What are Surveys?
The Surveys feature automates the process of gathering DIF information for VISION Developer module tasks. With it you can select tasks, send surveys out to the appropriate personnel, and then gather the results and update the task in the VISION Developer module.
To keep records up to date and properly versioned, VISION will only use the current (non-approved) version of a task. When a survey event is created the tasks on it will be "locked" so they cannot be edited or changed while DIF values are being collected for them. The tasks will stay this way until the survey event is expired.
Active, Expired, or Archived
You will find that surveys and survey events can have a couple of different statuses:
•An Active survey or survey event is one that can be used to gather DIF information.
•An Archived survey or survey event can only be stored for record keeping purposes.
•An Expired survey event can be Active or Archived. Expired means that surveys can no longer be returned for the event, that it is closed. This happens when a survey event has reached its end date. An Active survey event that has just expired will still be active until it is archived, but even a survey event that hasn't reached its end date will automatically become expired if it is Archived.
The Survey Process
The process of gathering DIF data consists of four steps:
1.Create a survey and add tasks to it. Select the task(s) you want to collect DIF values for.
2.Add a survey event to the survey. In this step you will select a start and end date for the survey. During this time, the VISION Developer tasks you selected will be locked.
3.Add "respondents" to the survey event. These are the people that will supply DIF values for the tasks.
4.Update the returned DIF scores. You will go through the values that the Respondents gave and then update the task's DIF values in VISION Developer.
The DIF Survey Timeline
A DIF Survey consists of two different periods, the time between the Start and End dates and the time between the End and Admin dates. Between the surveys Start and End dates, the tasks in the survey are being analyzed, and no changes can be made to them through the VISION Learning Station or Developer module. Survey results must be submitted by users by the end of this period. During the Admin Period (VISION's default is 3 days), between the End date and the Admin date, no new survey results can be submitted, and no changes can be made to the survey's tasks though the VISION Developer module. Survey administrators, however, will be able to submit changes to the task's DIF values from the VISION Learning Station. This must be completed by the end of the Admin period. After the end of the Admin Period, the survey is complete. DIF values cannot be changed through the VLS and manual editing in the VDM will resume as normal.
Survey Display
Filter Button
Click the Filter button to select from a variety of filters to organize the list of surveys.
•Organization: Choose the organization associated with the surveys you want to view.
•Survey Origination: Click the radio button to view only the surveys that you have created.
•Status: Select surveys with either the Active (in use) or Archived (no longer in use) statuses.
•Sort By: Choose whether to sort surveys by name or their system-generated identification numbers.
•Apply Button: Click this button when you are ready to filter the Survey List.
Search Button
Click the Search button to enter criteria to find specific surveys.
Add Survey Button
Click the Add Survey button to create a new survey and see the Create a DIF Survey Job Aid for instructions.
Survey List
The Survey List only displays the items that match the filter setting you've used. If you're not seeing the items you expect, check your Filter settings.
ID
This is the system-defined identification number given to the survey at the time of the survey's creation. Each identification number is unique and cannot be changed.
User Defined ID
This is an optional code entered by the user at the time of the survey's creation. This number does not have to be unique and can be edited in on the survey's properties page.
Survey (Link)
Click on the survey's name to edit or access the survey's Properties page.
Active Events
This indicates that there is an active survey event associated with this survey. Click the blue number to display the event and a link to the event's properties.
Archived Events
This indicates that there is an archived survey event associated with this survey. Click the gray number to display the event and a link to the archived event's properties.
