Comments on: Biased Questions? Faulty Methodology? http://www.edwize.org/biased-questions-faulty-methodology Fri, 10 Feb 2012 02:46:25 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= By: Department of Efficiency at More About Education http://www.edwize.org/biased-questions-faulty-methodology/comment-page-1#comment-65846 Department of Efficiency at More About Education Tue, 01 Jul 2008 16:01:20 +0000 http://edwize.org/?p=1270#comment-65846 [...] the dueling survey issue in New York, it seems the UFT could have just saved themselves a lot of money on their survey and asked just one question about approval/disapproval of Joel Klein. That’s all these [...] [...] the dueling survey issue in New York, it seems the UFT could have just saved themselves a lot of money on their survey and asked just one question about approval/disapproval of Joel Klein. That’s all these [...]

]]> By: Leo Casey http://www.edwize.org/biased-questions-faulty-methodology/comment-page-1#comment-65837 Leo Casey Mon, 30 Jun 2008 05:36:25 +0000 http://edwize.org/?p=1270#comment-65837 Paul: I understand your concern, but if the point of the survey was to evaluate the Chancellor, just as principals and teachers are evaluated, how could one eliminate unrelated feelings of antagonism toward him? Certainly, this concern would be no less valid for the principals evaluated by the survey. Leo Paul:

I understand your concern, but if the point of the survey was to evaluate the Chancellor, just as principals and teachers are evaluated, how could one eliminate unrelated feelings of antagonism toward him? Certainly, this concern would be no less valid for the principals evaluated by the survey.

Leo

]]> By: pdiperna http://www.edwize.org/biased-questions-faulty-methodology/comment-page-1#comment-65836 pdiperna Sat, 28 Jun 2008 16:15:30 +0000 http://edwize.org/?p=1270#comment-65836 Leo, this is an interesting exchange between DoE and UFT. I like the topics you discuss on your blog. Based on my experience, for better or worse, methodology is the first thing education reporters will evaluate when considering surveys. But once you get past the "that's reasonable" threshold, I think reporters give pretty fair treatment of findings. Do you think the specific mention of "Chancellor Klein" affects the questions? That immediately struck me as I read through the survey questions the first time through. Usually proper nouns will increase the likelihood of injecting bias in survey questions... not a sure thing depending on your sample population, but increases the possibility. If a respondent has a particular feeling with respect to Klein (good or bad), this could affect a response if the intensity of that feeling is greater than what is mentioned in the predicate parts of the questions. So if someone is peeved at Klein for something regarding school closings or firings, but nothing to do with the predicate/object in a given question, it is more likely that that feeling will negatively affect the response. Polling and surveys are of great interest to me, so I just thought I would throw that out there to see what you and others think. Best, Paul Leo, this is an interesting exchange between DoE and UFT. I like the topics you discuss on your blog.

Based on my experience, for better or worse, methodology is the first thing education reporters will evaluate when considering surveys. But once you get past the “that’s reasonable” threshold, I think reporters give pretty fair treatment of findings.

Do you think the specific mention of “Chancellor Klein” affects the questions? That immediately struck me as I read through the survey questions the first time through.

Usually proper nouns will increase the likelihood of injecting bias in survey questions… not a sure thing depending on your sample population, but increases the possibility.

If a respondent has a particular feeling with respect to Klein (good or bad), this could affect a response if the intensity of that feeling is greater than what is mentioned in the predicate parts of the questions.

So if someone is peeved at Klein for something regarding school closings or firings, but nothing to do with the predicate/object in a given question, it is more likely that that feeling will negatively affect the response.

Polling and surveys are of great interest to me, so I just thought I would throw that out there to see what you and others think.

Best,
Paul

]]> By: NYC Educator http://www.edwize.org/biased-questions-faulty-methodology/comment-page-1#comment-65835 NYC Educator Sat, 28 Jun 2008 13:57:53 +0000 http://edwize.org/?p=1270#comment-65835 I strongly agreed Chancellor Klein communicated a clear vision for the NYC school system. He envisions no tenure, and no seniority. He's already realized visions ot "accountability" for unionized employees only, the largest class sizes in the state, kids learning in filthy trailers and unventilated closets, outrageous overcrowding with no end in sight, kids freezing on the streets on the coldest days of the year, chief accountability officers who literally run from involved parents... How could anyone who follows the news suggest Chancellor Klein has no vision? In fact, he's now managed to extend his vision beyond his tenure with a five-year taxpayer-funded contract for the Leadership Academy. Personally, I wouldn't be surprised if he found other ways to extend his vision. I'm afraid I had to disagree with the other statements, though. I strongly agreed Chancellor Klein communicated a clear vision for the NYC school system. He envisions no tenure, and no seniority. He’s already realized visions ot “accountability” for unionized employees only, the largest class sizes in the state, kids learning in filthy trailers and unventilated closets, outrageous overcrowding with no end in sight, kids freezing on the streets on the coldest days of the year, chief accountability officers who literally run from involved parents…

How could anyone who follows the news suggest Chancellor Klein has no vision? In fact, he’s now managed to extend his vision beyond his tenure with a five-year taxpayer-funded contract for the Leadership Academy. Personally, I wouldn’t be surprised if he found other ways to extend his vision.

I’m afraid I had to disagree with the other statements, though.

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