EdTech Insight – Think like a People Scientist: Designing a survey that meets your organization’s needs

by | May 29, 2024 | Harvard Business Review, News & Insights

Executive Summary and Main Points

The webinar titled “Think Like a People Scientist” emphasized strategic survey design principles to align with organizational goals. Highlights included understanding business objectives and incorporating industry best practices. The session introduced the High-Performing Organization (HPO) framework, emphasizing drivers of engagement and productivity, and outlined the six core elements necessary for employee success. The dialogue also touched upon surveying staff about AI’s impact on productivity and efficiency. Key takeaways included the importance of concise surveys for frequent distribution, the generation of actionable insights, and managing stakeholder expectations to maintain survey focus.

Potential Impact in the Education Sector

The themes discussed in the webinar can revolutionize Further and Higher Education as well as Micro-credential offerings. Effective survey design aligned with institutional strategy could drive engagement, productivity, and success among educators and learners. Incorporating the HPO framework could lead to enhanced performance within academic departments, while AI readiness surveys may guide digital transformation efforts. Across the education sector, these approaches could foster strategic partnerships and enhance digitalization by providing insights into stakeholder needs and priorities.

Potential Applicability in the Education Sector

The principles and frameworks presented can be integrated into global education systems to measure and improve the efficacy of digital tools and AI. Educator and student feedback gathered through well-structured surveys could guide the development of AI-enabled personalized learning, curriculum refinement, and administration efficiency. This strategy can boost international collaborative projects and the integration of Micro-credential programs, ultimately tailoring education to meet the evolving digital demands of the global marketplace.

Criticism and Potential Shortfalls

While the principles of survey design are invaluable, there may be criticisms regarding their universal applicability, particularly in diverse cultural and ethical contexts. Surveys should be culturally sensitive and inclusively designed. Comparative international case studies can highlight discrepancies in how survey data is interpreted and acted upon in different educational environments. Additionally, overemphasis on quantitative measures may overshadow qualitative insights indispensable for comprehensive understanding and ethical considerations, especially when AI readiness is concerned.

Actionable Recommendations

International education leadership should consider these recommendations for the effective use of survey design principles and AI readiness assessments:

– Utilize the HPO framework to establish engagement and productivity benchmarks in academic settings.
– Construct succinct, targeted surveys with clear objectives to gather actionable insights for policy and curriculum development.
– Conduct AI readiness assessments to understand the preparedness of institutions for digital transformations and AI integrations.
– Ensure inclusivity and cultural relevance in survey questions to glean valuable insights across diverse student and educator populations.
– Develop strategic international partnerships leveraging survey data to refine program offerings, including Micro-credentials and joint research initiatives

Source article: https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/microsoft-viva-blog/think-like-a-people-scientist-designing-a-survey-that-meets-your/ba-p/4149060