Data collection methods - Massachusetts Department of ...



Table 3.5 Data Collection Methods Data collection methodPurposeAdvantagesDisadvantagesSurveysTo gather a lot of data in a short amount of timeSafeguards anonymity of respondentsAllows results to be shown in charts and graphsPermits results to be comparedAllows distribution to large number at one timeEase of administering itMisunderstanding of questions is possibleMisunderstanding of scale is possibleTranslation to different language may be costlyResponse rate may be lowOpen-ended responses may be difficult to analyzeInterviewsTo gather detailed perceptual informationProvides a deeper understanding of the issue from multiple perspectivesBuilds trust between interviewer and respondentProvides information on how and whyProvides an opportunity for the respondent to offer suggestionsTime-consuming for the interviewer and the respondentDifficult to analyze resultsDifficult to quantifyInterviewers need to be trained in the processFocus groupsTo gather data from groups with shared characteristics, such as parents, teachers, studentsGathers information about reactions to the experience from multiple sourcesOffers opportunity for complaints or unanticipated information to be sharedAllows group members to build on ideas from others’ commentsFacilitator and recorder neededComplex process in organizing commentsResponses may be biased due to group dynamicsObservations To assess participants’ application of learning to practiceJob embeddedPromotes deep discussion and collaborationTied to student outcomesRequires standardized and validated procedures Requires training May be misperceived as evaluative ................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download