Research:Student use of free online information resources/Notes

Notes from the weekly Directed Research Group discussions.

Week 2 (January 11)

Group discussion prompts

1. Stand-out finding
2. Observation about methodology
3. A question you were left with

Stand-out findings

• 2014 Global South survey: huge gender gap
• Bangladesh survey: editors need lots of help learning how/where to start
• 2007 reader survey: no gender gap, but education, income gaps
• 2011 reader survey: broadband gap, those under 30 more likely to read
• 2015 reader micro-survey: curiosity as a common motivation, many people interested in getting an "overview" of a topic
• 2015 fundraising reader survey: gender gap, reader profile is similar to profile of those who donate

Observations about methodology

• Formal learner OER survey: some questions asked to all participants, but specific "paths" provided based on answers to previous questions; in all, 4 populations targeted in survey, each with a separate path
• ???? survey: 50% drop out rate
• ???? survey: 50% "invalid" responses
• ???? survey: use of numeric spectrum scales (disagree-->agree)
• 2011 reader survey: use of "what" and "how" in questions; researchers brainstormed to develop survey questions; used closed-answer questions, which are easier to analyze
• 2007 + 2011 reader surveys: used telephone interviews
• 2015 reader micro-survey: first iterations used open-ended questions, subsequent iterations used closed-answer questions based on themes that emerged from open-ended responses to previous version
• 2011 reader survey: called a "household survey". What is that?
• 2014 Global South survey: asked questions about data plan, awareness of Wikimedia Education program; found mobile readership increasing in global south

Discussion of survey objectives

Who is the survey for?

• Wikimedia Foundation
• Libraries, government organizations
• teachers, professors
• students
• other content providers (e.g YouTube)

What info are you looking for?

• what sources do students use? how do they use them? what is the context of use?
• why do students choose one provider over another?
  • content (amount, quality)
  • format/design/experience

How will you distribute the survey and collect responses?

• physical gathering locations where students go (using an iPad or clipboard)
• email
• Facebook group (or other social media)
• make announcements in classroom (enlist instructors to help)

How will you analyze the data?

• group responses by...
  • grade level
  • major or subject area of focus
  • gender, native language, country of origin

Who's involved?

• members of the research group
• potentially: students and researchers at other institutions

Week 4 (January 25)

Survey question brainstorm prompt

What FOIRs do students use?

• how do students use these FOIRs?
• what is the context of use?
  • device(s)
  • location(s)
  • social context (e.g. solo, group work)
  • learning context (e.g. during class, studying for a test)
• Why do they use particular FOIRs?
  • content (e.g. quality, amount, relevance)
  • presentation (e.g. format/media/usability)

How will we analyze survey responses?

• group by:
  • grade level (e.g. Freshman, Senior, Masters' student)
  • subject/major/area of focus
  • language(s) that the respondent speaks and/or reads fluently

Group 1 questions

What FOIRs do students use?

• Have you previously used or are you currently using free online information resources for school work? [Y/N]
  • notes: provide examples and a definition of FOIR at beginning of survey
• If yes, what devices do you use to access these resources [Check all that apply]
• How frequently do you use the following FOIRs for school? [refer to previous list]
• What are the reasons you use FOIRs? [Check all that apply]
  • notes: list includes common categories + free-text 'other' option
• What do you look for in a FOIR when using the internet? [Check all that apply]
  • notes: quality, relevance, design
• Does your FOIR choice change depending on the content you are looking for?
• Does your FOIR choice change depending on where you are?
• When using FOIRs, where is your physical location? [Check all that apply]

Group 2 questions

• What is your (intended) major?
  • notes: subcategories based on UW department?
• Wh is/are your most visited FOIRs? [Check all that apply]
• How does visual presentation factor into your experience? [Scale 1-10 for different design components]
• How does the domain factor into your impression of the source?
  • notes: reliability/reputation/popularity
• How do you initiate a search? (Google, go-to source, etc.) [Choices + open-ended text box]

Group 3 questions

• Please select your major/intended major at UW?
• What is your current year at UW?
• What is your first (native) language?
• Please select which of these FOIRs you have used previously? [list + other]
• How did you come to learn about these FOIRs?
• What subjects do you tend to use the FOIRs for?
  • notes: different from major
• What devices do you usually access the FOIRs on?
• What kind of media format do you prefer on these FOIRs?
  • notes: use frequency table?
• Where do you usually access these online resources?
• In what situations do you usually access these FOIRs?
• What is your favorite FOIR and why?