Surveys

Surveys can serve a very important function in the classroom. In the past, though, surveys were labor intensive to set up, tabulate and interpret. Technology is opening a whole new avenue for educational strategy development when there is quick and easy access to computers in the classroom. In a sense, the use of clickers in classrooms is a type of survey. Responses do not have to be as immediate as a clicker provides to still be useful, however.

Surveys collect data, usually in an anonymous fashion - although a few teachers have tried to use the surveys as a testing device by rigging identifiers with responses. Probably the most common use of anonymous response surveys is to assess where a class is with comprehension of the material at hand. There are other times when a vote on issues, or student preferences can be determined using a survey. Use of a survey is a means to reinforce student centered development of educational goals and objectives.

SurveyMonkey (http://www.surveymonkey.com) has been the long time leader for many in education, although in the free mode one is limited to 10 questions. Find SurveyMonkey tutorials __here __ (http://help.surveymonkey.com/app/tutorials/categorylist/search/1). Google Docs: Form promises to be widely adopted, as it is part of the Google Docs suite. Here is a __[|video]__ on how to use Forms. It appears Google Docs: Form may be more versatile than SurveyMonkey, if for no other reason than being able to go beyond the 10 question limit SurveyMonkey imposes for free use.

Zoomerang (http://www.zoomerang.com) has been around about as long as SurveyMonkey, but Zoomerang has more of a business tilt, perhaps, and seems less widely used in education. Zoomerang demonstrations and guides are found __here__ (http://zoomerang.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/272/kw/Top3Analyze/r_id/132405)

Zoho Polls is new to me, but part of the Zoho Suite of apps that makes it a contender to parallel Google Docs: Form for those using the Zoho Suite instead of Google. A screencast tutorial for Zoho Polls can be found __here__ (http://flash.screeniac.com/zohopoll/zohopoll.html?TB_iframe=true&height=590&width=1050). A quick look at Zoho Polls suggests they may be really limited.


 * Performance Record** - Carefully examine two survey apps - Google Docs: Form should be one of the two (unless you are going to China) and at least one other app to make two. - Choose one to set up a small survey. Send it to several of your classmates so that you will have a chance to see how the reporting features work. - Send me an email discussing your comparison of the two apps you investigated, along with a link to the poll you set up.