Why Big Data Matters

Led by: Generation Scotland

Funding awarded: £5,970

Generation Scotland is Scotland’s largest family health and well-being study with over 40,000 participants, looking to improve health and wellbeing of current and future generations in Scotland.

It is a collaboration between the Universities of Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow with NHS Scotland.

Through a partnership with the University of Glasgow Schools Health and Wellbeing Improvement Research Network (SHINE), Generation Scotland has developed a skeleton resource for use in schools across Scotland on health and data research and why it is important for young people to get involved. Click here to learn more about the school resources.

The resource consists of three lessons covering key aspects of health data research:

What is health data research?
What is data linkage?
What is data ethics and why does it matter?

Each 40-minute lesson includes a video introduction with graphics and audio, a hands-on activity and further discussion points to engage the class in the topic.

The project team are now looking to expand these resources to include comprehensive support for teachers, and to develop their work to reach a wider range of audiences and increase awareness of health data research among young people.

They aim to develop the lesson plans to align more closely with the Scottish Curriculum; hold webinars, visit schools and present at conferences to reach as many schools as possible; and increase young people’s understanding of what health research is and how to get involved.

Generation Scotland was previously supported by our Public Engagement Fund in 2022-23, where the team connected with members of the public at science festivals and other large-scale events.