Using surveys for understanding and improving foreign language programs

Abstract

The goal of this guide is to help language educators develop surveys that produce useful information for evaluation in language programs. To that end, survey methods are situated within a method of evaluation that emphasizes use and usefulness (Norris & Watanabe, 2011; Patton, 2008). This approach is explicitly geared to ensure that evaluations impact programs in the ways stakeholders desire. By undertaking survey methods in this way, people who do evaluation in their programs will be more likely to use survey findings for understanding and improvement.