LEARNCOM Survey

Scienter is carrying out a study on how learning takes place in online communities as a part of a broader study on Pedagogical Innovation in New Learning Communities. As a part of that study we are consulting people who participates (actively or silently) in online communities. We are interested in finding out what people get out of being involved through active or silent participation. Your input will make a valuable contribution to the study and would be much appreciated. Any information you give will remain anonymous and confidential. Please complete the questions below, then click continue until the end of the survey. The questionnaire will take about 15 minutes to be completed.
 
SECTION A: PERSONAL DETAILS --- We would be grateful if you would provide us with a few basic details about yourself. Please tick the relevant boxes.
 
1. What is your Age group?
Under 21
21-30
31-45
46-60
Over 60
 
2. Are you:
Male
Female
 
3. Current employment status
Full time job
Part time job
Student
Unemployed
Retired
 
4. Please describe your current job (or last full time job if not currently working):
 
5. Education and training background
Left school at 16 or before
Completed post-16 secondary education
Higher Education (College or University first degree)
Postgraduate education
Professional certificates and qualifications
 
SECTION B: BACKGROUND TO INVOLVEMENT IN THE COMMUNITY --- In this Section, we would like to find out how and why you participate in this community.
 
6. How long ago was it when you first started getting involved in the community?
First time now
In the last six months
6 months- 1 year
1-3 years
3-5 years
5-10 years
 
7. Why did you first get involved in (the community)? --- Please tick all the boxes that apply
Because it was a requirement (of your educational institution / working organization)
Because your friends were already doing so
Because you thought it was fun
Because you believed it could help to avoid isolation
Because you wanted to express, create, reflect
Because you wanted to be part of a community that does something important
Because you wanted to learn through participation
Because you believed you could connect with others having similar experiences and interests for receiving and giving advice
Because you thought it could be useful for you
 
8. How often do you participate/enter the website?
More than once a week
Once a week
About once a month
Less then once a month
 
9. How do you participate to the community? --- Please tick all the boxes that apply
Reading of materials/news
Reading of interactions (discussion fora, wikis, other)
Contributing to the discussions (If forum)
Communicating through blog posts or twittering
Sending links to materials/documents
Contributing/Writing of materials developed in the community (e.g. wikis)
 
SECTION C: LEARNING AND BENEFITS OF INVOLVEMENT --- In this Section we are interested in what you gain from the participation in this activity.
 
10. What did you gain from being involved in this community? - For each of the items listed, please indicate, in your case, how strongly you agree or disagree by circling the 1-7 (1 you totally disagree -7 you totally agree) scale that participating in the community activities has:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Improved your self-confidence
Improved your social life
Helped you to meet people
Helped you to make new friends
Improved your general knowledge
Improved your work performance
Helped to do your work better
Helped to learn issues important for your work
Helped to learn issues important for your life outside work
Improved your writing or reading skills in your language
Improved your writing or reading skills in another language
Improved your digital skills
Improved your sense of initiative
Improved your cultural awareness
Improved your cultural expression
Improved your creativity
Improved your critical thinking
Other (please specify in the following field)
 
11. Other:
 
12. If you learned something in the community, in which of the following ways do you believe it happened?. For each of the items listed, please indicate how strongly you agree or disagree (1 you totally disagree - 7 you totally agree)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Asking and getting advices
Searching the best way to help others
Finding material to contribute to a discussion
Reading material
Reading comments of others
Giving advices
Accepting other people’s opinions
Interacting with others
Other (please specify in the following field)
 
13. Other:
 
14. Do you think you have brought knowledge to the community? If so, in which of the following ways? For each of the items listed, please indicate how strongly you agree or disagree (1 you totally disagree - 7 you totally agree)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Giving advices
Commenting other members’ posts/materials/etc
Sharing your experiences
Posting new threads
Creating learning materials with the aim to help others
Creating learning materials with others, with the aim to help others
Other ways (please indicate)
 
15. Other ways:
 
16. In your opinion, what is the contribution of ICT to communities, if any? (Could the same happen within the local/real/physical community? Can you do something with the technologies that you couldn't do without?)
 
17. What have been the most positive aspects of getting involved in this community?
 
CAUTION: don't forget to click on the "Submit survey" button to save your questionnaire!