Collecting Input from Constituent Groups

This KnowledgeBase archive includes content and external links that were accurate and relevant as of September 30, 2019.

Collecting input from constituent groups involves more than just asking a few people what do you think! There is a structured process to engaging people in a constructive dialogue. The resources provided offer basic information on survey design, focus groups, and interviewing.

Resources

Survey Design

Survey Development Guidelines

These W. K. Kellogg Foundation Evaluation Handbook guidelines offers basic do's and don'ts of survey design.

Checklist for Survey Design

Surveys are a useful tool for gathering people's perceptions, preferences, beliefs on many topics. However, a survey is only as good as its design. The checklist offered provides guidance on effective survey design.

Groups

Study Circles

Study circles are a structured dialogue tool enabling groups to define a problem, explore causes, define possible solutions and formulate action plans. Advocated by EveryDay Democracy, the process helps communities organize productive dialogue, recruit diverse participants, find solutions, and work for action and change. The process can be useful tool for engaging school staffs, parents and community leaders in effective dialogue for accomplishing school improvement.

The contents of this website were developed under a grant from the U.S. Department of Education and are intended for general reference purposes only. However, those contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the U.S. Department of Education or the Center, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government. Some resources on this site require Adobe Acrobat Reader. This website archive includes content and external links that were accurate and relevant as of September 30, 2019.