5.5 Chapter activity: How would you design your own survey questionnaire?

Imagine you are performing a performance analysis, designing instruction, or conducting an evaluation. Choose one of the following scenarios and design a survey questionnaire to be used in that context. Clearly describe what each survey item is intended to measure.

Performance analysis

During a performance analysis, you interviewed a small group of exemplary performers to identify possible contributors to their high performance. You analyzed the interview data using a combination of the Behavior Engineering Model (BEM) and Fishbone Analysis as frameworks. The results are shown in Figure 28. Now, you want to use this information to develop a survey questionnaire to collect data from all employees.

For your practice, design a total of 6-12 survey items based on this initial cause-and-effect analysis information shown in Figure 28 (choose the ones that you think are appropriate to include in a survey questionnaire).

Figure 28 A Cause-and-Effect Analysis with BEM Categories (Adapted from Chyung, 2008, p. 127^[1])

[For accessibility, refer to the long description of the fishbone diagram.]

For example, based on this item “Useful job aids,” your survey item may look like one of the following, depending on whether you choose to use a statement format or a question format:

When selecting the format (including the response scale type), think ahead about how you plan to analyze and report the data. Apply the same format to all survey items for consistency.

Instructional design

You are designing an e-learning program on conflict resolution strategies, applying the following six e-learning design principles developed by Mayer and his colleagues (Clark, 2002^[2], Mayer, 2003^[3]):

1. The multimedia principle: Adding graphics to words can improve learning.
2. The contiguity principle: Placing text near graphics improves learning.
3. The modality principle: Explaining graphics with audio improves learning.
4. The redundancy principle: Explaining graphics with audio and redundant text can hurt learning.
5. The coherence principle: Using gratuitous visuals, text, and sounds can hurt learning.
6. The personalization principle: Use conversational tone and pedagogical agents to increase learning.

You plan to conduct a pilot test with a group of learners to assess whether your e-learning program aligns with these six principles. Design a survey questionnaire to gather feedback from learners. Your survey questionnaire should include 6-12 survey items, with at least one item representing each principle.

Evaluation

Your nonprofit organization recently delivered a workshop to parents, aimed at helping them improve parental resilience, defined as the process of managing “stress and functioning well when faced with challenges, adversity and trauma” (CSSP, 2018, p. 1^[4]).

The main goals of the workshop were:

1. Increased ability to cope with stress and bounce back during parenting
2. Increased ability to solve problems associated with parenting
3. Increased ability to care for their own well-being, physically, mentally, and emotionally
4. Increased behavior of connecting with families and friends and seeking help when needed
5. Increased behavior of seeking assistance using community resources

It has been a couple of weeks after the workshop was delivered, and your supervisor has asked you to develop a follow-up survey questionnaire for the participants who completed the workshop.

Because you did not administer a pre-workshop survey before they completed the workshop, and your supervisor wants to see there were overall improvements in the intended outcomes, you’ve decided to use a retrospective survey method.

Design a survey questionnaire that allows you to measure improvements in the five main outcome areas. The survey should include 6-12 survey items, with at least one item for each outcome. You may include more than one survey item per outcome. While designing your items, consider how you plan to analyze and report the data, such as by calculating average scores or reporting percentages of perceived improvement.