Learner Preferences Survey 2.0

By Jessica O’Reilly, Instructional Developer, Teaching & Learning Innovation Hub

Last year, I designed and implemented a Learner Preferences Survey that aligns with the three main principles of Universal Design. I shared the survey via the Hub newsletter, website, and Twitter, and many of you decided to adopt and adapt it for your own teaching contexts, which was really, really great to see!

The survey opens up a positive dialogue about learners’ strengths, preferences, and goals. At the end of the winter semester, one of our colleagues told me that his student expressed extreme gratitude at his explicitly asking for and using her preferred name over the course of the semester. What felt like a small gesture to him was actually a really big deal for her. I was reminded of the value of early engagement practice and the impact that diagnostic surveys can truly have, if the data is used effectively.

I recently reviewed and updated the survey, modifying it based on student and faculty feedback, along with my own reflections and inputs from my Twitter network. 

Here’s a summary of the changes I’ve made:

• Rebuilt using Microsoft Forms to better protect student data privacy
• Stronger focus on inclusivity and strengths-based questioning
• Additional questions related to students’ comfort with and intended use of technology
• Specifically tailored to an asynchronous online delivery mode (questions can be modified or removed with ease)

If you click this link, you can preview the survey. Hit the green “Duplicate it” button to create your own version. Modify the version for your own context, then share the link in Moodle or via email to start learning more about your students’ needs and expectations.