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Surveying My Wicked Question
Surveying My Wicked Question
August 2, 2020
August 2, 2020
In my experience, a traditional professional development session usually involved a long lecture, a packet of PowerPoint slides, and an overload of information with little support or time for reflection or practice. If I were to teach my classes in that same format, it would be deeply frowned upon. Just like students, teachers benefit from flexibility, differentiated opportunities, and an environment that supports a growth mindset. So, how do we reimagine teacher professional development?
In my experience, a traditional professional development session usually involved a long lecture, a packet of PowerPoint slides, and an overload of information with little support or time for reflection or practice. If I were to teach my classes in that same format, it would be deeply frowned upon. Just like students, teachers benefit from flexibility, differentiated opportunities, and an environment that supports a growth mindset. So, how do we reimagine teacher professional development?
Improving professional development is a wicked problem since it is hard or impossible to solve, but I am giving it my best shot. First, I need to hear from educators. I created a short survey to send out to my professional learning network, centering around my Wicked Problem Project question, “What if we reimagined teacher professional development learning to make it more purposeful and engaging?”
Improving professional development is a wicked problem since it is hard or impossible to solve, but I am giving it my best shot. First, I need to hear from educators. I created a short survey to send out to my professional learning network, centering around my Wicked Problem Project question, “What if we reimagined teacher professional development learning to make it more purposeful and engaging?”
To my surprise, designing this survey was not an easy task. It took several revisions based on design tips I read about and feedback from my classmate, instructor, and mom (retired middle school teacher). I also had to find the right balance of relevant, open-ended and multiple choice questions, eliminating bias wording, and finding a logical question structure and flow.
To my surprise, designing this survey was not an easy task. It took several revisions based on design tips I read about and feedback from my classmate, instructor, and mom (retired middle school teacher). I also had to find the right balance of relevant, open-ended and multiple choice questions, eliminating bias wording, and finding a logical question structure and flow.
While assembling the survey, I used simple language and placed the most important questions at the beginning, in case people become bored or distracted, and hoping to get more complete data for those responses (Market Research Guy, 2020). Also, I intentionally structured the more significant questions to be open-ended, allowing respondents to provide innovative answers and not feel confined to a few choices.
While assembling the survey, I used simple language and placed the most important questions at the beginning, in case people become bored or distracted, and hoping to get more complete data for those responses (Market Research Guy, 2020). Also, I intentionally structured the more significant questions to be open-ended, allowing respondents to provide innovative answers and not feel confined to a few choices.
I am looking forward to receiving educators’ input and ideas about how to reimagine professional development. If you are an educator and would like to take my survey, please click this link.
I am looking forward to receiving educators’ input and ideas about how to reimagine professional development. If you are an educator and would like to take my survey, please click this link.
Professional Development Survey
References
References
Market Research Guy (2020, July 7). Survey design best practices: How to write a good questionnaire. My Market Research Methods. http://www.mymarketresearchmethods.com/survey-design-best-practices/
Market Research Guy (2020, July 7). Survey design best practices: How to write a good questionnaire. My Market Research Methods. http://www.mymarketresearchmethods.com/survey-design-best-practices/
Naglik, M. (2020). Professional Development Survey [Photograph].
Naglik, M. (2020). Professional Development Survey [Photograph].
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