CourseInfo Student Survey, April 2000

Norm Vaughan, Jim Zimmer

Academic Development Centre

Mount Royal College

 

 

 

Important Note:  The purpose of this survey is to gather information, from a student perspective, regarding the effect that web based course development tool - CourseInfo  has on the teaching and learning process.  The information gathered today will be used in a research study which will help to inform the selection of a Mount Royal College supported web development tool, and its effective use in teaching contexts.  Participation in this survey is voluntary and your responses will be kept confidential and anonymous.  Non-participation in this study will not jeopardize student progress.  Completion of the questionnaire below will constitute informed consent in this study.

 

 

 

1.        From where did you usually access the CourseInfo website?

q       A computer workstation located on-campus

q       A computer workstation off-campus (via the Internet) 

q       Both of the above, roughly equally 

 

2.        Do you have access to the Internet at home?

q       Yes

q       No

 

3.        How would you rate your computing skills?

q       Novice

q       Intermediate

q       Advanced

 

4.        On average, how often did you log into your CourseInfo website?

q       less than once per week

q       once per week

q       a few times per week

q       once per day

q       more than once per day

 

5.        Approximately how many hours did it take you to learn the CourseInfo software well enough to begin using it?

q       0-3 hours

q       4-6 hours

q       7-9 hours

q       more than 10 hours

 

6.        Approximately how long did it take until you became comfortable using the CourseInfo software?

q       0-2 weeks

q       3-5 weeks

q       6 weeks or more

 

 

 

-continued-

 

 

7.      For the following items, indicate how strongly you agree or disagree. You are welcome to comment on any of these items in the "Comments" section below.

 

 

Strongly Agree

Agree

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

Not Sure

Accessing course information in CourseInfo using a web browser (e.g. Netscape) was easy to do.

 

1

 

2

 

3

 

4

 

The screens I looked at or used in CourseInfo made sense to me.

1

2

3

4

 

I needed a lot of help from my instructor or other students to access course materials from the CourseInfo site through the web browser.

 

1

 

2

 

3

 

4

 

My instructor gave me enough information about how to use CourseInfo in this course.

1

2

3

4

 

 

Comments pertaining to any of the items above:

 

 

 

 

 

8.      Rate the usefulness of the following features of CourseInfo below.  Check "did not use" if a particular feature was not used in your course.  You are welcome to comment on any of these items in the "Comments" section below.

 

 

Very Useful

Useful

Somewhat Useful

Not at all Useful

Did not use this feature

Access to course documents (lecture notes, assignments, etc.)

1

2

3

4

 

Discussion board

1

2

3

4

 

Virtual Chat

1

2

3

4

 

Small group

communication tools

1

2

3

4

 

E-mail links to students and instructors

1

2

3

4

 

Links to external course-related websites

1

2

3

4

 

Online quizzes

1

2

3

4

 

Online gradebook

1

2

3

4

 

Student (digital) drop box

1

2

3

4

 

Student calendar

1

2

3

4

 

Student Help Manual

1

2

3

4

 

Student home pages

1

2

3

4

 

 

Comments pertaining to the items above:

 

 

 

 

 

 

9.       Please respond to the following items.  Feel free to make comments in the "Comments" section below.

 

 

In comparison with similar courses in which CourseInfo is not used , how likely (in this course) were you to:

 

 

Much More Likely

 

Somewhat

More Likely

 

About the Same

 

Somewhat

Less

Likely

 

 

Not Sure

…interact with your instructor.

1

2

3

4

 

…discuss ideas and concepts taught in the course with your classmates.

1

2

3

4

 

…participate effectively in in-class discussions.

1

2

3

4

 

…work on assignments with other students.

1

2

3

4

 

…receive feedback on assignments quickly from your instructor.

1

2

3

4

 

…search for answers to your questions, rather than ask your instructor or other students.

1

2

3

4

 

…use the Internet as a source of course-related information.

1

2

3

4

 

…apply what you are learning in the course to the "real world".

1

 

2

3

4

 

…spend more time investigating  course concepts on your own.

1

2

3

4

 

 

Comments pertaining to the above:

 

 

 

 

10.    Indicate how strongly you agree or disagree with the following statements. Feel free to make comments in the "Comments" section below.

 

 

Because of the way this course used CourseInfo:

 

Strongly Agree

Agree

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

Not Sure

…I am better able to understand the ideas and concepts taught in this course.

1

2

3

4

 

…I spend more time on course-related work.

1

2

3

4

 

…I had access to a greater variety of learning materials.

1

2

3

4

 

…I am acquiring skills that will be useful in my chosen profession.

1

2

3

4

 

…I spend too much time trying to gain access to a computer workstation

 

1

2

3

4

 

…I spend too much time trying to log on to the CourseInfo website.

1

2

3

4

 

…I am at a disadvantage, because I do not have Internet access at home.

1

2

3

4

 

…I am at a disadvantage, because I do not possess adequate computer skills.

1

2

3

4

 

…I spend too much time surfing the World Wide Web instead of studying.

1

2

3

4

 

 

Comments pertaining to the above:

 

 

 

11.    Indicate how strongly you agree or disagree with the following statements. Feel free to make comments in the "Comments" section below.

 

 

 

Strongly Agree

Agree

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

Not Sure

Courses which use CourseInfo work as well for me as courses which don't.

1

2

3

4

 

I would recommend courses that use CourseInfo to other students.

1

2

3

4

 

I would take another course that used CourseInfo in the future.

1

2

3

4

 

Overall, I thought the use of CourseInfo enhanced this course.

1

2

3

4

 

 

Comments pertaining to the above:

 

 

 

 

In closing, please tell us a few things about yourself:

 

12.     What is your age?  

 

       ___________

 

13.      What is your gender?

 

q       Male

q       Female

 

14.     Are you a full-time or part-time student at Mount Royal College?

 

q       Full-time

q       Part-time

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you very much for your support of this research!