The African Sisters Education Collaborative(ASEC)/ Higher Education for Sisters in Africa (HESA) students of the Catholic University of Ghana, Fiapre, in the Bono Region of Ghana, have organised a reflective learning workshop for Sisters under the HESA Scholarship Programme.
The May 27, 2026 workshop focused on the use of the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) in research, particularly in data entry, data management, and statistical analysis.
The session was facilitated by Dr. Afful Ekow Kelly, a lecturer at the Faculty of Computing, Engineering, and Mathematical Sciences (CEMS) at the Catholic University of Ghana, Fiapre.
The workshop began with an introduction to SPSS as an important software used by researchers for organizing, managing, analyzing, and interpreting data.
The facilitator explained that SPSS can perform basic data analysis, generate charts and graphical presentations, and carry out advanced statistical analyses for academic and professional research.
Participants were taken through various forms of data used in research, including qualitative and quantitative data.
Qualitative data was explained as data expressed in words and categories, such as gender, race, marital status, and level of education, while quantitative data was described as numerical data used to measure quantities, such as age, income, and distance.
The workshop also highlighted the differences between primary and secondary data, explaining that primary data is collected directly by the researcher for a specific purpose, whereas secondary data is obtained from existing sources where some analyses may already have been conducted.
The facilitator further discussed variables in research and their classifications.
Quantitative variables were categorized into discrete and continuous variables, while qualitative variables were described as categorical variables.
Participants also learned about levels of measurement, including nominal, ordinal, interval, and ratio variables.
Practical examples, such as Likert scale responses, educational levels, and demographic variables, were used to help participants understand these concepts clearly.
In addition, the workshop examined important research concepts, such as population and sample, emphasizing the importance of selecting representative samples to make valid generalizations about a larger population.
Participants were also introduced to descriptive and inferential statistics. Descriptive statistics, such as mean, median, standard deviation, charts, and graphs, were explained as tools used to summarize data, while inferential statistics were described as techniques used to make conclusions and predictions about populations from sample data.
Several statistical tests commonly used in SPSS were discussed during the session.
These included the Independent Samples T-Test, One-Way ANOVA, Two-Way ANOVA, Chi-Square Test of Independence, Pearson Correlation, Linear Regression, and Multinomial Logistic Regression.
The facilitator explained the purpose of each statistical test and demonstrated practical examples to show how they are applied in research.
Participants were also guided through the steps involved in conducting analyses in SPSS, particularly the procedures for running an Independent Samples T-Test and interpreting ANOVA results.
The workshop further exposed participants to the interpretation of statistical outputs and research findings.
Practical examples were used to explain concepts such as significance levels, F-ratios, correlations, and regression analysis.
Participants gained a better understanding of how statistical analyses help researchers identify relationships, differences, and predictive patterns in data.
The reflective learning workshop greatly enhanced participants’ knowledge and practical understanding of SPSS and research methods.
The interactive nature of the training and practical demonstrations improved participants’ confidence in using statistical tools for academic research.
Participants expressed appreciation for the opportunity to strengthen their skills in data analysis and research interpretation.
There was a Zoom meeting with sponsors from the United States of America and coordinators from all the countries that have benefited from ASEC.
Participants took turns to share their experiences and thank the sponsors for the opportunity given. Sr. Draru, the ASEC Executive Director, also advised the participants to let their lives and charisms portray who they are and not to engage in unnecessary competition or compare themselves with other congregations.
Each Religious Congregation is unique, with a different charism and purpose for which it was established.
Present at the workshop were Sr. Martha Attakuru, Coordinator for ASEC/HESA Ghana, 44 continuing Sisters schooling at the Catholic University of Ghana, and three students pursuing online programmes from different Religious Congregations.
These included the Sisters of the Incarnate Word (SVI), Handmaids of the Holy Child Jesus (HHCJ), Society of the Holy Child Jesus (SHCJ), Sisters of the Holy Cross (CSC), Our Lady of Apostles (OLA), Daughters of the Most Holy Trinity (FST), Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul (DC), Sisters of Mary Immaculate (SMI), Franciscan Missionaries of Mary (FMM), Religious of the Blessed Virgin Mary (RVM), Sisters of the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus (EHJ), Sisters of Mary Mother of the Church (SMMC), Missionary Sisters Servants of the Holy Spirit (SSPS), Society of the Infant Jesus (SIJ), and the Sisters of the Order of Saint Benedict (O.S.B.), among others.
By Sr. Rebecca Asante, SVI ( Sister Communicator- CASCON-GH)
