Appendix

Confidence in results

How do we know these results reflect real life within NWT schools?

• First, the conclusions reflect many perspectives, and rely on both questionnaires and anecdotal reports.
• Second, as noted in the data collection details on this page, responses from most groups give us high confidence for three reasons:

1. return rates are high, for all but regional personnel;
2. on key factors, the mix of people who returned surveys closely reflects the group as a whole; and
3. information and opinions from different groups support and confirm each other.

Data from regional board members and regional staff offer less certainty, due to low return rates.

Data collection

All groups within NWT schools contributed to this study. In every case, efforts were taken to ensure anonymity and confidentiality.

Students

Surveys were sent to a random sampling of 10% of NWT classes at all grades. Each chosen class was asked to complete the survey twice, in November 1995.

Students answered questions based on incidents from that day (for Kindergarten through Grade 3) or from the previous day (Grades 4 to 12). Of 59 schools receiving surveys, 38 returned them. About 7% of the 17,509 students completed surveys. School staff

All 1,438 members in the NWT Teachers' Bargaining Unit received questionnaires, from principals to support staff, including janitors, bus drivers and secretaries.

Forty-seven per cent of the questionnaires were returned from 66 of the NWT's 81 schools; many of the schools not represented are small. Of the 685 respondents, 378 also completed reports describing particular incidents. Those reports are skewed toward teachers working in more stressful situations than the norm.

Principals

A random selection of one-third of all NWT principals completed anecdotal reports each week for six weeks. Those 27 principals described particular incidents they mediated at school during school hours, rating the seriousness of each incident. Our confidence in this portion of the study is especially high due to the percentage surveyed and the length of time studied.

Regional board and staff

Surveys were sent to the 10 regional superintendents and directors of education, who in turn distributed the forms to board and staff members. Of a potential 200 returns 68 came in, from 29 board members and 36 regional staff members in nine of the 10 regions. This portion of the data cannot provide more than general impressions.

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