How to Create a Positive Classroom Student Survey on Climate

Design a positive classroom climate survey using qualitative questions.

Creating a positive classroom climate student survey requires the use of qualitative questions. A qualitative question is subjective question that asks about a student's feelings. This is very different than a quantitative question that requires physically counting an action, activity or item. The answers from a qualitative survey yields the best data for actionable classroom climate information. Selecting and composing precise qualitative questions is essential to elicit the desired information. Select five to seven questions for the survey. Keep the survey short and simple to avoid overreaction to the questions.

Instructions

1. Conduct a pilot survey or select a focus group of students to identify potential areas of concern. Identify problem areas to focus the positive classroom climate student survey.

2. Create an outline of the issues discovered from the pilot survey or focus group. Break down the outline into single, coherent concept. Review the outline to make sure each outline point is one single issue/concept. Break down and separate items that have dual issues/concepts. Eliminate or rewrite vague or abstract outline points.

3. Determine the rating scale. For example, rate a level of satisfaction with a five-point scale that spans from very satisfied to very dissatisfied or strongly agree to strongly disagree.

4. Write a qualitative question for each point in the outline. Keep the rating scale in mind when writing the questions. Rephrase the outline points to attain a well-written qualitative question. For example, a concern is group activities show one or two students are doing all the work. The rest of the group is not completing their work. A qualitative statement/question could be "Individual's participating in group activity share responsibility equally."

5. Read each question of the positive classroom climate survey. Answer each statement/question to make sure the rating scale is appropriate. Rewrite those statements/questions that do not fit the rating scale.

6. Evaluate the group of statements/questions and condense to between five and seven questions. Rewrite the statement/questions to be more concise and to the point. Better responses are attained from a short concise positive classroom climate survey than from a poorly written long survey. Note, the reason for a short survey for students is to maintain their interest and get thoughtful responses. Write additional surveys if more than one or two issues are present. Focus on one to two issues at a time.

References

• GA Tech: Questionnaire Design
• Custom Insight: Writing Effective Surveys
• Accesscable: How to Write a Good Survey