Page 17 - JRCERT Update Articles

JRCERT Update

Increasing Survey Response Rates to

Improve Data Collection for Program

Improvement

Mahsa Dehghanpour, EdD, CMD
Tracy Herrmann, PhD, R.T.(R), FAEIRS

urveys can be used across medical imaging and Standard 6, Objective 6.4 indicates that, “programs
radiation therapy programs to obtain data con- must use assessment results to promote student success
cerning various aspects of the program. The and maintain and improve student learning outcomes.”
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Stypes of surveys that could be used include Assessment results must be reviewed with communities
employer surveys, alumni surveys, course satisfaction of interest at least annually to document evidence-based
surveys, instructor surveys, and exit surveys. The data decisions, and surveys often are used to collect assess-
collected from surveys can provide critical information ment data for program effectiveness. They also can be
to measure and analyze the effectiveness of a radiologic useful in facilitating discussions regarding program and
technology program, as well as provide feedback for student learning.
decision making for ongoing program and student
learning improvement. Surveys also might be used to Response Rate and Target Sample
conduct research designed to investigate practices and Well-developed surveys are effective tools to gather
perspectives in radiologic science education. According data. However, surveys with insufficient response
to Fink, surveys often are conducted to fulfill policy or rates can be concerning to program officials because
program requirements, to evaluate programs, or for of the reduced statistical power, nonresponse bias, and
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research purposes. Regardless of the purpose for con- the validity of results. A type of validity that is linked
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ducting a survey, an inadequate response rate can affect closely to response rate is design validity, which is the
the efficacy of the survey data. Therefore, it is impor- method a survey is administered (eg, timing, frequency,
tant to consider how response rates can be improved and selection of survey respondents). Measurement
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with advance planning and implementation of surveys, validity is the content and format of the survey, which
including considering the data collection mode, privacy also can effect response rate if the respondent doesn’t
and confidentiality of respondents, and incentives complete the survey because of the items. Important
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(see Table). tips for survey development were provided in a recent
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JRCERT Update, including :
Surveys and Accreditation ƒ assuring that each item addresses a single concept
Surveys are 1 of many potential sources of data that ƒ avoiding double negatives
might be used by a radiologic technology program to ƒ defining terms that could be misinterpreted
meet the Joint Review Committee on Education in ƒ eliminating leading statements
Radiologic Technology (JRCERT) Standards. To meet ƒ neutral and objective wording
Standard 2, Objective 2.3, “the sponsoring institution Design validity and measurement validity are impor-
provides student resources,” a survey can be used to tant to consider when using surveys to collect data for a
document services and promote academic success. For radiologic technology program and student learning.
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Standard 6, Objective 6.1, the program can use survey Response rate is calculated by dividing the number
data to verify job placement rate, and for Standard 6, of people who completed the survey by the num-
Objective 6.3, the program might choose to use sur- ber of people who received the survey. There can be
veys to assess graduate and employer satisfaction. inconsistent guidance regarding receiving response
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RADIOLOGIC TECHNOLOGY, July/August 2021, Volume 92, Number 6 625
Reprinted with permission from the American Society of Radiologic Technologists for educational purposes. ©2020. All rights reserved.