Introduction
The communication between the department heads and the faculty has always been a sensitive topic. Heads of departments and the faculty are usually of similar age groups, and the communication is supposed to be formal and organizational. In many cases, communication gap evolves due to personal and professional differences that result in strained relations. Such environment ultimately damages the learning process in the institution.
Assessment of such communication is very difficult and demands utmost sensitivity, confidentiality and reliability. To ensure positive and serious response in this regard from both the heads and the faculty demands a data collection instrument that is unbiased, reliable, comprehensive but simple at the same time.
Several options surface in the case of assessing communication in such a setting. Individual Interviews, focus group interviews, paper surveys, online assessment tools, written feedback are commonly used instruments. In the above scenario, where the anonymity and confidentiality is vital, online surveys are best suited. Online surveys best solve the problem of anonymity that is not possible in interviews. Confidentiality is again a problem in paper surveys and hand written feedback. Online surveys, with clearly stated, precise and direct questions are ideal as there is no chance of person-identification. Secondly, online surveys are easy, can be filled by the user at any time of choice and give ample time to fill. Thirdly, online collected data can be better managed in machine readable form and is readily processed.
Online Survey Forms- Specifications
Online surveys are ideal when they are short, clear, direct, precise, relevant and give a range of choices in answers in the form of ‘most favorable’ to least favorable’, instead of simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’. Questions in the survey should not be confusing and irrelevant that would distract the user’s attention. This is also important that teachers and other personnel do get some tangible results or output in some form time to time based on their feedback in surveys. This communicates an impression that the view and opinion are do not vanish in some paper pile rather are worked out to produce results. (Kaye & Johnston, 1999)
Administering
The data collected is based on the assumption that the response is serious and accurate. To ensure a sincere response on the surveys, the importance of these surveys must be communicated to the personnel beforehand. This could be through emails and staff meetings. During the surveys, this is important to give the personnel most convenience regarding time and deadline to fill out the survey. This should also be made sure that personnel take sufficient time to fill out the survey, for which similar questionnaires could be sent after regular intervals.
The analysis
Part can be done through various tools available. The responses on the scale of ‘most favorable’ to ‘least favorable’ can be shown in a chart or bar graph with percentages. The appendix shows the sample questionnaire, the answer choices and the various analysis tools.
Criticism
Online surveys have faced significant criticisms for the low response rates and violating social and professional privacy. The results of such surveys are often voiced as unreliable and trivial. For that part, the awareness regarding the privacy issues among the researchers also needs be ascertained. The persons filling the surveys should be made confident that anonymity and confidentiality will be kept and this should be inherent in the online system. Despite all that, online surveys still are the most feasible and easiest way to gather opinion. (Cho & Larose, 19999)
Reference List
Barbara K. Kaye and Thomas J. Johnson. Research Methodology: Taming the Cyber Frontier: Techniques for Improving Online Surveys. (1999) Social Science Computer Review, Fall 1999; 17: 323 – 337.
Hyunyi Cho and Robert Larose. Privacy Issues in Internet Surveys (1999).
Social Science Computer Review, Winter 1999; 17: 421 – 434.