Survey+Makers

= Survey Makers = Douglas Haman

Description and Uses of Technology[[image:uctech4teachers/Survey_pic.png width="480" height="406" align="right" caption="Image capture by Douglas Haman"]]
Survey makers are applications that allow a user to create, deliver, and collect the results from a web-based survey. Compared with traditional modes of surveys, web surveys have several advantages, including shorter transmitting time, lower delivery cost, more design options, and less data entry time (Fan & Yan, 2010).

There are several competing survey maker applications, including Survey Monkey, Zoomerang, SurveyGizmo, and PollDaddy. There are also applications that have survey features embedded in them, such as Google Docs. Some applications have been developed specifically for mobile devices, such as MoboSurvey. Many of these programs offer a limited free version, with additional features accessible for a premium. Some, like Survey Monkey, offer discounted pricing for educational institutions.

Using survey makers to create web-based surveys does present issues not faced when using a traditional paper survey. These issues include accessibility to the survey itself, concerns over a lack of anonymity, lower response rates for web-based surveys, and the possibility that there may be a difference in the quality and type of responses in web-based surveys as compared to traditional paper surveys (Ardalan, et al. 2007; Guder & Malliaris, 2010).

In the classroom, survey makers can be used to create surveys for many reasons, including assessment, communication and feedback. Teachers can use web-based surveys to gather course evaluation data in a systematic and standardized way. Because this data is collected electronically, teachers can more easily compare results between classes for trends. Web-based surveys can also be used to assess students’ understanding of lessons – this makes the survey a form of online quiz, where the instructor can not only track students’ mastery of content, but also track common errors made in response to the survey. Web-based surveys can also be used as a form of communication, not only between student and instructor, but also between teachers and parents or other parties.

Important Findings on Student Outcomes
Much of the research into digital surveys revolves around two things: (1) whether the quality of responses differs between the various methods of conducting surveys, and (2) whether the response rate differs between the various methods of conducting surveys.

The research does not show a significant difference in the quality of responses between electronic and paper surveys, but does show that students are more likely to enjoy taking an electronic survey over a paper survey. For example, Karadeniz (2009) investigated whether the medium of the assessment impacted student achievement and students’ perceptions of each method of delivering the assessment. According to his study, 60% of participants reported that the delivery method they liked most was web-based, while 75% of participants reported that the delivery method they liked least was paper-based. This study and many others like it suggest that students may be more interested in taking a web-based survey as compared to a paper survey. A drawback of these studies was that the research was conducted with college students, thus the results might not be readily applicable to the primary or secondary school classroom. However, Walt, et al. (2008) examined surveys administered to 3rd, 4th and 7th graders both in web and paper forms, finding that electronic and paper surveying produced very similar results. They stated that the use of computers to take surveys is fun for children, and further found that the use of electronic questionnaires may be advantageous with younger children, since they cannot “draw or write in the response space and spoil the form.” Overall, the research suggests that students may be much more interested in taking surveys by computer over completing identical paper versions without affecting the quality of responses. The only bias that was identified between paper and computer versions of the survey was when asking questions about computers. For example, when asked the question "Do you fell more comfortable using computers?" students replied that they were at a much higher rate when taking the survey by computer over a traditional paper survey (see e.g. Walt, 2008, p. 29). Thus, teachers may wish to consider incorporate electronic surveys into their lessons because students find them interesting and there is little chance of bias in the results.

An important issue raised by researchers is whether the response rate differs between the various methods of conducting surveys. Response rate might not be an issue in an elementary or high school environment since the teacher has a captured audience and can require compliance, however the research is relevant if a survey is sent home to parents, school personnel, or other stakeholders. There has been significant research to determine whether there is a difference in response rates to surveys presented in different mediums. Aradlan, et al. (2007) found a larger number of college students provided feedback when a paper method was used. Greenlaw, et al. (2009) determined that mixed mode assessments (where individual could choose paper or web survey) had the highest response rate. Cost can also be an issue, and as of the date the research was performed, Greenlaw, et al. (2009) also found that web-based surveys had the lowest cost at $.64 per response, while mixed-mode surveys cost $3.61 per response, and paper-only (mailed) surveys cost $4.78 per response. Therefore, though the response rate might not be an issue in the elementary or high school classroom, when surveying other school personnel, parents or stakeholders, careful consideration must be given to the cost and method of survey in order to maximize the value of the survey.

Survey makers can contribute to the educational environment in schools by providing teachers with a method of easily and efficiently gathering information from and about their students. The research shows that there is little difference between the quality of responses gathered electronically and those gathered on paper, but that students generally enjoy taking surveys by computer as opposed to the traditional paper method. When surveying parents and other parties to gain insight on their students, teachers need take into account the cost of the survey and their desired response rate when designing their survey.

Emerging Trends and Open Issues
An emerging trend in survey making technology is the use of "clickers" in the classroom. According to Martyn (2007) "clickers, or student response systems, are a technology used to promote active learning. Most research on the benefits of using clickers in the classroom has shown that students become engaged and enjoy using them." For example, in a social studies classroom, a teacher could pose a question to the students and ask them to respond using their clicker device. The results would be instantly tabulated, and could be displayed to the class using a projector or Smartboard. This is a way teachers can instantly assess learning in the classroom, or perhaps provide students with a way to anonymously express their opinion. For example, a teacher may ask the question "Do you support gay marriage?" Many students may not be willing to expose themselves to ridicule from their fellow students by raising their hand to indicate support, but they may be willing to indicate their support anonymously by pressing a button on a clicker. In this way, clickers can be used both to assess learning and provide a means for facilitating a more thoughtful discussion in the classroom.

Though clickers may provide anonymity, not all survey makers do. One of the open issues with survey making technology is that the responses are not always anonymous. For example, in Survey Monkey, the person creating the survey has the option to keep the results anonymous or to attach the responses to the email address where the survey was sent. Though this can provide some valuable information to the creator of the survey, many people taking the survey may assume their responses are kept anonymous. This lack of guaranteed anonymity may hinder people from responding truthfully or from taking part in the survey as they may perceive that their privacy is being violated. Survey Monkey [|suggests] that its users should inform survey respondents whether their responses are being provided anonymously by adding a privacy disclosure to the introductory text of the survey. Survey participants should look for a privacy disclosure to make certain that any information being collected will be used in a manner consistent with their expectations.