Before and After Questionnaires
Purpose:
To look for evidence of changes in knowledge and understanding and values
and attitudes
Preparation:
Teacher Time
Before starting a topic, decide a series of questions that test knowledge
and understanding, but which also begin to address values and attitudes.
Write them out and divide the page in half down the middle, leaving a
section at the bottom to comment on changes.
See the Global Issues Questionnaire as an example:
You could include:
- tick box sections
- statements
- option to draw responses.
The teacher(s) need to decide whether the questionnaires are going to
be anonymous (numbered?) or not (hand-written? typed?).
Procedure
Ask the pupils to fill in the questionnaire (individually) and date it
before starting the topic.
Get them to do the questionnaire again after the topic (you may like to
ask them to cover up the ‘Before’ section).
Then get them to compare the two sides and note down any changes in the
section the bottom and say why the answers have changed.
Extension
After looking at the completed questionnaires, select a few that show
an interesting range of answers (e.g. no changes, small changes, big changes)
- Get a sample selection of pupils to fill in the questionnaire again
a few months later to see whether there have been further changes. If
you have used any other of the tools in this section (e.g. Concept maps,
Learning Diaries) pupils could be asked to summarise what they feel they
have learned.
Advantages of this methodology
• Fairly easy to set up, carry out and administer
• Written evidence, focussing on key learning outcomes
• Visual evidence (if including tick box or drawing options)
Disadvantages of this methodology
• Heavily reliant on writing ability
• Pupils will be influenced by association with subject and teacher
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