The Student Post Exchange Survey: Why Everyone Should Be Using It - NO EXCUSES

1. The Student Post Exchange Survey:The Student Post Exchange Survey:
Why Everyone Should Be Using It,Why Everyone Should Be Using It,
NO EXCUSES!NO EXCUSES!
Dennis White, D 6220Dennis White, D 6220
Youth ExchangeYouth Exchange
Pre-Convention MeetingPre-Convention Meeting
20152015

2. •Why a Student Post Exchange Survey?Why a Student Post Exchange Survey?
• Originally because of several years ofOriginally because of several years of
unusually high numbers of Earlyunusually high numbers of Early
ReturnsReturns
• It is now also a significant tool forIt is now also a significant tool for
continuous improvementcontinuous improvement

3. Why THIS Student PostWhy THIS Student Post
Exchange Survey?Exchange Survey?
• Uniform Questions
• Allows for Global comparisons

4. •Historical developmentHistorical development
• Small group developed sample surveys
• Tested with Surveymonkey with positive
results
• Process for accessing survey and data
analysis was complicated

5. Historical developmentHistorical development
• Norm Samuelson streamlined accessing
the survey and analyzing data
• Luiz Ricardo Begosso recently added
further data analysis of open-ended
question responses

6. WHAT FACTORS DETERMINE
THE SUCCESS OF AN
EXCHANGE?

7. FACTORS WE CAN CONTROLFACTORS WE CAN CONTROL
• The Post Exchange Survey has collectedThe Post Exchange Survey has collected
enough information to draw someenough information to draw some
interesting conclusions in areas in whichinteresting conclusions in areas in which
we can have a positive effectwe can have a positive effect
• It is NOT entirely determined by theIt is NOT entirely determined by the
student, but also by host families, host club,student, but also by host families, host club,
counselor, school, etc.counselor, school, etc.

8. FACTORS WE CAN CONTROLFACTORS WE CAN CONTROL
 We have developed ways to sliceWe have developed ways to slice
and dice the data from the Postand dice the data from the Post
Exchange Survey toExchange Survey to exposeexpose
correlation between variouscorrelation between various
factors.factors.

9. GRAPHICAL DATAGRAPHICAL DATA
 In our global graphs we show average, max, andIn our global graphs we show average, max, and
min values for answers to many of the questionsmin values for answers to many of the questions
 Those show a wide variation between best andThose show a wide variation between best and
worstworst
 No district is best across the boardNo district is best across the board
 No district is worst across the boardNo district is worst across the board
 All districts can improveAll districts can improve
 All districts need to improveAll districts need to improve

10. Global Results from 1810 Surveys
Hosted by 314 Districts in 48 Countries Sponsored by 334 Districts
“Executive Summary” graph

11. ISOLATING FACTORS:
INITIAL LANGUAGE ABILITY
• The data was originally analyzed one district or one multi-
district or one country at a time
• Last year we discovered a simple way to look at a single
factor, such as initial mastery of the host language
• We looked at those who reported good (4 or 5) initial language
skill
• Then at those we reported poor (1 or 2) initial language skill
• The result of that comparison is STRIKING…

12. Poor InitialPoor Initial
Language SkillLanguage Skill

14. Good InitialGood Initial
Language SkillLanguage Skill

16. INITIAL LANGUAGE ABILITYINITIAL LANGUAGE ABILITY
• Not too surprising is it? If a student starts his/herNot too surprising is it? If a student starts his/her
exchange with a working grasp of the language,exchange with a working grasp of the language,
everything goes more smoothlyeverything goes more smoothly
• Who is responsible for this, the student, the sponsorWho is responsible for this, the student, the sponsor
district, the host district, or the RYE Program overall?district, the host district, or the RYE Program overall?
• Should we only accept students who know the hostShould we only accept students who know the host
language?language?
• Would that make it impossible to exchange with manyWould that make it impossible to exchange with many
countries?countries?
• What can we do to improve this situation?What can we do to improve this situation?
• These will be the topics of one of our breakoutThese will be the topics of one of our breakout
sessionssessions

17. OTHER FACTORS
This year, we have analyzed the data to isolate some
other important factors, all related to the HOST
District:
It is important to understand that these were the
student’s impression of the support, not necessarily
an objective measure
• Club Support
• Counselor Support
• Host Family Support

18. Good Club Support SupportGood Club Support Support

19. Good (1050)

20. Poor Club Support SupportPoor Club Support Support

22. CLUB SUPPORTCLUB SUPPORT
 Again, we see a strong correlation betweenAgain, we see a strong correlation between
feeling included by the host club and the overallfeeling included by the host club and the overall
results of the exchangeresults of the exchange
 Remember, this is based on reports by theRemember, this is based on reports by the
students, not an objective analysisstudents, not an objective analysis
 But, it appears that when the club includes theBut, it appears that when the club includes the
student, the exchange goes betterstudent, the exchange goes better
 One of our breakout sessions will focus onOne of our breakout sessions will focus on
this…this…

23. Good Counselor SupportGood Counselor Support

25. Poor Counselor SupportPoor Counselor Support

27. COUNSELOR SUPPORTCOUNSELOR SUPPORT
• Similar to Club Support, but tying itSimilar to Club Support, but tying it
directly to the Counselordirectly to the Counselor
• Again, this is based on the students’Again, this is based on the students’
reports of their relationship with thereports of their relationship with the
Counselor, not an objective analysisCounselor, not an objective analysis
• But it does appear that there is a veryBut it does appear that there is a very
strong correlation between thestrong correlation between the
Counselor’s role and the outcome of theCounselor’s role and the outcome of the
exchangeexchange
• Another breakout will focus on this issueAnother breakout will focus on this issue

28. Good Host FamilyGood Host Family
ExperienceExperience

30. Poor Host FamilyPoor Host Family
ExperienceExperience

32. STUDENTS WHO CONSIDERED EARLY RETURNSTUDENTS WHO CONSIDERED EARLY RETURN
• The next slides are different from the past ones.The next slides are different from the past ones.
• In those we picked a particular possible cause forIn those we picked a particular possible cause for
early return, and looked at the consequences.early return, and looked at the consequences.
• In these slides we will pick a consequenceIn these slides we will pick a consequence
(considered early return), and look for possible(considered early return), and look for possible
causes.causes.
• They clearly show that those who considered earlyThey clearly show that those who considered early
return had an experience that was not up to par.return had an experience that was not up to par.

33. Considered Early ReturnConsidered Early Return

35. DidDid NOTNOT Consider EarlyConsider Early
ReturnReturn

37. DRILLING DOWN A LITTLEDRILLING DOWN A LITTLE
DEEPER -DEEPER -
WE CONSIDERED THOSEWE CONSIDERED THOSE
STUDENTS WHO THOUGHTSTUDENTS WHO THOUGHT
ABOUT RETURNING EARLY, BUTABOUT RETURNING EARLY, BUT
DECIDED TO STAYDECIDED TO STAY
Of the 367 students who thoughtOf the 367 students who thought
about early return, 292 of themabout early return, 292 of them
stayed. We will look at the causesstayed. We will look at the causes
as they reported them, and what helpas they reported them, and what help
they received to help them throughthey received to help them through
it.it.

39. Where did the problem originate?Where did the problem originate?

41. Who helped you with theWho helped you with the
problem?problem?

43. • It is important to note that the number of positiveIt is important to note that the number of positive
responses exceeds the number of negativeresponses exceeds the number of negative
responses to each of these questionsresponses to each of these questions
• This means that while the negative responses doThis means that while the negative responses do
indicate that we have some problems to address,indicate that we have some problems to address,
these are problems that affect a subset of thethese are problems that affect a subset of the
population, rather than all students, all districts, allpopulation, rather than all students, all districts, all
host clubs, all counselors, all host familieshost clubs, all counselors, all host families
WHAT DO WE DO NOW?WHAT DO WE DO NOW?

44. • The original intent of the Post Exchange Survey
was, and still is, to look for causes for early
returns
• We have identified some of those causes, and we
hope that we can make recommendations to
improve or prevent those situations thru the
discussions in the breakout sessions to follow this
session
WHAT DO WE DO NOW?

45. Post Exchange Survey Committee MembersPost Exchange Survey Committee Members
o Peter Golombek,Peter Golombek, yepeterg@comcast.netyepeterg@comcast.net ****
o Niels Oehlenschlæger,Niels Oehlenschlæger, niels.oeh@gmail.comniels.oeh@gmail.com ** (former member)** (former member)
o Dennis White,Dennis White, dkwhite@itol.comdkwhite@itol.com ****
o Erwin Zeller, Chairman,Erwin Zeller, Chairman, erwinzeller@speed.aterwinzeller@speed.at ****
o Norm Samuelson,Norm Samuelson, Norm@NormSamuelson.comNorm@NormSamuelson.com
o Luiz Ricardo BegossoLuiz Ricardo Begosso yep.luizbegosso@gmail.comyep.luizbegosso@gmail.com
Those marked with ** were founding members of the group and were primarilyThose marked with ** were founding members of the group and were primarily
responsible for the content of the questionsresponsible for the content of the questions
Norm Samuelson has been responsible for data collection and analysis for the lastNorm Samuelson has been responsible for data collection and analysis for the last
two+ yearstwo+ years
Luiz joined the committee recently, and has helped significantly in automating someLuiz joined the committee recently, and has helped significantly in automating some
of the analysis workof the analysis work

46. • We are continuing to collect data. We ask allWe are continuing to collect data. We ask all
districts chairs to contact all their inbound and alldistricts chairs to contact all their inbound and all
their outbounds, near the end of their exchange, totheir outbounds, near the end of their exchange, to
help by providing input to the survey.help by providing input to the survey.
• Each student should fill out the survey just once IfEach student should fill out the survey just once If
the same name is duplicated, we remove thethe same name is duplicated, we remove the earlierearlier
responseresponse
• District Committee members who want to try theDistrict Committee members who want to try the
survey are asked to use “9999” as the host district,survey are asked to use “9999” as the host district,
so we can easily remove their responsesso we can easily remove their responses

47. We continue to make minor changes to the questions
each year
• As of September 2014 we have over 1800 responses
we can use
• Some earlier responses were to sets of questions
that differ enough that we can’t easily combine
them with the more current responses
• The latest survey is, and will continue to be,
available at:
www.YouthExchangeSurvey.info
Just click on “Survey Link” to go directly to the
current questions on SurveyMonkey

48. Now available in multiple languages!
• English
• French
• Portuguese
• German
• Spanish
• Italian

49. The Student Post Exchange Survey:The Student Post Exchange Survey:
Why Isn’t Everyone Using It?Why Isn’t Everyone Using It?
1.1. I didn’t know about it.I didn’t know about it.
(Now you do!)(Now you do!)
2.2. It’s too complicated to administerIt’s too complicated to administer
( Not at all. A. Copy the survey site( Not at all. A. Copy the survey site
www.YouthExchangeSurvey.infowww.YouthExchangeSurvey.info
B. Email it to your students)

50. The Student Post Exchange Survey:The Student Post Exchange Survey:
Why Isn’t Everyone Using It?Why Isn’t Everyone Using It?
3. It takes too long3. It takes too long
(Less than fifteen minutes to complete)(Less than fifteen minutes to complete)
4.4. I don’t have time to analyze the dataI don’t have time to analyze the data
(Norm will do it for you – almost any(Norm will do it for you – almost any
way you want)way you want)

51. The Student Post Exchange Survey:The Student Post Exchange Survey:
Why Isn’t Everyone Using It?Why Isn’t Everyone Using It?
5.5. I don’t want my district to be held up toI don’t want my district to be held up to
public criticismpublic criticism
(NO results from individual districts are(NO results from individual districts are
shared with anyone but YOUR district)shared with anyone but YOUR district)
6. We already know we are doing well6. We already know we are doing well
from surveys we dofrom surveys we do

52. The Student Post Exchange Survey:The Student Post Exchange Survey:
Why Isn’t Everyone Using It?Why Isn’t Everyone Using It?
66.. We already know we are doing wellWe already know we are doing well
from surveys we dofrom surveys we do
(NO district is perfect – we can all(NO district is perfect – we can all
improve)improve)
(Share your success with us, and help(Share your success with us, and help
add to the global data-base)add to the global data-base)

53. 1803 surveys1803 surveys
In the past two to three yearsIn the past two to three years
314 Districts have314 Districts have
participated at one time orparticipated at one time or
anotheranother
Only 124 districts with moreOnly 124 districts with more
than 5 responsesthan 5 responses
Only 53 districts with moreOnly 53 districts with more
than 10 responsesthan 10 responses

54. Questions?Questions?
We can do better!We can do better!
Participate in the surveyParticipate in the survey
every year!every year!
No excuses!No excuses!