Computerized school surveys: Design and development issues

Over the past few decades, the computer has played an increasingly large role in the collection of survey data. The primary focus of computers in survey research, however, has been in computer-assisted telephone interviewing. The use of computers in the elicitation of responses directly from the respondent has been the focus of increasing efforts in recent years but still remains relatively undeveloped. Although there have been previous attempts at investigating the effects of introducing computerized self-administered surveys among adolescents, no such investigation has been attempted in a school-based survey to our knowledge. The authors examine methods and issues from the Minnesota Student Survey Mode Effects Experiment - an on-line versus paper-and-pencil comparison from a large school survey of adolescents. Some of the issues include comparability with paper-and-pencil versions and data collection issues, such as computer literacy, security, and case management.