Research:Student use of free online information resources/Notes

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Research:FOIR survey/Notes

Notes from the weekly Directed Research Group discussions.

Week 2 (January 11)

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Group discussion prompts

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

Stand-out findings

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  • 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

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  • 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

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Who is the survey for?

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

What info are you looking for?

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  • 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?

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  • 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?

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

Who's involved?

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

Week 4 (January 25)

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Survey question brainstorm prompt

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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

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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

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  • 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

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  • 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?