Module 1: Foundations

Survey Methodology

One of the most widely used approaches in educational and social research. Unlock insights into behaviors, attitudes, and experiences.

๐ŸŽฏ Purpose of Survey Research

Quantify Patterns

Measure and quantify behaviors and characteristics within specific populations effectively.

Identify Relationships

Discover and analyze the connections and correlations among different variables.

Generalize Findings

Extend insights from a sample group to a broader population through appropriate sampling.

Surveys are especially valuable for gathering standardized information from a large number of respondents in a cost-effective and time-efficient manner.


๐Ÿ› ๏ธ Types of Surveys

Cross-sectional

  • Conducted at one point in time
  • Describes current conditions or attitudes
"A snapshot of the present moment."

Longitudinal

  • Repeated over time
  • Studies changes or trends
"A movie of how things evolve."

๐Ÿ“ Key Components of Survey Design

1

Research Questions

Clearly define what you want to know.

Example: โ€œWhat are studentsโ€™ perceptions of using mobile apps in learning English?โ€
2

Population & Sampling

  • Identify target population
  • Select sampling strategy (random, convenience, stratified)
3

Instrument Design

Questions must be clear, concise, and unbiased. Use appropriate scales (e.g., Likert, checkboxes).

4

Pilot Testing

Test with a small group first. Revise unclear or problematic questions before the full launch.

5

Data Collection

Methods Online (Google Forms, Qualtrics), Paper, Interviews
Ethics Informed consent, anonymity, data protection

Strengths

  • Collect large amounts of data quickly
  • Easy to compare and analyze statistically
  • Good for descriptive and correlational studies

Limitations

  • Response bias (Social desirability)
  • Cannot establish causal relationships
  • Low response rates without follow-up

๐Ÿ“Œ Example in Educational Research

"A study surveying 300 non-English major students to explore the impact of Edpuzzle on their listening skills used a Likert-scale questionnaire. Results were analyzed using SPSS to find mean scores and perform correlation analysis."

๐Ÿ“š Further Reading