Do you need to key it all in to accomplish that? what could you capture in the db that would be useful, etc.”