Tips+for+using+Survey+Monkey

Tip # 1 Require Everything
 * Let's face it; students "forget" to do things. To make sure that they don't forget to include their name, or any other field that is on the form, the author of the form should be sure to select "require" for EVERY part of the survey. This should prevent the student from submitting the survey until it is successfully completed.

Tip # 2 Help Them
 * "You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink." Yes, this is very cliche. However, assuming that they know exactly what to do is a ticking time bomb. Students can forget, neglect, or do not understand how to use the rubric to evaluate the work of others. Use the "help" boxes under the fields of the survey or form to prompt them. I've found that writing open ended questions helps guide the students to writing relevant responses.

Tip # 3 Try It First
 * It is a rare occurrence for a baseball player to pitch a perfect game the first time that a he takes the mound. I've found that putting examples on the board and evaluating them as a collective allows the students to work out the kinks before they submit the evaluation online. A quick way to do this is to project the anonymous assessment on the board, have the students rate it (Poll Everywhere is great for this), and justify their rating in discussion. During the discussion encourage students to "own their statements." They should not change their votes to suit the majority, or to how a friend voted. They should justify their vote, hear the justifications of their peers, and then make a decision as to what is the best score for the assessment.

Tip # 4 Preview Before They Review
 * It's important that the process isn't frustrating for you or the student. Broken links or oversights in the creation of the survey can cause the students to turn off and not give the evaluation their best effort. Additionally, previewing the survey gives you the perspective of the student that will be taking the evaluation. This can also allow you to give them the appropriate incentive when you go to attach a point value to the evaluation.

Tip # 5 Be Mindful of Your Students
 * Even though internet access should be fairly accessible in most homes, it is still important to know if they have the access to complete this as a homework assignment. I try to always make sure that the students have an opportunity to use a computer at some point during the school day. If they don't, then I require them to submit the evaluation an alternative way.