PROTOCOL FOR ADMINISTERING THE ONLINE SURVEY OF INTERNET
USE
You will need a set of small cards or markers (brightly colored post-it notes work great)
for each computer in the lab (see below). You will use these to have students indicate to
you that they have completed the survey. They will place them on the top of the computer
when they complete the survey.
Do These Items Three – Five Days Prior to the Survey
1. Send link for survey to technology person at school to test for issues with
firewalls and/or filtering software.
2. Ask the technology person at the site if they could set bookmarks to the survey's
URL (http://camss.clemson.edu/READING) the afternoon before the survey,
and remove them right after administration. Note: The URL is case sensitive.
3. Send the protocol around to teachers whose classes will be taking the survey in
advance so they know what to expect on the day of administration.
4. Coordinate an alternative task for students without returned permissions and
make sure that teachers identify these students for you.
5. If necessary, coordinate the presence of an ESL teacher to support
administration as necessary.
6. Prepare copies of the “Cool Sites to Explore” handout for students who finish
early.
7. Contact the Technology Person at the School Site and ask him/her the 4
questions in the “Research Site Technology Assessment for Survey
Administration” (below). You will need this information.
Prior to Survey Administration (The Day of The Survey)
1. Arrive at least 30 minutes early and check in at the office. Tell the secretaries
there that you are with the Research Team from Clemson or UConn and that you
are here to coordinate the Internet survey.
2. Ask for directions to the location where the survey will be administered.
3. Check in with appropriate staff (media specialist, computer lab person,
technology coordinator, etc.) in case you require assistance.
4. Set up all computers to the opening screen of the survey at:
http://camss.clemson.edu/READING
Note: Labs often have passwords required to access the Internet. You should
immediately look into this issue and gain access to each computer station. This
may take a little time. Ask the person in charge of the computer lab to assist you.
It will be the most challenging part of your work in the computer lab. It may
require you to modify this protocol.
5. Make sure you bookmark the survey site so you can get back to it easily if a
student closes the browser window.
6. Before students arrive, each computer should be on and open to the first page of
the survey.
7. Place a post-it note or card/marker on the desk or lower portion of the monitor at
each computer station.
8. Review the Internet Survey Field Note Observation Form (below) and be
prepared to collect filed notes during the administration.
Survey Administration
1. Welcome the students into the lab as they come in the door. Have them take a
seat. Ask them to look at you. Tell them that you have to read the directions
BEFORE they should touch their mouse.
2. Tell the Students “We want to find out how you use the Internet at home and
at school. We want you to complete an online survey and answer some
questions for us. It’s important that you read the directions carefully. Do not
double click on any of the buttons in the survey. You only need to click once
to move through the survey. Do not go back unless you really have to. If you
do not understand something, please raise your hand. Does anyone have any
questions before we continue? (pause)
3. Tell them “Please click ONCE on the words, ‘Start the Survey.’ Remember,
you do not click twice.”
4. Go to the second screen. Tell them, “I want you to read this information with
me and make certain that you understand this information. I will read it
aloud to you. Please follow along with me.”
5. Read aloud, “Survey of Internet Use and Online Reading
You have been selected to take part in this survey of Internet use. We want to find
out how much time students spend on the Internet and what kinds of things they
do on the Internet. This information will help us to understand how middle school
students use the Internet in school and out of school. Your parents have already
signed a letter saying it is okay for you to take this survey.
The lead researchers for this project are Professor Donald Leu at the University of
Connecticut and Professor David Reinking at Clemson University in South
Carolina. If you agree to respond to this survey, you will be asked to read and
answer questions on the Internet. This survey should take about thirty minutes to
complete.
Participation in this survey does not involve any risks to you and will not affect
your grade in any way. Participation in this study is entirely your choice. You
may refuse to participate in this survey at any time.
If you have any questions regarding this study, you may contact the researchers at
[email protected] or [email protected].
I can provide you with the email addresses at the end of the survey if you feel
that you need to contact the lead researchers. Does anyone have any
questions about what I just read to you? (Pause)
Click once to continue. Here you see the statement “Click on the button to
the right to indicate your participation in this survey.” Please select either “I
agree to take this survey” or “No thank you”. Remember, your participation
is voluntary. If you choose “no thank you”, place your post-it note on top of
your computer once I have finished giving the directions.
6. Tell them, “Click ONCE to continue.
7. Before you continue, please turn toward me and listen to the rest of my
instructions. Read the directions for each item on the survey very carefully.
If you do not understand something, please raise your hand. Do not go back
unless you really have to. If you do go back, your answers will not be there,
but they have been saved on the computer. There are no right or wrong
answers; Remember, we want YOUR honest responses about your OWN
Internet use, not that of the person sitting next to you. You will not be
graded and your teachers will not see your answers.
8. Put your hand up if you have any questions. When you are done, please
place your post-it note on the top of your computer so that I know you are
done. If you have any comments to make about any item, please click the
“Submit a Comment” button and type your comment or simply raise your
hand and I will get your comments from you. ” Does anyone have any
questions before we begin? (pause)
9. Now, type in your first and last name and continue on to answer all of the
items in the survey.
10. Circulate around the room, helping students as necessary. You may help them to
understand any question or response activity.
11. When students put their card or marker on the top of their computer, go to them
and tell them that they can go to the school’s search engine and read on the
Internet until everyone is done. Alternatively, you can duplicate, cut, and
distribute copies of the final page in this document and encourage students to
visit: http://ctell1.soe.uconn.edu/exploresite.html
12. Thank the students and follow standard procedures for releasing them back to
their room or next class.
13. Record the time it takes for each class to complete the survey.
Troubleshooting
1. If the information sheet page does not load (page 2), reload the page from the
bookmark that was set in the browser. (It will NOT work if you simply refresh
the page.)
2. If students receive a pop-up message regarding “Auto Fill Forms” instruct them to
click NO.
Post-Administration Report
Please send both Jill and Amy a report that indicates:
1. School
2. Start and end time by class(section)
3. Number of students in each section
4. Any issues that arose requiring attention.
(Perhaps Amy and Jill can each keep a data base for each team with this information.)
APPENDIX A
Research Site Technology Assessment for Survey Administration
As the technology coordinator for the administration of the online survey of Internet use,
please provide information to the researcher (Insert Name and email) regarding the
following items:
1. Where will the survey administration take place in the school building? Please
provide location (computer lab, media center, etc.) and room number. How many
computers in this location have Internet access?
2. What login information is required for the researcher to access the computers? Is
there a set username and/or password to log onto the machines?
3. Please test your access to the online survey by going to the following link:
http://camss.clemson.edu/READING and stepping through the first several
screens of the survey. Document the date and time of this test session so we can
monitor things with our software interface. Please report any issues with
accessing the survey due to firewalls and/or filtering software that is loaded on the
school’s computers.
4. Will you be available during the administration of the survey to address any
technical issues that may arise?
APPENDIX B
Internet Survey Field Note Observation Form
Name of Researcher:
Name of School:
Date:
District:
About the Computers
Type of computer
Browser used
About the School
Describe the school
Describe the class/group of
students taking the survey.
About the Class
Teacher’s name
Class/group of students
About the Setting
Circumstances under which
the survey was taken
Management
Room Set-up
Conditions
Timing
Directions Start Time
Survey Start Time
Survey End Time
About the Students
Number of students
Attentiveness
Noise Level
Student Question
Questions Asked
Researcher Response
Student Question
Researcher Response
Student Question
Researcher Response
Problem
Problems that Occurred
How it was handled
Problem
How it was handled
Problem
How it was handled
Name
Names of Students who were very skilled
Observation
Name
Observation
Name
Observation
Comments from teacher(s) about these students:
Name
Names of Students who were verbal
Observation
Name
Observation
Name
Observation
Comments from teacher(s) about these students:
Names of Students who had trouble with reading or language expression
Name
Observation
Name
Observation
Name
Observation
Comments from teacher(s) about these students:
Other Comments
APPENDIX C
Cool Sites to Explore
http://ctell1.soe.uconn.edu/exploresite.html
Cool Sites to Explore
http://ctell1.soe.uconn.edu/exploresite.html
Cool Sites to Explore
http://ctell1.soe.uconn.edu/exploresite.html
Cool Sites to Explore
http://ctell1.soe.uconn.edu/exploresite.html