Student Profiles

I am working on a questionaire that grade 8 and grade 9 students would take to get a snapshot of their intereests, strenghts and weaknesses. The survey results would be goiven to the student but also their teachers. This would help the teachers design more effective teaching activites and grouping of their students. I do not want to use an online test for this activity. I just want an overview. Teachers can then go online to do more detailed tests if they want.
My plan was to have every student coming into high school take the test.

Tags: Differentiated, Instruction, Intelligence, Learning, Multiple, Profiles, Response, Student, Styles, Systems

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Student Profile.pdf, 92 KB

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Diana Reid on December 15, 2009 at 10:50am

Hi Bruce,

I think you're going to get a lot of misleading profiles. Many of the questions conflate ideas. "I like to draw or doodle when I'm listening to music or in class." is an example. Students have to either say yes, sometimes, or no. However, a student may interpret the question as having to have all elements to be answered positively. I sometimes doodle in class (only when I'm bored, not to help me think) but dislike drawing in general, and never draw to music. Do I answer no or sometimes or yes? "I love to draw and when I read I can see the story happening in my head.: I still hate drawing, but visualize well. What's my choice?

(46 is blank, and there are some typos throughout)

Also, many of our hardest to fit students will not find themselves in any answers. Question 49 is dated - with the film star's roles dating from 10 years at least before your students were born. Question 50 is likewise dated. Question 47 lists 3 talk show hosts, and 4 male actors over 40. What about students who find television a flat medium, or prefer viewing people closer to their own age? Likewise the question about sports, while admirably including virtual as an option, does not include "I hate sports". The diligent student will pick the least incorrect answer for them, but it may not signify what you think it does. For example, They might answer Ellen - not because they've seen her ever, but because they'd take their mom. Or because she's a lesbian. Or Oprah, as the only person of colour on the list.

I know it's far more work, but I'd strongly suggest a 25 question section with study preferences (for your multiple intelligences questions) and a 10 question open-ended section, where students can speak for themselves. Questions like "What bothers you most in a classroom?" can lead to answers like "noise" or "Mo and Jimmy". Both are valuable for a teacher but the second is more useful.

Other ideas are "What type of projects are most fun?", "When you're upset, what do you need to help you calm down?", and "What does the perfect classroom look like?"

Permalink Reply by Bruce White on December 16, 2009 at 6:46am