Many Ways to Skin A Cat: Measuring OLLI’s Successes

Many Ways to Skin A Cat:Measuring OLLI’s Successes

Linda G. Shook and Virginia E. O’Leary

Big Data

Little Data

In a member led, member driven organization like OLLI, how do you know what your membership wants?

Many of us in leadership positions think we know because we have strong opinions and they often coincide with those of the others we know best.

BUT….

An N of 2 won’t do!

Surveying the membership is the only way to really know for sure.

The OLLI at Auburn StoryIn the beginning there were the opinions of

the members of the OLLI Board.

Then, at a Board meeting in October during an intense discussion of ways to raise funds..

OLLI’s PartnerDr. Malissa Clark and her class of 7 doctoral

students enrolled in a course entitled Research Methods for Industrial/Organizational Psychology.

OLLI at Auburn as ClientBrief history

Purpose of the survey

Question domains

Content CategoriesDemographics

GenderAgeEducation

Comfort with technology

Years living in the Auburn area

Experiences with OLLI

Attitudes toward OLLI Fundraising

Ways members learned about OLLIAttendance at OLLI functions by type,

academic or socialReasons for considering withdrawing from

membership

Curriculum and ServicesSatisfactionUse of OLLI benefits

Qualtrics

DraftsOriginal 105 questions

Pared to 45 questions

Reviewed by the OLLI Director, Linda Shook, and me

Final review for content by the Board

PretestsPretest of the internet version for time and

wording20 OLLI members randomly selected

Pretest of the hard copy version for time and wording5 convenience sample of OLLI members

Survey AdministrationAcross 2 weeks with a reminder at day 10

Paper surveys available at the OLLI desk during classes

OLLI at Auburn Membership Surveywww.olliatauburn.org

Response Rate43% (N=267 of the 615 members who were

sent the survey.

CrosstabsGenderMember status (academic or general)Length of OLLI affiliationPrevious career historyPrevious careerEducational backgroundMarital status

Content AnalysesThe ended questions included in the survey

were content analyzed.

Analyses

The students analyzed the survey with input from me regarding crosstabs of interest.

ResultsThe students presented the results to the

Board at a meeting called for that purpose.

Linda Shook, DirectorOLLI at Auburn

Worked with non profit groups.

B. A., Public Relations, University of Alabama.

M.Ed., Adult Education, Auburn University.

The Survey is Available at:http://www.olliatauburn.org/documents/OLLI

%20Exec%20Membership%20Survey%20Report_FINAL%20June%202013.pdf

Win-WinOLLI at Auburn has data on which to base

decisions for the next couple of years.Dr. Clark was able to teach survey research

methods in real time.The students were able to work with an

actual client and can now claim to have done survey work on their resumes when they go to look for jobs.

The university has an illustration of the contribution of OLLI at Auburn to its academic mission.

Partnering with Academic UnitsEnhances OLLI’s relevance to the broader

campus community.

Provides a platform of inter generational collaboration that benefits both.

As Director of OLLI at Auburn The value of surveys for data to enhance our

programs.

The importance of using empirical data to make decisions.

The utility of forging partnerships with the academic side of the University which deepens our roots within our host institution.

New Data Collection EffortsSurvey of OLLI faculty.

Attrition Survey.

Preferences for social events.

There are many ways to skin a cat using survey methodology.

Michael Cheang a faculty member in the Family and Consumer Sciences Department at the University of Hawaii at Manoa will now tell us about their OLLI curricular content analysis.

Thank You