Another Survey?!? Alternative Assessment Data Collection Methods

Linda L. Scheu - University of Arizona

Linda Scheu began the presentation by informing the attendees that although we love surveys “sometimes they can break our hearts”. Scheu explained that there are several reasons why it may be beneficial to look to alternative methods of assessment.  Some of these reasons include survey fatigue, timing, practicality, knowledge, and even a term that she created - “situation-ality”. There are other great qualitative and quantitative methods to collect data.  Here they are:

Use Existing Data (Quantitative)

In 1995, Nichols estimated that between 30-35% of the assessment data needed by an institution is already available on campus (Scheu, 2009, p.39). So where is this data located? Scheu suggested that it was everywhere - filing cabinets, libraries, admissions, archives, even our own data servers. 

Document Review (Qualitative)

Scheu suggested that documents that may be important to review pertain to public records (what’s in the newspaper, annual reports, etc.), personal documents (Departmental/Divisional Facebook posts, blogs, twitter, Educational Sanction papers, etc), as well as physical evidence (posters, handouts, etc.). One example Scheu provided related to the recycling program at her institution, where the students suggested that people weren’t recycling. What did they do? They photographed the containers that they were using, and compared them to the other recycling documents that were next to them.   The conclusion was that they had “very random recycling paradigms across campus”; there was no consistent messaging (Scheu, 2012). The students wanted to do a survey, but Scheu suggested that it was not necessary as they had already gathered very strong evidence.

Focus groups & Interviews (Qualitative)

In this component, Scheu shared a plethora of information on these two techniques, suggesting that both are good for understanding, gaining insight, pilot testing, and preliminary related steps. For focus groups, they are structured, conversational, non-judgmental, confidential, private, safe, comfortable, neutral and provide a familiar space. They can be used for many purposes – qualitative info on its own, pre study, post study, test assumptions of data analysis, as well as to test assumptions of recommendations. Interviews on the other hand, offer the nature of being either structured, unstructured (allows you to probe further), or in-depth (allow you to dig as deep as you want).

Observations (Qualitative)

Observations “…allow you to gather firsthand data on behaviours, interactions, relationships, processes, context and settings, and things participants can’t discuss” (Scheu, 2012).  Scheu noted that there were several methods for observing, such as field notes, as well as structured observations – checklists, recording sheets, and observation guides.

One-minute Assessments

The last assessment method related to one-minute assessments.  Examples of these are those “little slips of paper at the end of the session” (Scheu, 2012).  Scheu explained that they give you results such as a one sentence summary.