SEGway Summer 2016

 
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SEGway     Summer 2016
Research and Assessment News from SEG Measurement  
 
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Greetings!

We hope you are having a great summer. While much of the world is focusing on their August vacations, most of us in education are busy preparing for a new school year, and new product and program updates.  The summer is a busy time for us also.  At SEG, we are busy with a new round of assessment projects and research studies. 
 
In this issue, we discuss key ways to spread the word about your research findings.  We also provide an overview of surveys to ensure all stakeholders are included. We also continue our series of providing answers to your questions. 
We encourage you to learn more about our work in assessment and efficacy research by connecting with us at conferences. We also look forward to continuing the discussion with you through the newsletter, on Twitter(@segmeasure) and on LinkedIn (SEG Measurement).  
 
Take a look at our website at www.segmeasurement.com, as it is frequently updated with developments in the field.  And, feel free to email me at selliot@segmeasurement.com. I always look forward to hearing from you.
 
Sincerely,
 
Scott Signature
 
 

Scott Elliot
SEG Measurement 

Four Easy and Effective Strategies to Spread the Word About Your Research Results
 
Once a study has been completed and you  
have found supporting evidence for 
the effectiveness of your product, it is critical to ensure that this information is available to all interested stakeholders. Current and potential customers will benefit from understanding how you evaluated the product, the findings of the study, and how it relates to their students.

 

 
 
The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) asks that teachers and administrators purchase products with proven effectiveness.  Spreading the word and having visible proof -- tangible upfront evidence of academic gains and achievement -- makes it easier for your product to be selected forpurchase.
 
Here are four suggestions to spread the word about your effectiveness study.
  
  • Post a report brief on your company and product websites.
Most folks are not going to have time to read through the full technical report, so it is helpful to have a report summary that highlights the key information from the study. Be sure to also include information on how to get the full report for those that are interested in getting into all of the details.  Some of our clients create a "research proven" badge or a clickable link to a webinar to advertise the findings.
  • Distribute a press release.
A press release is a helpful tool to share the results of your study and to express your continued interest in research and improvement of your product to ensure optimal success for students.
  • Use social media outlets.
Many folks get their educational news through Twitter and other social media. Be sure to announce the completion of the study and provide a link to the research brief or full report. Offer to answer questions through social media. Announce that your product is "ESSA ready!"
  • Submit to a peer-reviewed conference or publication.
Even if your study was completed by a credible independent research organization such as SEG, we strongly recommend that you have the study findings submitted to a peer-reviewed conference or publication. This allows for a blind review by experts to further support the quality and rigor of the study. In addition, presenting at a conference or being published allows for a wide distribution to folks that you may not reach through the other three ideas proposed here. Being at a conference allows for presentation to a group and additional one-on-one conversations regarding the research, your product, and how it may help others.

Be sure to get the most mileage out of your research beyond being able to "check the box" on proposals that you have completed an effectiveness study regarding your product.  Keep in mind that many customers are looking for "peer reviewed" research.

We can help you spread the word regarding your research. Contact us atinfo@segmeasurement.com to learn more.

Are You Missing Out on Valuable Feedback from Important Stakeholders in Your Surveys?
 
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Surveys are a popular method for publishers to collect information from a large number of people to gather information about anything ranging from product effectiveness, product needs, budgeting information, technology access, and attitudes.  In addition to following psychometric principles and best practices to ensure accurate data collection, and determining the optimal timing for conducting the survey, it is critical to ensure that you are surveying the right people to meet the needs of your survey.  

Consider the various stakeholders and their various perspectives:  

*    Teachers using your product.  Teachers that are currently using your product can provide helpful information about product features, effectiveness, challenges, and requests for future versions.
*    Administrators in schools with students that use your product.  Administrators can provide helpful information regarding the implementation of the product and program effectiveness across the school from their viewpoint.
*    Students using your product.  Students can provide valuable first hand information about using your tools as part of their learning journey. 
*    Parents.  Whether or not your product has a home component or can be accessed from home, parents can provide valuable information about their child's learning, how parents are involved, and what parents need to help their child's education.   
*    Potential administrators, teachers, or students who may use your product.  These groups are helpful to survey to learn more about their needs, budgets, challenges, goals, and current tools.

Once you determine what kind of information you want to collect, you can determine the types of stakeholders that need to be surveyed.  At that point, you can determine how many different surveys are needed and how the results from the surveys can be joined together to create a full picture to answer your research questions.
 

Please contact us to help you plan and execute this work at info@segmeasurement.com or 800-254-7670.  

 
Recent Questions Asked by Educators and Publishers Considering Conducting an Efficacy Study
 
Here is the latest installment of this popular section of the newsletter with common questions and answers. If you have specific questions that are not covered here or if you are interested in exploring any of these questions further, please contact us.  We are here to help.
 
Why should we avoid using own product's assessment as the outcome measure in a study?
When conducting an effectiveness study, it is critical for every aspect of the study to be as impartial as possible.  In addition to using a third-party independent researcher so that you are not biasing your results, it is also important to use third-party assessments.  While using the assessment you have already created would be easy for your participants to use, you are giving an advantage to the participants in your treatment (user) group.  Familiarity to the system, the stronger tie to the curriculum than to the control group curriculum, and potential for non-standard administrations are among the main concerns.  Using a third-party assessment allows for a fair comparison between the treatment and control groups.

Can we delay the start of our study to later in the Fall?
While it is least disruptive to get a full year study started at the beginning of the school year, it is quite common for studies to start a month or two behind the start of the school year.  Often, training and setup are needed for the first month or so for new users of your product before the implementation can truly start.  Of course, in studies that are not intending to cover the whole school year it is expected that the study would start at the optimal time for that design, whether that is in the spring, during a specific unit, or some other criterion.      

Can you help us develop a survey?
Yes, this is one of many services we provide.  We are experts in survey development and can create custom surveys for use as part of an effectiveness study or to stand alone for any specific purpose.  In addition to creating the survey, we can also administer and report the results, or we can simply author the survey and you can take it from there.
  

What questions do you have?  Let us know what questions you want answered.  Contactinfo@segmeasurement.com  to share your feedback.

SEG At Upcoming Conferences
Let's Meet!
 
We are looking forward to seeing our colleagues and meeting new friends at the upcoming conferences.  We are participating in several sessions & we invite you to join us.
 
   Look for us at these upcoming conferences:
  • EdNET, September 25 - 27, Dallas, TX
  • NJEA Convention, October 10, Atlantic City, NJ
  • NCTM Regional Conference, October 31 - November 2, Philadelphia, PA
  • E-Learn World Conference on E-Learning, November 14 - 16, Washington DC. 
  We would love to meet with you and discuss how we can help you build strong assessments   and get the proof of effectiveness you need for success.  
 
If you would like to meet with a representative from SEG Measurement to discuss how we       might help you with your assessment and research needs, please contact us           at info@segmeasurement.com.

About SEG Measurement
Building Better Assessments and Evaluating Product Efficacy
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SEG Measurement conducts technically sound product efficacy research for educational publishers, technology providers, government agencies and other educational organizations, and helps organizations build better assessments. We have been meeting the research and assessment needs of organizations since 1979. SEG Measurement is located in New Hope, Pennsylvania and can be accessed on the web at