Redefining Aboriginal Evaluation

Graphic Surveys and Interviews
(that include a respondent self-completion survey)

With Aboriginal research participants, there may exist conflicting pressures resulting from the need for both culturally appropriate data collection methods and previously developed and tested questionnaire measures of known indicators that may not be culturally sensitive. The following provides an example of how such conflicts can be mitigated. In a research project with youth who were familiar with computers, technology was utilized to provide a computer-led variation from the typical interviewer-led questions or paper-and-pencil exercises. A mix of all three methods were used and orchestrated by the local Aboriginal interviewers after training. Measures included newly developed pilot tested culturally sensitive questions and established psychometric scales for comparative purposes.

After establishing rapport with the youth participant, a typical enquiry sequence might start out with the interviewer asking questions and recording them on a provided paper form. This might be followed with another familiar format in which the students use a paper and pencil format without involving the interviewer. Assuming that the questions in the first part are chosen wisely to put the participant at ease, then it is possible to move to the computer-led exercises, which are typically the measures that lend themselves to a more visual format. For example, a multiple-choice answer can be presented in a visual format such as symbolic people who can be selected by a click of the cursor/mouse.

In a question about personal characteristics, whose meanings might not be clear to all the participants, clickable words can provide the definitions when rolled over by the cursor. In addition, all the available characteristics can be shown on one screen and font colours used to distinguish among those chosen, those that the participant is unsure of, and those not selected. A simple click allows the participant to change an answer and see it immediately recorded on the screen.

In a longer interview where participant fatigue might be a factor, the continual rotation of question and answer formats and the frequent use of unusual and visual formats can forestall some of that fatigue. One paper-and-pencil format that was very visual was used at the end of such an interview, and was cited most frequently by the respondents as a favorite question.