Distance learning is a challenge for parents. Learn 3 tips on how to create an effective distance learning parent survey to better support them.

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How to Create
Effective Distance
Learning Parent
Surveys

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During this time of distance learning,
parents have, in a way, taken on the
additional role of a teacher. It is just as
important to be collecting feedback from
parents regarding distance learning as it
is to collect similar feedback from
teachers. An effective way to gather this
feedback is by creating and distributing a
distance learning parent survey.

3. Author and Curriculum Director at Libertyville
District 70, Dr. Erik Youngman, explained their
use of distance learning parent surveys to,
“inform potential change in the spirit of
continuous improvement.”

4. Dr. Youngman’s school district has gained
impactful feedback from these surveys, but
the question still stands: how do I create an
effective distance learning parent survey?

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Marketing director and
content strategist for Campus
Suite, Jay Cooper, gives some
great tips on how to create
effective distance learning
parent surveys to increase
engagement.

6. 1. Tell parents what’s in it for them
Jay explains that it is crucial to let the parents
know the importance of the survey and their
participance. An increase in engagement is
likely if the parents understand the impact of
the survey.

7. 2. Make the survey short and sweet
Parents are being pulled in multiple directions
during this time of distance learning. A shorter
survey that gets right to the point is more likely
to have engagement by more parents. You
may want to also preface the survey with an
estimated time length to take the survey.

8. 3. Share the results
Make sure to share the outcome of the distant
learning parent survey as they will want to see
the perspectives of other parents as well. It
can be very beneficial for the participants to
see these results to understand the
importance of the survey.

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10. What Questions Should We be
Asking Parents?

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With Dr. Youngman’s school district
reaching over 300 parents and 90 staff
respondents with their distance learning
parent survey, they found great success.
Here are some examples of the
questions Libertyville District 70 asked
in their survey.

12. 1. Does the time length for distant learning
seem appropriate?
Their survey found that some parents wanted
more rigor or time spent on remote learning,
while others did not. This was useful
information to the staff to understand how to
support an area of growth.

13. 2. What are your concerns during this
time?
Dr. Youngman explained that many parents
were concerned that students were regressing
or falling behind in content. Using this
information, the district wants to create
assignments and activities for students to
continue to obtain new content.

14. 3. What has been beneficial during this
time?
Try to get some positive information out of
the surveys to see what is working. As Dr.
Youngman said, “It’s important to make time
to celebrate the good things that are
happening while also making time to
change things that can be improved.”

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16. Distance learning has been difficult for
parents as they try to keep up a “teacher”
role. A distance learning parent survey can
be a great tool to check up on parents and
understand how they are doing.

17. Thanks for reading!
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