Whether you’re teaching in an elementary school setting or a post secondary setting, it’s important to gain a basic understanding of your learners. Taking the time to send out a simple questionnaire is all that it takes to reap a wealth of knowledge that can be used to tailor your teaching approach. Plenty of great sample questionnaires can be found online. However, it’s been my experience that they typically don’t include basic questions about the learners engagement with technology. Though most students are now back in the classroom for good, in a post-Covid world, it feels remiss not to be forward thinking in this area. To that end, keep reading for the 5 questions you shouldn’t overlook when developing your new learner questionnaire.

1. What technology does the learner have access to while at home?

2. Does the learner have a reliable internet connection?

3. What is the learner’s (and/or guardians!) comfort level when it comes to exploring unfamiliar digital tools?

4. Does the learner have any unique digital skill sets?

5. Is there anything I should know (positive or negative) about the learner’s experiences with past online learning?

It can be easy to take for granted the idea that everyone lives an active digital life, but the reality is that even in privileged environments, not everyone has access to the same basic technology. Moreover, if the learner (or their guardian) has had bad experiences with online learning, there is a real risk that they may bring forward a negative attitude to your learning environment that derails even the most thoughtful lesson plan. Individuals who have had negative past experiences may require a more detailed orientation, and greater instructor availability as they acclimate to new technology. If you aren’t aware of their needs and are unable to budget your time and resources correctly, you can find yourself exacerbating underlying issues you didn’t even realize existed.

Last but not least, a reminder that surveys can be hard copy or digital. Most educational institutions will have invested in some type of platform that includes a survey option. If you don’t have access to this type of resource you can consider using an editable pdf or a survey tool such as surveymonkey.com