Task 6B part 1- Survey & Interview

Pilot survey
Pros
A survey is quick and easy for people involved. You can choose to have a large amount of participants which therefore results in more responses. This then can help you find averages/come up with conclusions/see patterns. Also, web based surveys analyze the data received so you don't actually have to put it all together yourself. This is very beneficial and has provided me with examples of charts I may use in the future: horizontal/ vertical bar, pie chart, donut chat, stacked horizontal/ vertical bar, line graph, area graph.
Cons
A survey doesn't always guarantee a response (especially web based surveys). I myself found I received over 10 responses when using survey monkey as a tool for my inquiry, however, others found that their online survey only returned 4 responses over the course of 3 weeks. There is no one there to remind you to fill it in so people find it hard to fit it in to their daily schedule. I also discovered that with some online surveys, you are only able to put together a maximum of 10 questions...the only solution being to pay for the upgrade! Maybe you are best to construct a survey yourself using tools such as power point and Microsoft word. Minimal detail is acquired due to the nature of a survey e.g yes no answers in some cases.
Therefore
Maybe paper copies are more useful? Are people more likely to fill it out as it is there in front of them? You are also not limited to the amount of questions you use (10 might not be enough). Remember people don't always have access to the Internet...where as with hard copies all you need is a pen! For example Hannah handed me a hard copy and I filled it out within 10 minutes and handed it straight back to her. Results were instant. It can provide a more personal approach and so people may feel more inclined to do it, especially if you give it to them yourself. But does it take up too much time? Not if the questions are suitable and you have thought about time being an important factor e.g questions that get to the point...no essay writing required! You may need participants to post the survey back to you which could cause problems. People may forget/send it to the wrong address etc and this too is more time consuming.

Carrying out pilots within SIG groups enables us to come together and discuss ways in which we can develop and better our surveys. Reflection is a good tool to use for this exercise. For example, talking about the questions used and if we feel they are suitable. With both Hannah and Chelsie I gave feedback on questions e.g Chelsie provided me with a question that had only two possible outcomes...'Do you think it is more important that a teacher has more experience or more qualifications?' Pick either 1.experience or 2. Qualifications. I felt that both were necessary but I wasn't able to explain this. Chelsie therefore altered her options and gave an 'other' option which allowed me to explain how I felt. I was also advised on maybe providing a ranking system on some of my questions. This is to vary the survey and make it more interesting for participants.


Pilot interview
As well as surveys, I will be using interviews throughout my inquiry. At first I thought an interview would be just the same as a survey, only spoken. However after conducting a pilot interview with my SIG group member Hannah, I discovered how valuable they will be in this process. I also looked at its cons.
Pros
More detailed/ personal responses. You are able to delve deeper If need be and explain questions/ answers if someone doesn't understand. You witness the reaction of the participant e.g facial expressions. You get a feel for their personality and what they are about which is definitely important as you may discover similarities between people.
Cons
An interview is very time consuming. You have to organise a time/date/location that suit both you and the person you are interviewing. This then brings in many other important factors regarding ethics e.g finding a space that is within health and safety regulations to ensure no harm is brought to anyone, providing a comfortable atmosphere and ensuring the person doesn't feel under pressure to answer at any time if they don't want to. It requires more organisation and time on your behalf as well as others. I have highlighted in previous blogs the importance of consent when using all tools in the inquiry, with interviews being one of the most important reasons for this. This could effect people participating e.g if someone is under the age of 18 then their parent or guardian may decide that they do not want their child to take part.

Whilst interviewing Hannah I recorded the conversation using my iPhone. A friend had advised this to me and this was the first time I put it in to practice. I feel this is a perfect way to record the conversation so that no information is missed. You are also able to hear the tone and manner in which they speak which is vital. Of course Hannah is a good friend anyway, but an interview allows you to get comfortable with one another which could result in more detailed answers. An important thing to be aware of, is they way you approach the question and the way in which you vocalise it. Being a performer I am used to changing my voice in many ways to suit the situation. I have to be careful to not put questions across in a biased manner. For example; more expression and enthusiasm in your voice and face when asking a question that you strongly agree with. The interviewee may see this and may feel inclined to agree with you, just because it seems like the 'right' option. This could effect my results so I have to be careful.

A good suggestion made was that when utilising any of these tools, we should strongly touch upon honesty. This is very important. We don't want people to feel like they should answer a certain way because they feel they have to. No one is judging and a lot of the time participants will be anonymous anyway!