service learning at the center for the study of local issues review csli history/mission the...

Service Learning at the Center for the Study of Local Issues

Review CSLI History/Mission

The Semi-Annual Survey: An Opportunity for Student

Learning and Civic Awareness Next Steps

Dan Nataf, Ph.D., DirectorCenter for the Study of Local IssuesAnne Arundel Community College

101 College ParkwayArnold, MD 21012-1895http:www2.aacc.edu/csli

[email protected]

CSLI History and Mission

Historical Background: In business since 1978!

1. Creation and operation as part of Division of Social Sciences: 1978-1999 – a community college ‘research center’

2 .Operation as part of Paul S. Sarbanes Center for Public and Community Service 2006-present

– Advisory Board: 20 +/- community activists, elected officials, government administrators, students, faculty

Provides guidance and link to the community both within and outside the campus

– Staff: Director, Program Specialist, Student Interns


Provide students opportunities to better understand applied social science research methods while encouraging civic awareness and engagement

Serve community and local government by offering research services and communicating survey findings

Provide opportunities for faculty professional development

Help AACC understand its environment through relevant data collection and analysis

Mission – four elements

Mission: Provide students opportunities to better understand applied social science research methods while encouraging civic awareness and engagement

Activities providing student opportunities:

Participation in community surveys

Participation in client based research projects

Student internships

CSLI student club


Semi-annual Survey

The survey process at a glance…

1. Conducted in March and October2. Telephone interviews – 350-550

completions3. Press releases4. Public presentations5. Media outreach6. Web site (http://www2.aacc.edu/csli)

CSLI: The Semi-annual Survey

Service Learning Process

Semi-annual survey – how students participate for service learning credit

Five contacts with CSLI• Introductory meeting • 3 nights of telephone interviews• Final meeting – review of survey

process, findings, SPSS/hypotheses testing


Semi-annual Surveys -

Why is your role so important?

How do surveys work?

1. Identify a population whose characteristics and attitudes are interesting to us

2. Our population – Residents of Anne Arundel County at least 18 years of age

3. Our goal – Ask a small group (the “sample”) questions 4. Generalize the findings to the whole population (the

“universe”)


How do surveys work? (continued)

Find a proper sample size: costs vs. margins of error – Example: Population of 100k+, confidence interval 95%

Error Sample Size

3 1111

5 400

7 204

10 100




How do surveys work? (Data collection)

How shall we collect the information?

Choices:1. Face to face – personal interviews2. Telephone – personal interviews3. Self-administered - by mail, exit poll, group setting4. Online – a version of ‘self administered’




How do surveys work? ( Data collection continued)

CSLI’s process:

1. Telephone – personal interviews – that’s what you will be doing

2. Self-administered - by mail




How do surveys work? ( Data collection continued)

How do we choose whom to call (or mail)?

Two choices: (1) Randomly select from listed phone numbers (2) Use computer generated “likely unlisted residential numbers within your target jurisdiction”

CSLI’s lists of numbers are a 90/10 percent mixWe start with over 8000 phone numbers!




How do surveys work? ( Survey assumptions)

What are we assuming in using telephone numbers?

That everyone in our target universe is equally likely to have a landline phone and willing/able to answer a survey

Should other methods be used?

Ideally, yes! But the other data collection methods are harder to implement and/or more expensive…




How do surveys work? (Sources of error)

What are other data collection challenges?

* Interviewer bias * Social desirability* Unclear questions* Non-attitudes* Non-response bias* Unequal representation of subgroups

None of these is necessarily a fatal flaw, but should make us sensitive that there are more sources of error than just the statistical ‘margin of error’




How do surveys work? (Getting to the finish line!)

What happens to all the completed surveys?

1. Data entry. This means we need to enter all the answers into a database for statistical processing.

2. Statistical analysis3. Write a report4. Send it out as a “press release”5. Post it on the Web.6. Use it in public presentations




Semi-annual Surveys: Recent Major Topics

Semi-annual survey – topics over the last couple of years • Major issues facing the county• Economic conditions in the county• Perceptions of BRAC’s impact on the county• The vision for public schools in the county• Cigarette Tax• Death Penalty• President Bush’s job approval• Lots of demographic info: age, income, occupational

status, race, religion, gender, party, ideology


Semi-annual Surveys: Sample of FindingsPresident Bush’s Job Approval Fall 2005 to Spring 2007


Semi-annual Surveys: Sample of FindingsEconomic conditions in Anne Arundel County


Semi-annual Surveys: Sample of Findings Anne Arundel County Public Schools


The Fall 2007 Semi-annual Survey

Major sections

1.Benchmark Questions2.General Development Plan – what’s the role for the public?3.Maryland State Budget Deficit – which taxes could you live with to put the State’s finances in order?4.Global Warming – perceptions and policies5.Miscellaneous – bow hunting, Iraq, Bush’s job approval6.Demographics


Next Steps

1. Make sure you know which evenings you are spending with us2. First night – come at 5:30 p.m. training in telephone interviewing

methods and questionnaire marking3. Last two nights – no need for more training, come at 6:00 p.m.4. Final meeting – November 6, 8, 9 (2-4 p.m.)

See you next week!

CSLI: Your Next Steps

service learning at the center for the study of local issues review csli history/mission the...

Documents

survey findings

community service

student opportunities

student learning

missionsemiannual survey

community activists

student internscsli

civic awareness