Using WICID Using WICID (Web-based Interface to (Web-based Interface to Census Interaction Data)Census Interaction Data)

in the Classroomin the Classroom

John StillwellSchool of Geography, University of Leeds

Leeds, LS2 9JT, United Kingdom

Presentation at the Third International Conference on Education and Information Systems: Technologies and Application (EISTA),

Orlando, Florida, July 14-17, 2005

PresentationPresentation

• Delivering UK census data for education and research

• Origin-Destination Statistics

• Using WICID for query-building and data extraction

• Example queries and outputs

• Using WICID in the classroom

Delivering UK census data Delivering UK census data for education and researchfor education and research

• Censuses of Population important sources of data

• Relatively reliable, comprehensive territorial coverage, small area detail mean wide use in national, regional and local government, by health authorities and other service providers and by the private sector

• Also important source of data for research and education

• Spatial detail ensures particular value for students of Geography interested in socio-demographic variations in the population over space

Census data provisionCensus data provision

• Easy access to census data has been high on the agenda of the national census organisations (in England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland) over the last few years, as the results of the 2001 ‘one number’ census have been produced

• Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and the Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC) have purchased data from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) for use by the higher and further education community for teaching and research

• ESRC/JISC also provide funding through the Census Programme (currently 2001-2006) to enable members of the academic community (staff and students) to access data from the 2001 and previous censuses quickly and effectively

UK Census Programme 2001-06UK Census Programme 2001-06

Source: Martin (2003)

Data Support UnitsData Support Units• Census Dissemination Unit (CDU) at the University of Manchester

supporting the Census Area Statistics and postcode lookup tables

• UKBORDERS service the University of Edinburgh, supporting digital boundary data sets

• Census Interaction Data Service (CIDS) at the Universities of Leeds and St Andrews supporting the Origin-Destination statistics

• Cathie Marsh Centre for Census and Survey Research at the University of

Manchester supporting the Samples of Anonymised Records

• Centre for Longitudinal Study Information and User Support (CELSIUS) at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine supporting the Longitudinal Study

• Census Registration Unit (CRU), based in the UK Data Archive at the University of Essex registering all users wishing to use any of the data held by the other support units.

Origin-Destination StatisticsOrigin-Destination Statistics

• Origin-Destination Statistics or ‘interaction’ data are migration and commuting flow data sets

• Two key sets of data:

- Special Migration Statistics (SMS)

- Special Workplace Statistics (SWS)

• Unlike stock data, they have a geography of origin and a geography of destination

Geographical units used in 2001 Geographical units used in 2001 SMS/SWSSMS/SWS

Country Level 1 Level 2 Level 3

England London Boroughs (33), Metropolitan Districts (36), Unitary Authorities (46), Other Local Authorities (239)

CAS wards (7,969)

Output areas (165,665)

Wales Unitary Authorities (22) CAS wards ( 881) Output areas (9,769)

Scotland Council Areas (32) ST wards ( 1,176) Output areas (42,604)

Northern Ireland

Parliamentary Constituencies (18)

CAS wards (582 ) Output areas (5,022)

Total Districts (426) Interaction wards (10,608)

Output areas (223,060)

WICIDWICID• Large and complex data sets• Data available from 1981 and 1991 censuses as

well as 2001• Also ‘derived’ data sets available as well as

‘primary’• Software system used to access and extract

data is called WICID (Web-based Interface to Census Interaction Data)

• WICID programmed by Oliver Duke-Williams (see Stillwell and Duke Williams, 2003, for more detail of the system)

Using WICID for query-building Using WICID for query-building and data extractionand data extraction

• WICID has a guest function that allows anyone to logon and explore the system but those wishing to download data are required:

- to obtain an Athens userid and password- to become a registered census user

• The Census Registration Service facilitates access to the census data resources (http://census.data-archive.ac.uk/)

• Currently the system is only available to members of the academic community in the United Kingdom

• Once registered, access to the CIDS homepage is at

http//cids.census.ac.uk/

CIDS home pageCIDS home page

WICID home pageWICID home page

WICID: query interfaceWICID: query interface

Area selection toolsArea selection tools

Main Main geographies geographies available in available in

WICIDWICID

List selection of districtsList selection of districts

Data sets available on migrationData sets available on migration

Tables in 1991 Tables in 1991 SMSSMS Set 2 Set 2

Cells of Table 6 in 1991 SMS Set 2Cells of Table 6 in 1991 SMS Set 2

Extraction has been completedExtraction has been completed

Example queries and outputsExample queries and outputs• Classroom practicals are designed to introduce

students to census interaction data and teach them how to construct queries and to extract subsets of flow data

• Class sizes: up to 50 students working on separate terminals

• Practical sessions focused on questions that relate to different interaction data sets and students respond to questions by constructing queries, extracting the relevant data and presenting results in either tabular, graphic or map form

Question 1: Question 1: What is the age breakdown of in-migrants to What is the age breakdown of in-migrants to

Leeds Metropolitan District in 1990-91?Leeds Metropolitan District in 1990-91?

• Construct a query that provides the data for 5 year age groups; you will need to ‘derive’ the 15-19 age group because age 15 is tabulated separately

• Distinguish two types of flow: (a) those in-migrants to Leeds District from elsewhere in GB, and (b) those immigrants to Leeds District from overseas

• Leave flows from unstated origins unselected

• Extract the data you require, transfer it into Excel, and produce a graph illustrating the data

• What do you conclude from your this subset of data?

Query to extract data for Question 1Query to extract data for Question 1

Results of query for Question 1Results of query for Question 1

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1500

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2500

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From overseas

Question 2: Question 2: How did the social structure of commuting flows in How did the social structure of commuting flows in

Leeds vary spatially in 1991?Leeds vary spatially in 1991?

• Construct a query that gives journey to work flows to the two central wards of Leeds from the other wards of Leeds and from the six districts around Leeds, disaggregated by social class (six categories)

• Extract the data and transfer to Excel. Add the flows into the two

destinations together and compute the percentages of the flows from each origin to central Leeds in each of the 6 social classes

• Rank the origins on percentage of the flow in ‘Professional’ category and plot the percentages in each social class for each origin area using a 100% Stacked Column graph which allows comparison of percentage that each value contributes across total categories

• Produce two maps of the proportion of commuters to central Leeds that are in social classes 1 (Professional) and 5 (Unskilled)

• What do you conclude about the spatial variation in the social class of

commuters in Leeds?

Ward and district origins for Question 2Ward and district origins for Question 2

Query for Question 2Query for Question 2

Stacked column graphStacked column graph

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Class 5

Class 4

Class 3(M)

Class 3 (N)

Class 2

Class 1

Results of query for Question 2Results of query for Question 2

EvaluationEvaluation

• When you have finished constructing the queries and extracting the data, please provide some comments on your experience using the ‘feedback facility’ in WICID

• Did you find the system easy to use? • What problems did you encounter? • Have you got any suggestions to make about

improving the screen pages or the procedures? • Please copy these into a word file for handing in

as part of the assignment

Using WICID in the classroomUsing WICID in the classroom• Examples typical of the assignments that BA Geography

undergraduates in their final year who would have already had some training in Excel and MapInfo desktop GIS

• Experience suggests that interface is relatively easy to use but students have to put considerable effort into deciding which data sets are required for which origins and destinations; needs careful consideration of the phenomenon that they are studying and judgements about spatial scale that is appropriate

• Very easy to generate large quantities of data and students learn quickly that it is often necessary to aggregate and summarise this information

• Important to understand characteristics and shortcomings of data

• WICID is a very useful example for teaching of students about relational databases, metadata, customised web-based databases with analytical and mapping facilities and planning support systems

Final pointsFinal points• teaching resources produced under another ESRC/JISC

project: ‘Developing the Collection of Historical and Contemporary Census Data and Related Materials (CHCC) into a Major Learning and Teaching Resource’

• web site: http://ahds.ac.uk/history/collections/chcc.htm (see Unit 15)

• CIDS is a service that encourages use of the interaction data sets; ‘easy access’ and ‘user-friendliness’ are key principles

• Users are at liberty to phone the help line in emergency situations or to email the developers with questions or for advice

• Development work now on improving the ability to make comparisons between censuses, constructing new geographies and extending analytical facilities

ContactContact

My email

j.c.h.stillwell@leeds.ac.uk

AcknowledgementAcknowledgementCIDS is funded by the ESRC/JISC under Census CIDS is funded by the ESRC/JISC under Census

Programme Research Grant H507255177Programme Research Grant H507255177

http://cids.census.ac.uk