This week involved a deeper exploration into questions I’ve had circulating in my head. For this course, I have narrowed my questions to focus on one wicked problem: a complex multi-dimensional issue without a single solution. I am exploring the problem of a lack of linguistic diversity in classrooms. Not only are the large majority of classes exclusively English-speaking, but they also encourage one way of speaking English. In order for many students to gain academic success, they are forced to speak differently in the classroom than how they speak at home. This devalues the vernacular and languages of many non-white and poor students. It also creates a barrier for them to fully engage with the material.
In designing a survey to learn more about this issue, I was overwhelmed by the many dimensions of this issue. I had to shift from “What is everything I do not know about this issue?” to “What could I learn about this issue that might equip me to do something about it?”. I then had to think about how to craft those questions into a survey that considers the user experience so I could get the best data.
Of the many survey elements to keep in mind, objectivity is a challenging one. Avoiding bias in surveys, to allow those surveyed to give you more objective data is an important part of survey writing (Market Research Guy). This particular element is difficult because I have a belief that classrooms should be linguistically inclusive. However, not everyone shares that belief.
Even now, having sent out the survey, I am anticipating the many ways I will wish I had changed it once I start to analyze the results. The challenge of taking on a wicked problem is breaking it down into questions whose answers are actionable. As the Market Research Guy writes, it is important to “be specific and keep it simple.” I do not think it is possible to create a classroom that allows students to engage in the language traditions of their families and communities, but I hope to learn how to approach such an ideal.
References:
Market Research Guy. (2020, July 7). Survey design best practices: How to write a good questionnaire. My Market Research Methods.