Doing Web Surveys During Uncertain Times

The chapter will focus on using a web survey administered using social networks as a gathering point to collect data on people's risk perception and their undertaking of protective behaviors during the Italian COVID-19 crisis. This was an unprecedented moment in the digital age when there was no possibility of physical contact due to the limitations imposed on coexistence by the health emergency to stem the spread of the virus. This is when digital connections are the only link among people, and the only tool that can be used for doing social research is trying to satisfy the desire for knowledge without limiting the potential for knowledge production even in times of profound uncertainty and several limitations. Analyzing the participants' feedback on web surveys during times of deep uncertainty allows the authors to show what is clearly happening to social research currently. The discussions will be supported by an auto-ethnography conducted on comments left by the respondents to the survey.

Online Research Practice and Integrated Perspectives of Inquiry

The authors reconstruct the system of advantages and limits of e-mail data collection and web survey technique in social research; for this purpose, they examine in detail a set of studies that stimulate multiple reflections, both with reference to the overall value of survey research and on the role of the web for social sciences. The subject of all selected research designs is a complex social problem that involves the internet, both focus for observation and tool for research: voting intentions, social effects of the pandemic, the quality of university life, technology addiction. In each research experience, for different reasons—above all due to the lack of a single, self-sufficient data collection mode—, the authors favor the integration of research strategies: 1) mixed-modes of data collection, 2) follow-up panel web survey, 3) mixed methods research, 4) introduction of a preliminary pilot study, 5) multilevel survey.

”Men nu fick man planera om och i den planeringen fick jag vara med!” Verksamhetsförlagt lärande i yrkeslärarutbildningen när undervisningen går över till distans

The article explores the effects of the transition to distance education due to the Covid19 pandemic on vocational teacher students’ workplace-based learning in a vocational teacher programme. Two practices are explored, that is, the instruction practices by prospective teachers and supervision. The theory of practice architecture is used to explain how the two practices interplay with one another in the common project of learning to become a vocational teacher. A web survey is utilised to gain both the students’ and the supervisors’ experiences. The main findings are 1) re-definition of pupil participation and activity as a touching base for supervision, and 2) expanded notion of supervision grounded in a more equal and complementary relationship between the student and the teacher supervisor. A call for an updated in-service supervision training as part of the vocational teacher programme and to strengthen vocational teacher education as a whole is put forth.

A Covid-19 e o agravamento das desigualdades na Região Metropolitana do Rio de Janeiro

Resumo Este artigo trata dos impactos da Covid-19 na renda da população da Região Metropolitana do Rio de Janeiro. A análise dos dados da aplicação de um web-survey confirma as hipóteses apontadas na literatura internacional no que diz respeito ao papel da pandemia de Covid-19 no agravamento de desigualdades sociais preexistentes. Além disso, o artigo informa que as desigualdades ocorrem nas áreas periféricas da metrópole fluminense, nas quais os impactos negativos são comparativamente muito superiores aos de outras áreas. A segurança econômica tornou-se mais desigual adiante da pandemia de Covid-19, quando comparados o lugar de moradia, a cor e o gênero dos habitantes.

Covid-19 and the worsening of inequalities in the Metropolitan Region of Rio de Janeiro

Resumo Este artigo trata dos impactos da Covid-19 na renda da população da Região Metropolitana do Rio de Janeiro. A análise dos dados da aplicação de um web-survey confirma as hipóteses apontadas na literatura internacional no que diz respeito ao papel da pandemia de Covid-19 no agravamento de desigualdades sociais preexistentes. Além disso, o artigo informa que as desigualdades ocorrem nas áreas periféricas da metrópole fluminense, nas quais os impactos negativos são comparativamente muito superiores aos de outras áreas. A segurança econômica tornou-se mais desigual adiante da pandemia de Covid-19, quando comparados o lugar de moradia, a cor e o gênero dos habitantes.

A Meta-Analysis of How Country-Level Factors Affect Web Survey Response Rates

A major challenge in web-based cross-cultural data collection is varying response rates, which can result in low data quality and non-response bias. Country-specific factors such as the political and demographic, economic, and technological factors as well as the socio-cultural environment may have an effect on the response rates to web surveys. This study evaluates web survey response rates using meta-analytical methods based on 110 experimental studies from seven countries. Three dependent variables, so-called effect sizes, are used: the web response rate, the response rate to the comparison survey mode, and the difference between the two response rates. The meta-analysis indicates that four country-specific factors (political and demographic, economic, technological, and socio-cultural) impact the magnitude of web survey response rates. Specifically, web surveys achieve high response rates in countries with high population growth, high internet coverage, and a high survey participation propensity. On the other hand, web surveys are at a disadvantage in countries with a high population age and high cell phone coverage. This study concludes that web surveys can be a reliable alternative to other survey modes due to their consistent response rates and are expected to be used more frequently in national and international settings.

Evaluation of User Reactions and Verification of the Authenticity of the User’s Identity during a Long Web Survey

Web surveys are very popular in the Internet space. Web surveys are widely incorporated for gathering customer opinion about Internet services, for sociological and psychological research, and as part of the knowledge testing systems in electronic learning. When conducting web surveys, one of the issues to consider is the respondents’ authenticity throughout the entire survey process. We took 20,000 responses to an online questionnaire as experimental data. The survey took about 45 min on average. We did not take into account the given answers; we only considered the response time to the first question on each page of the survey interface, that is, only the users’ reaction time was taken into account. Data analysis showed that respondents get used to the interface elements and want to finish a long survey as soon as possible, which leads to quicker reactions. Based on the data, we built two neural network models that identify the records in which the respondent’s authenticity was violated or the respondent acted as a random clicker. The amount of data allows us to conclude that the identified dependencies are widely applicable.

The role of loneliness in university students’ pathological Internet use – a web survey study on the moderating effect of social web application use

The present study investigated the role of social web application use in the association between loneliness and pathological Internet use. A sample of university students (n = 445) completed an online survey of their loneliness and Internet use, including an assessment of pathological Internet use level. Based on existing theory and empirical findings, loneliness was expected to be indirectly associated with pathological Internet use through social-compensatory Internet use motives. The strength of this indirect effect was hypothesized to be moderated by levels of social web application use. Results pointed to the specificity of social-compensatory use motives in mediating loneliness effects on pathological Internet use, while the size of these effects was moderated by quantity of social web application use. Findings suggest that lonely people with higher levels of social web activity show a stronger social-compensatory use orientation, which translates to higher levels of pathological Internet use. Implications and limitations of these findings are discussed and several suggestions for future studies are made.