Research in music education
A "survey" is a systematic method of collecting information on one or more variables. An example of a survey study is a 1998 study by Gillespie and Hamann. The purpose of the study was to gather descriptive information about orchestra programs that can be used as baseline data when considering the needs of school string programs. The findings indicated a continued enrollment increase in school orchestras in the 1990s although the number of orchestra teachers remained stable, and that larger schools are more likely to offer orchestra instruction. The impact of the study was the recommendation that school systems should provide larger, more adequate teaching facilities and that universities and string teachers should emphasize strategies for teaching larger string classes in their teacher preparation programs.
Postgraduate Research Experience Survey
The Postgraduate Research Experience Survey (PRES) is a survey amongst graduate students at universities in the United Kingdom. It is developed by the Higher Education Academy. Participating institutions can collect feedback on the student experience and benchmark against their peers. The data is shared in a way so that comparisons (with the national average, for instance) are possible, but league tables cannot be constructed. The aim is to enhance the student experience.