Example: Survey Protocol--Volunteer Recruitment and Engagement

Free High School Science Texts Volunteer Survey Protocol

The OER project Free High School Science Texts (FHSST) experienced challenges in recruiting author volunteers and keeping them engaged in the project over time. In order to address this, FHSST project developed the survey protocol below, which consists of an introduction and 9 open-ended questions that attempt to encourage full answers based upon the participants’ perceptions and knowledge.

Thank you in advance for your participation in this survey, which will help in our efforts to evaluate volunteer recruitment and volunteer support activities. The survey should take approximately 20 minutes. Please note that all responses are voluntary, and will remain anonymous in any write-ups of the data collected. Please return your completed survey to [name] at [email address] by [date].

1. What prompted you to participate in the project and what keeps you coming back?

2. Have you encouraged others to participate in the project? If so, please explain how you recruited and why.

3. What do you think would be the best way for the project to recruit more volunteers? Please explain.

4. What suggestions would you offer volunteers who are new to the project?

5. How would you describe your typical activities within the content authoring system?

6. What supports, tools or practices have been most helpful in facilitating your ability to complete assignments and contribute content? Please explain.

7. Please provide a specific example of a hurdle you faced in contributing content and how the project could have assisted you in addressing it.

8. If you could change one thing about the project, what would it be?

9. Please complete the following:

a. When I need to communicate with the project admin team or with other volunteers, I ______________

b. It would be easier to communicate and interact with other volunteers and the admin team if ___________

c. I would like the monthly updates or other communications to include something about______________

Pointers

• The introduction to the protocol provides an opportunity to describe the purpose of the survey, how the survey data will be used, an estimation of how much time the survey will take, anonymity issues, and how and where to return the survey.