ELECTRONIC LEARNING COMMUNITIES QUESTIONNAIRE
Dear List Participant,
This purpose of this questionnaire is to learn more about "off-list"
activity within email discussion groups. We are interested in why some
people do participate in and contribute to email lists, and why others do
not. We would also like to learn what people do with the information that
they obtain from their discussion groups, and those factors which might
enhance and inhibit their participation in the list discussion. We
believe that this survey is important because the results will help us
understand what people gain from discussion group membership, and factors
that enhances and inhibits learning through this medium.
You can help us by answering the following questions as honestly as you
can. We believe that the questionnaire should take no more than 10
minutes to complete. As you are all members of a discussion group, we
would really appreciate your opinions in relation to these questions.
If would like to receive a copy of the summary of the results, or learn
where the full report will be published, please email: Jennifer Pollard
on jpollard@utas.edu.au
To complete the questionnaire, please answer by placing an X in the
brackets for questions that provide options, or by writing your comments
following the question.
The return address for this survey is:
As this questionnaire is being sent via the listserv, please ensure that
the survey is returned to this address and NOT to your listserv. The
easiest way to return the survey is to hit the "forward" button and
forward the survey to the return address. It is very important that you
check the return address and use the correct one. Please DO NOT use your
list's mailing address. If you do, your questionnaire will be returned to
the listserv and distributed to all those subscribed to your list.
[Host's Note: Please follow Jennifer's instructions. If any accidently get
sent to the LO list address, I'll see that they don't get distributed.
...Rick]
The data will be aggregated to ensure confidentiality. To protect
individual identity, any personal information will removed from the
returned questionnaires prior to the collation of the data. The data will
be stored on computer disk in a locked cabinet on the University premises.
If you have any queries about the project, please contact Jennifer
Pollard, phone: (03) 6226 7679 or email: jpollard@utas.edu.au
If there are any concerns of an ethical nature or complaints about the
manner in which this project is conducted, please contact the Chair or the
Executive Officer of the University of Tasmania Ethics Committee (Human
Experimentation). The Chair in 1998 is Dr. Margaret Otlowski, phone: 61
3 6226 7569, or email: Margaret.Otlowski@utas.edu.au The Executive
Officer, Ms Chris Hooper can be contacted on 61 3 6226 2763, or email:
Chris.Hooper@utas.edu.au
Thankyou very much for your cooperation, and we request that you please
return this survey by the 23rd December, so that we can commence our
analysis process.
Yours sincerely,
Jennifer Pollard, Chris Owen and Sue Kilpatrick (Investigators)
***************************************************************************
1. How long have you been subscribed to this discussion group?
__________________________________________________________
2. Why did you subscribe to THIS discussion group?
(more than one answer can be chosen)
[ ] For professional/work reasons
[ ] For personal interest
[ ] To contribute to the discussion
[ ] To be part of a group interested in this topic
[ ] To increase my expertise/understanding of issues in this area
[ ] To keep up to date on this topic
[ ] To listen to others and gather information
[ ] To overcome isolation
Other/comments: __________________________________________________
3. Why do you STAY subscribed to this discussion group?
(more than one answer can be chosen)
[ ] Because I find the discussions interesting
[ ] Because I find that it is a useful resource
[ ] Because I feel a sense of community in belonging to the group
[ ] Because I feel that I gain and learn a lot from the group discussions
Other/comments: _________________________________________________
4. What do you do with the information/knowledge that you get from
this discussion group? For example, have you ever:
(more than one answer can be chosen)
[ ] Written to the list to share an experience that you have had and
that you believe is pertinent to the discussion
[ ] Had an experience similar to the what was being discussed on the
list, but NOT written to the list to share it
[ ] Printed off interesting emails and filed them for future reference
[ ] Shared the ideas and information with others not on the list by
forwarding emails
[ ] Shared ideas and information in other ways (e.g. by discussing
ideas with others, printing out emails and passing
them on to other people)
[ ] Tried out some of the practical ideas and suggestions discussed on
the list
[ ] Applied some of the theories in your own practice
[ ] Thought really deeply about something being discussed on the list
[ ] Imagined applying some of the ideas discussed on the list to your
own situation/practice
[ ] Been confronted by something someone else had said on the list
Other/comments: ____________________________________________________
5 As a resource, how does this discussion group rate with other
resources - i.e. databases, reference, books, journals, conferences, other
forms of communication with colleagues and others interested in the topic?
[ ] The email list provides sufficient information most of my needs on
this topic
[ ] It is a very useful supplement to other resources
[ ] Sometimes it is useful as a supplement to other resources
[ ] It is of little use compared to other resources
[ ] It is of no use
6. Do you believe that you learn anything from being part of this list?
[ ] Yes, I believe that I learn from being part of this list
[ ] No, I do not believe that I learn much from being part of this list
6a. In considering the question above, why do you think this is so?
(Please describe in your own words)
7. If you believe that you have learned anything from being part of
this list, can you think back to the last time you believe you learned
something from the list. In your own words please describe what happened
and what you learned.
8. What do you enjoy most about being on the list? For example, the
advantages of subscribing, what do you really value about the list.
(Please describe in your own words)
9. What do you least enjoy about being on this list? For example, are
there any disadvantages about being on this list, is there anything you'd
like to change about the way the list operates.
(Please describe in your own words)
10. How often would you send a message to the list?
[ ] I never participate in list discussion by sending a message to the list
[ ] Rarely (eg., between 1 and 6 times every six months)
[ ] Occasionally (e.g., between once a month and once a fortnight)
[ ] Often (eg, about once a week)
[ ] Frequently (more than once a week)
11. If you do not contribute to this list, why is this the case?
[ ] I haven't felt the need to contribute
[ ] I get enough from just "listening"
[ ] I feel intimidated by participants
[ ] By the time I read my email from the list, the discussion seems to
have "moved on"
[ ] I don't have time
12. As you may know, only a very small proportion of people actively
participate in email discussion groups (usually less than 10% of list
membership). In your opinion, what stops people from participating?
What might be needed for more people to participate?
(Please describe in your own words)
13. Do you communicate with other list members privately?
[ ] No
[ ] Yes, by email
[ ] Yes, by telephone, fax, other written means
[ ] Yes, in person
13a. If yes, what do you discuss?
[ ] We discuss current issues raised on the list
[ ] We discuss the state of the list in general
[ ] We discuss personal/professional topics, not related to the list
[ ] We discuss the actions or ideas of other list members
14. Have you ever felt like unsubscribing from this list
[ ] Yes
[ ] No
14a. If yes, please explain what it was that made you feel this way?
15. What age group do you belong to?
[ ] under 20
[ ] 21 to 30
[ ] 31 to 40
[ ] 41 to 50
[ ] 51 to 60
[ ] over 61
16. What is your gender?
[ ] female
[ ] male
17. What is your occupation?
___________________________________
18. Where do you live?
[ ] In a rural area (population no more than 14, 999)
[ ] In a large town/city (population 15, 000 to 99, 999)
[ ] In a large city (population over 100,000)
19. How many discussion groups are you subscribed to?
[ ] Just this one
[ ] 2 to 4
[ ] more than 5. How many? ______
Thank you for your time in completing this questionnaire.
--Jennifer Pollard <jpollard@utas.edu.au>
Learning-org -- Hosted by Rick Karash <rkarash@karash.com> Public Dialog on Learning Organizations -- <http://www.learning-org.com>