We all know that catering to student needs is important, in this presentation I outline an interactive task-based lesson where students worked in small groups to carry out an English learning needs analysis. In small groups students worked together to decipher the meaning of two provided survey questions and then asked those questions to classmates in other groups. They then re-grouped to combine their results and present their findings to the class. After the group presentation, students re-visited the survey questions through the Moodle questionnaire. After engaging with the questions and processing the concepts through the class activity, the language and concepts were revisited through the Moodle questionnaire. The follow-up use of Moodle questionnaire provided the teacher with easy to analyze data in order to inform further lesson planning. Moodle questionnaire is an optional add-on module for the Moodle Learner Management System.

1. Blending In-Class Surveys with
Moodle Questionnaire

2. MOODLE QUESTIONNAIRE

3. STUDENT
NEEDS
Different
context
Different
learning
experiences
Different
learning needs
Different
learning
interests
Different
proficiency
levels

4. NEEDS ANALYSIS - OPTIONS
Take a levels test – demotivating
Individual Surveys – lacks interaction
 First class – want to break ice, encourage interaction

5. CONTEXT:
Engineering university
Course: English Communication (speaking and listening
skills, mixed levels)
Question: In what situations do these students want to
be able to use English?

6. IDEA
What if students survey each other in English?
 Problem: Lack of vocabulary knowledge
 Solution: Small groups assigned 2 questions – work
out meaning together
 They then ask class mates from other groups these
questions (so they can explain them if necessary)

7. HOW CAN I GET THE DATA FROM STUDENTS?
 Students present results to class
 Students hand in a paper count sheet
 Follow-up activity with online survey
 Moodle or Survey Monkey?

8. 123 groups
Survey each other
Record answers
ABC groups
Question
meaning
Return to ABC group
Collate results
Prepare to present
Review and record
answers with
Moodle
questionnaire
Present results
to class

12. MOODLE QUESTIONNAIRE
Download in text format (TEXT AND CODE/CODE
ONLY)
CSV
Copy and paste into excel/another program (SPSS)
Analyse

13. Topics ranked by average score
3.15
3.15
3.09
3.22
3.30
3.29
3.50
3.57
3.64
Q03_Directions
Q04_Responding to a problem
Q09_Travel situations
Q05_Phone-calls and messages
Q01_Describing a job or product
Q06_Group research
Q07_Invitations
Q02_Explaining a process
Q08_Planning a trip
2.80 3.00 3.20 3.40 3.60 3.80
4 - Yes
3 - Maybe yes
2 - Maybe no
1 - No

15. 5 – Most preferred
1 – Least preferred
2.243902439
2.792682927
Assessment method averages
2.914634146
3.012195122
3.304878049
3.756097561
4
3.5
3
2.5
2
1.5
1
0.5
0
INDVPRES INTERVIEW ROLEPLY GRPPRES LISTENGT VOCABTEST

16. MOODLE QUESTIONNAIRE – RECOMMEND?
Data can be downloaded free
Survey Monkey – pay to download
Limitation – no ordering question option

17. ACTIVITY NOTES
 Plenty of scaffolding (results presentation language, keep
questions simple)
 Good for a first class where students are already familiar with
each other
 Levels/needs can be detected through monitoring
 Preparation of questions and handouts was complex (5 copies
of 5 different sheets)
 Depending on time – Moodle might be pushed to next class
(signing in for first time etc.)

18. THANK YOU
Questions, comments, suggestions?
haidee.thomson@mmm.muroran-it.ac.jp
haideethomson.com