Data Gathering Strategies Surveying ]
Many schools reported using surveys to find out about gender in their schools. The term `survey' was used in a number of ways. Sometimes it was used to refer to structured surveys or questionnaires administered to a specific population. At other times when schools talked about `surveying' needs they were using the term in the sense of an amalgamation of asking questions, talking to people and looking at student outcomes and/or behaviour.
EXAMPLE 13 STUDENT SURVEY
Issue:
Adolescent behaviour
Procedure:
Community Health Services conducted extensive survey to ascertain ...
Outcome:
Building up of systematic community data on harassment
EXAMPLE 14 STUDENT SURVEYS
Issue:
Reviewing school climate
Procedure:
Several surveys undertaken at the school over a period of time - in each case, the surveys inclusive of gender, but not necessarily focusing on it
Early surveys to ascertain the behaviour students were subjected to
Recent student surveys as a review strategy
Information from student surveys supplemented by teacher observations and discussions with students
Outcome:
Change of climate and students feeling freer to talk about issues
EXAMPLE 15 STUDENT SURVEY
Issue:
General
Procedure:
Students were simply asked to write down ...
Issues of bullying and harassment emerged as significant ones
Outcome:
Program to tackle school bullying and harassment
EXAMPLE 16 STUDENT SURVEY
Issue:
Students' perceptions of classroom
Procedure:
Surveying - formally and informally - about ...
Outcome:
Data built up over the years so that the school is well informed about what students respond to best in different classrooms
EXAMPLE 17 STUDENT SURVEY
Issue:
Self description
Procedure:
Written questionnaire about students' self-perception, how they saw themselves, their abilities and their achievements at school
Questionnaire administered to students up to Year 8
Comparative analysis of data in terms of male/female differences
Self description differences then applied to school achievement
Findings:
The girls expected to do better than the boys
In some areas girls felt they weren't doing as well as the boys, even though as a group, they were out-performing the boys
EXAMPLE 18 STUDENT SURVEY AND DATA ANALYSIS
Issue:
Racism ... and gender
Procedure 1:
School has step-by-step grievance procedure in place to deal with student and parent complaints of racism
Grievance officer records all complaints made
These records (over 3 to 4 years) analysed to ascertain ...
Procedure 2:
Survey of students, parents and teachers to ascertain their perceptions of race
Outcome:
Links established between perceptions of race and gender
Development of `gender based harassment' training and development for teachers and students
EXAMPLE 19 STAFF SURVEY
Strategy:
Written questionnaire with discussion
Issue:
Behaviour of students in an all-boys' school
Procedure:
Issue of boys' behaviour raised by new young female staff
Questionnaire administered to all staff to ascertain their perceptions about the relationship between the boys and the female staff
In addition staff discussed the issue in small groups
Data from questionnaire and discussion groups were collated
Outcome:
Harassment policy reviewed and up-dated
EXAMPLE 20 STUDENT AND STAFF SURVEY
Issue:
Bullying and harassment
Procedure:
Survey of 600 students in Years 8, 9 & 10
Survey (written questionnaire) to students about ...
Questionnaire also to staff - over 45% return
Findings:
Data on nature of harassing ...
EXAMPLE 21 STUDENT, PARENT AND STAFF SURVEY
Issue:
Gender based harassment
Procedure:
Survey of parent and staff perceptions of gender and gender based harassment - in order to develop a six week school based professional development program
Also considered important to survey students to ascertain their perceptions of ...
Outcome:
Strong data base for teacher professional development modules on 'gender based harassment'