I. Introduction
For an introduction to the Instructional Enhancement
Initiative (IEI) and the basis for the Instructional Computing
Committee survey of students, see the report "Summary
of the Student IEI Surveys for 1997-1998" which is available
at:
http://www.chem.ucla.edu/dept/ICC/studentIEIsummary.html
II. Background on the Survey
For the methodology employed for the student survey on the Instructional Enhancement Initiative (IEI), see the report "Summary of the Student IEI Surveys for 1997-1998" which is available at: http://www.chem.ucla.edu/dept/ICC/studentIEIsummary.html. The actual student survey can be seen at: http://www.chem.ucla.edu/dept/ICC/stuquestionIEI.html. In order to obtain student survey results that were comparable with the earlier surveys, the Fall 1999 student survey used the exact same form as the Winter and Spring 1998 surveys.
III. Summary of Results
A. Response
For Fall Quarter 1999, 34 classes returned completed questionnaires.
As with earlier surveys, the faculty did not have input on whether
their classes were selected and that the survey was not required
to be administered. The number of students answering the Fall
1999 questionnaire was 3218, which is comparable to the numbers
of students who completed surveys for Fall 1997, Winter 1998 and
Spring 1998 Quarters.
B. Distribution of Students by Year in School
and Gender
As in the prior surveys, there was
an even distribution of students surveyed based upon year in school,
with each category (Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, and Senior) having
a roughly 25% population each quarter. There was a somewhat surprising
dominance of female to male responders (60% to 40%) in all of
the surveys.
C. Residence
More than a third (39.6%) of the respondents
lived in the residence halls. This is a small increase from prior
surveys.
D. Experience Using the Web
The remarkable and widespread impact
of the Internet on our society is evident in how students report
their experience using the Web. In Fall Quarter 1997, 13% of the
students reported having no experience using the Web, but by Fall
1999, this had dropped to only 1.3%. The percentage of students
ranking their ability as "beginner" has dropped from
17% to 11%. These results help to dismiss fears of student inability
to utilize new instructional resources. Training for students
to use the Internet may only need to focus on introductory classes
in Fall Quarter.
E. Access of the Course Web Site
62% of the respondents reported accessing
the course Web site once or more per week. This is down from 87%
in Spring 1998 and may reflect the courses sampled, student efficiency
in obtaining course materials, lack of novelty, or other factors.
Only 6% of the students reported never accessing the course Web
site.
F. Access to the Course Web Site
Students access course Web sites from
the residence halls (29.7%), remote dial-in via Bruin OnLine (26.5%),
remote dial-in via internet service providers (20.4%) or campus
computer labs (19.6%). The use of internet service providers is
up significantly, but the use of Campus resources is still of
primary importance.
G. Satisfactory Access to the Course Web
Site
Only 6% of students reported unsatisfactory
access to the course Web sites and this is down from 10% during
the 1997-1998 academic year. The principal reasons for dissatisfaction
were still speed of connection, problems making a connection,
and lack of information. The intent of these two questions was
to gauge hardware issues, but one interpretation of the "lack
of information" response is that a few students responded
based upon the content of the web site. The problem of making
a connection is a campus-wide issue with which the administrators
at Communications Technology Services and Bruin OnLine are familiar.
Out of 3218 respondents to the Fall 1999 survey, only 51 cited
access to a computer and a mere 20 cited lack of training as problems.
H. Contact with Instructors, Teaching Assistants
and Other Students
A specific requirement of the course
Web sites under IEI was some mechanism for interaction with the
instructor, so a question specifically addressed this issue. Over
69% of the respondents indicated that the web site did facilitate
their contact with the instructor in some way, with more than
44% indicating either moderate or significant enhancement of contact
with faculty. These percentages are similar to those from the
1997-1998 academic year. In contrast with the instructor requirement,
student-teaching assistant and student-student interaction mechanisms
were not required under IEI, but this was surveyed also. About
55% of the respondents indicated that the web site facilitated
their contact with the TA and 36% of the respondents indicated
that the web site facilitated their contact with other students.
These are up and down, respectively, from before.
I. Useful Components of Course Web Sites
Similar to previous surveys, the most
useful components of the course Web sites for students were (in
order): Lecture Notes, Assignments/Problems, and Exams/ Exam Keys.
As found in the Fall 1999 faculty IEI survey, Web posting of lecture
notes has become a key resource for students. Faculty appreciate
the ability to control the quality and availability of lecture
notes.
J. Use of Student Computing Labs
The Fall 1999 survey found that 62%
of the respondents used on-campus student computing labs at some
time. Of that, a full 32% of the students reported weekly use
of the student computing labs. This overall pattern of usage is
similar to that in Spring 1998. Clearly, on campus computing labs
remain an important resource for students. Only 5.5% of the respondents
reported dissatisfaction with the support staff in the on-campus
student computing labs which is down slightly from Spring 1998.
K. Written Comments About Class Web Sites
and the IEI
Of the 3218 survey forms from Fall
1999 and the almost 12,000 forms from 1997-1998, most had written
comments on the back of the evaluation form. All of the comments
were recorded and categorized. The summary of comments from the
Fall 1999 IEI Student survey is posted at: http://www.chem.ucla.edu/dept/ICC/IEI_Survey_1999Stu.html.
In general, students had positive things to say about both the
web sites and the computer labs. However, they also had numerous
suggestions for improvement and a variety of complaints about
the way that the web sites were utilized. Any one respondent often
had both positive and negative comments.
Students' specific comments about the course web sites were fairly positive. They appreciated access to new course materials such as art images in an art history class and anatomy pictures in a biology course. Some students noted whether the course Web site was a true teaching tool or merely a source of material already available in other formats. Students also had numerous suggestions of ways to improve the sites. Overall, it seems that most students wanted more, not less material on the course Web sites. Students were also relatively positive about the computer labs. However, at the same time, many of the students who liked the labs also complained that they were overcrowded or that they needed more hours. Other issues were printing costs and the format of online materials.
There were negative comments, though the intensity of dissatisfaction was greatly diminished compared to the Fall 1997 survey, the first quarter the IEI fee was imposed. The negative comments largely focused specifically on the IEI fee. Students commented that not all faculty are making full use of the Web or that there is insignificant value received relative to cost. Many students have the perception that 100% of the fees merely supports the course Web pages. There were some comments directed against the concept of the online and other new instructional resources. The third most significant complaint was about home Internet access. Some students who had limited Internet access at home complained about too much reliance on the course Web sites since they felt that their limited access to the Internet put them at a disadvantage when certain things were only accessible on the Web.
IV. Comments on Interpretation of the Survey
Results
With nearly 15,000 student responses
collected over four quarters, these data provide an interesting
snapshot of the broad introduction of computers into the undergraduate
experience. This is sure to be the beginning of a revolution in
the delivery of instruction. However, since the sample rate and
rate of return on the student surveys were somewhat low, caution
should be applied in interpreting these results too broadly.
Three comments from the beginning of the 1997-1998 report should
be reemphasized. First, the intent was not to evaluate instructors,
but rather to find changes in the educational experience for students
using new instructional resources. Second, only courses which
had active Web sites were selected for surveys. Third, the pedagogical
value and effectiveness of Web-based instruction were specifically
not addressed.
V. Statistical Results
The following is a summary of the statistical
results for the Fall 1999 IEI student survey.
1. Year in school
Freshman 28.0%
Sophomore 22.8%
Junior 24.8%
Senior 22.4%
Graduate 1.4%
Other 0.5%
2. Gender
Male 39.8% Female 60.2%
3. Do you live in a residence hall?
Yes 39.6% No 60.4%
4. Prior to this course, did you have experience using the Web?
/ Rate your experience using the Web.
No experience 1.3%
Beginner 11.3%
Intermediate 55.4%
Advanced 32.0%
5. Did you access your course Web site at least once? / How frequently
did you access the course Web site?
Never 6.0%
A few times 32.4%
Once per week 28.0%
Several times per week 25.6%
Daily 7.9%
6. How did you primarily access your course Web site?
Campus Residence Hall 29.7%
Campus Computer Lab 19.6%
Bruin On-line 26.5%
Internet Service Provider 20.4%
Other 3.9%
7. When you accessed the course Web site:
A. How satisfactory was the access?
Highly Unsatisfactory 3.4%
Unsatisfactory 3.1%
Neutral 12.4%
Satisfactory 59.0%
Highly Satisfactory 22.1%
B. When you accessed the course Web site: If access was not satisfactory,
was it due primarily to (select one):
Making a connection 20.5%
Speed of connection 32.4%
Access to a computer 5.3%
The computer 3.9%
The software 4.5%
Web experience 3.6%
Lack of information 13.9%
Lack of training 2.1%
Other 13.8%
8. Did the course Web site facilitate your contact with the following
individuals:
A. With the instructor?
Not at all 31.4%
Only slightly 23.8%
Moderately 30.1%
Significantly 14.7%
B. With the teaching assistant?
Course did not have TA 5.1%
Not at all 40.3%
Only slightly 19.7%
Moderately 22.0%
Significantly 13.0%
C. With other students in the course?
Not at all 64.1%
Only slightly 19.8%
Moderately 13.1%
Significantly 3.0%
9. Which components of the course Web site did you find to be
the most useful (select all that apply)?
Discussion bulletin board 11.7%
Syllabus 14.2%
Lecture notes 23.0%
Exams/Exam keys 18.4%
Useful links 7.7%
Assignments/Problems 20.4%
Other 4.5%
10. How often did you use the student computing labs (i.e. CLICC,
Science Learning Center, departmental lab, etc.)?
Never 37.6%
A few times 30.6%
Once per week 10.8%
Several times per week 14.7%
Daily 6.3%
11. How helpful was the support staff at the student computing
lab you used most?
No opinion 55.5%
Highly unsatisfactory 1.5%
Unsatisfactory 4.0%
Satisfactory 31.8%
Highly satisfactory 7.2%
12. Please suggest how the web site for this course could be improved
for future students in the course or make any additional comments
you would like to make about the use of the web in this course?
Written responses.
13. Are there any additional comments you would like to make about
the student computing labs?
Written responses.
