INTERNET BASED SURVEYS: HOW CAN THEY BE UTILIZED TO RESEARCH IN EDUCATION?

Nowadays, many researchers consider the Internet as a valuable and significant data gathering tool that may facilitate and enhance research possibilities within the social sciences (Hewson, 2008). Therefore, Internet based surveys are becoming an essential research tool in the field of teaching and teacher education. Internet-based surveys offer great advantages over traditional mail surveys, such as lower costs and faster responses. However, such way of surveying has been questioned regarding issues of sampling, non-response problem and questionnaire design. The presentation will focus on how the presenter has utilized Internet based methods including internet based surveys for collecting data in a successful way that helped in achieving her research aims. The presenter will suggest some implications for educational researchers, teachers and teacher educators who are planning to use them as a research tool. The presenter will show how researchers can mix survey modes where they can use more than one survey mode (e.g Internet based surveys and traditional paper surveys) to compensate the weaknesses of individual survey modes. This session is intended for educational researchers generally and in particular those who are planning to use Internet based surveys as a research tool. In addition, classroom teachers who are planning to collect quantitative data about their students' needs, views and attitudes regarding issues related to their teaching and students' learning can also benefit from this way of surveying.