Below is a summary of responses to the questionnaire included in the Teachers’ Guide that accompanied the 2010/2011 edition of the Europa Diary, whose free distribution to over 21,000 schools throughout the European Union was funded by the European Union. Total number of responses: 6,996 from teachers in all 27 EU Member States.
Context in which the diary is used
- The Europa Diary is used by teachers teaching a wide variety of subjects. The largest group is teachers of Social Studies (PSHE, politics, European affairs, law), followed by History, Economics (incl. business studies & accounting), and Language/literature.
99% of teachers would like to receive the Diary again.
- 86% of the Diaries are used with students aged 15-18. 10% are used with students aged 14 and below, and the remaining with adults and students in post-secondary education.
- Approximately half of the respondents indicate that their school participates in European programmes or competitions.
About the Teachers’ Guide
- When asked which types of activities they like best, between quizzes, activities/games and discussion prompts, 64% of respondents indicated that they like discussion prompts. However activities/games and quizzes are also appreciated (selected by 47% and 39% of respondents respectively).
95% of teachers would recommend the Diary to their colleagues.
- Respondents were asked to rank what they feel are the three best activities proposed in the guide. The most popular activities are The European Union (36% of respondents ranked it as #1), followed by Consumer rights/complaining, Discrimination & Online social networking, and Internet safety (10% in each case). The activity Healthy Living(and to a lesser extent, Sustainable Consumption) also ranked highly.
- Respondents were asked to rank what they feel are the least useful activities proposed in the guide. The least useful activity is deemed to be To move or not to move (20% of respondents ranked it as #1 least useful activity), followed by International Trade andWhy do laws exist? (14% and 9% respectively).
- 44% of respondents indicated that they used the “EU in the world” DVD provided by DG RELEX, and 67% of all respondents, including those that did not use the DVD, mentioned that that particular exercise provided a useful overview of the EU’s foreign relations.
About the Diary
- 62% of respondents indicate that they use the calendar pages of the Diary, 69% the editorial pages, 68% the websites suggested in the editorial pages, and 91% the Teachers’ Guide. Respondents provide corresponding figures of 89%, 70%, 67% and 9% for their students’ use of the different parts of the Diary and Guide, respectively.
Teachers find all sections of the Diary to be useful.
- Respondents were asked to indicate whether they found each of the six section of the Diary “Very useful”, “OK”, or “Not useful”. All sections are deemed to be useful by an overwhelming majority of respondents, as “not useful” responses ranged from 1% to 4%. However the sections About the EU, My rights, my choices, and My environmentreceived the greatest share of “Very useful” responses, respectively at 60%, 58% and 56%.
- Respondents were given a range of additional topics that could be addressed in the Diary, and were asked to indicate whether they would be useful for their students, and/or as a teaching resource. Over 50% of respondents believe that information on career guidance, further studies opportunities, culture and languages and volunteer work would be useful for students. Information on culture and languages and on managing finances would be considered useful as a teaching resource by over 50% of respondents.
- 99% of respondents would like to receive the Diary again next year.
- 95% would suggest to colleagues teaching other years to use the Diary.
- 55% of respondents have colleagues that do not use the Diary, but use parts of the Teachers’ Guide.