SAN-HFM Distance Learning Project Student Survey 2007 – 2008 School Year BOCES Distance Learning Program Quality Access Support

BOCES Distance Learning Program Quality Access Support . .

SAN-HFM Distance Learning Project Student Survey 2007 – 2008 School Year



Distance Learning Student Response Profile and Totals

Host Site Responses

Receive Site Responses

288 250

538

From Host Site From ReceiveSite

Total Responses

81

167

2910

75

127

434

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

Freshmen Sophomores Juniors Seniors

356

182

First Time DLStudents

Veteran DL Students

Section A

2 Students answered “Other.”



89%

4%7%

81%

10%

9%85%

7%8%

1. My class in DL had a variety of learning activities and was beneficial.

Agree / Strongly Agree

Disagree / Strongly DisagreeUncertain


Section B

Overall Responses

Host Site Responses



94%

3%

3%

77%

12%

11%86%

7%7%

2. The teacher gave the same amount of attention to host site and remote site(s).




Section B

Overall Responses

Host Site Responses



89%

2%

6% 3%

3. I was able to get extra help from the teacher when necessary.

76%

11%

6%

7%

61%12%

17%

10%




Not Applicable

Section B

Overall Responses

Host Site Responses



89%

5%6% 14%

73%

13%

81%

9%

10%

4. I feel I learned as much in a DL class as I would have in a regular classroom.




Section B

Overall Responses

Host Site Responses



96%

4%

81%

9%

10%89%

4%7%

5. Class materials such as tests, homework, assignments, etc. arrived on time.




Section B

Overall Responses

Host Site Responses



74%

7%

10%

9%

6. I felt comfortable using room equipment (Elmo, VCR, copier/fax, etc.) when necessary.

76%

6%

10%

8%

79%

4%

10%7%




Not Applicable

Section B

Overall Responses

Host Site Responses



89%

3%8%

85%

5%

10%87%

4%9%

7. I was able to clearly hear and understand teachers/aides/students at other sites.




Section B

Overall Responses

Host Site Responses



81%

1%

9%

9%

8. If I had to make up a missed class, it was easy to do so.

73%

11%

10%

6%

64%

14%

10%

12%




Not Applicable

Section B

Overall Responses

Host Site Responses



84%

3%

13%

4%

13%

83%

9. Given the opportunity, I would take another DL course.


81%

14%

5%



Section B

Overall Responses

Host Site Responses



87%

4%9%

5%

10%

85%

10. I would recommend others take a distance learning course.

Overall Responses

Host Site Responses


82%

6%

12%



Section B


SAN-HFM Distance Learning Project Student Survey 2007 – 2008 School Year Section C

StudentStudentCommentsComments



Student Comments

1. I took Distance Learning because:

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I wanted to learn about Human Development and I thought it would be neat working with kids from other schools. - Distance Learning provided courses in Psychology which I will be majoring in. I was correct in thinking that this class would adequately prepare me for college. - I wanted to learn using the distance learning equipment.

I was more interested in the class itself than the DL system. I wanted to learn to speak Mandarin Chinese. - I wanted to learn Latin to help me in college if I become an English major. - My Spanish teacher only had one class of Spanish V and I wanted to take the class. - DL was the only way I could take AP US History. – It was the only way to take AP Calculus.

I needed to fill the science graduation requirement. - I needed another class to take and Business Law just happened to be in the DL room. - It was a college course that is not usually offered here and I wanted the credits. - When I saw that ACC criminology was being offered with college credits I took the opportunity to get those credits.

I thought it would be a good opportunity to learn new things in new ways. I also wanted to take animal science and I'm glad it was offered here. - I wanted to meet other French students from different schools.

Section C



Student Comments

Section C

Students most frequently said they took Distance Learning because:

14%

11%

5%

3%

3%

21%

43%

They wanted that particular subject.

The subject they wanted was only offered in DL.

They needed that course.

They were interested in the technology.

They wanted AP or college credit.

They were interested in meeting new students.

They wanted to try something different.



Student Comments

2. What did you like about Distance Learning?

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

We got to have class with students that we otherwise might not have ever seen and we got to take a class that our school didn't have a teacher for. - You can integrate students from other schools into the class. After a while it doesn’t seem as if they are in another school at all. - The equipment makes it easy to do presentations so that everyone in the home site and the other schools can see it. - You get to have more input and opinions on the subject matter. You get involved with people from other places.

We had a good teacher and it was almost like being in the same classroom with her. - I liked how personal it can get when you wouldn’t think it could. You can get to know the teachers and your classmates even when you've never met them. - The experience of having a different way of learning is good to have before leaving high school.

I would have to say the environment, for some reason it made me feel like I was a college kid. - I liked everything about distance learning. The teacher was very good at teaching and attentive. - I could take Latin and not have to teach it to myself.

I liked that the teacher still challenged me and helped me excel even though I'm from a different school.

Section C



Student Comments

Section C

Most frequently noted as liked by DL students:

18%

4%4%

8%

63%

3%

Meeting and interacting with different students, teachers and schools.

A new experience working with the advanced technology.

Interesting and comfortable learning environment.

The opportunity to take a class not otherwise offered.

The subject or course material.

The teacher or teaching assistant.



Student Comments

3. What didn’t you like about Distance Learning?

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

It was hard to hear sometimes if people on the other end were talking or moving papers near the microphone. - The fact that at times it took several class minutes to set up the volume. - The occasional static. - I didn’t like that the connections didn’t work sometimes.

I didn't like how the teacher seemed to favor the other sites and how rude some of the other students were.

I couldn’t spend as much time with students from other sites that I would've liked to.

People sometimes tapped on the microphone. Every noise a person made was 10 times louder somewhere else. Sometimes it is difficult to understand people in the other school when multiple people are trying to talk at the same time.

It was hard when I missed a class to make up the work or understand what I had missed because the teacher was from a different school. The teacher wasn't here to come to for extra help.

That our schedules didn't match up perfectly. - I disliked that sometimes the other school had days off or assemblies and we couldn't have class.

Section C



Technical problems with audio or poor student/microphone/camera positioning.

Disruptive students or lack of discipline.

Student Comments

Section C

Most frequently noted as disliked by DL students:

Lack of extra help or lack of one-on-one with the teacher.

Lack of interaction with or lack of attention from teacher or other students.

Not dealing effectively with bell schedule or school calendar differences.

* The most frequent response to this question indicated that many students found nothing to dislike.

“There was nothing that I didn’t like about Distance Learning. I pretty much liked it all. I have no problems.”



Student Comments

4. What changes would you suggest for the Distance Learning classes?

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Nothing, everything was alright. - I think the way it is works just fine. “:-)”

There is some room for improvement on the speaker system. In addition other forms of communication could be improved. - Sometimes the volumes got messed up and there was feedback, so the volume levels.

I would suggest having a day set aside when the teacher would come visit the class in person. - I would suggest more field trips.

More students speaking up it would make the class less boring and more interesting to listen to. - Involve all classes equally.

Teachers should plan to send worksheets or handouts at the beginning of the year because there are always problems with faxing a lot of stuff day by day. - Try to coordinate the days off, we missed a lot of classes because of conflicting schedules.

Better discipline rules. - Make sure to tell people in the beginning that no bags or books on speakers.- Don’t make so much noise because it can be heard at the other school.

Better communication system for after class.

Section C



Student Comments

Section C

Most frequently suggested changes:

Deal more effectively with bell schedule and school calendar differences.

Visits by teachers to remote classes and or combined class field trips.

Technical improvements and better student/microphone/camera positioning.

More balanced attention to classes and better interaction.

More discipline to deal with disruptive and disrespectful students.

Note: Comments indicating that a student did not feel any changes were necessary were more frequent than all of the categories above combined. “I think the DL is easy to use and accessible and does not need to be changed.” - “It was one of the best classes I took this year.”

Set up some system of extra help classes after school.



Student Comments

5. What surprised you about Distance Learning?

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I thought it would be really impersonal and hard to learn in but our teacher was very nice and friendly and it was a very easy to learn in this setting even if the material itself could be challenging.

I feel that I learned the same amount from being in distance learning as I would have in a classroom. After awhile it felt like the people from the other class were in the same room as I was.

Nothing, It was what I was told it would be. It is very well done.

That there was such technology where kids could learn and talk over TV.

Technology is sick. [We believe this is a positive response.]

The reception between the classrooms is literally real time. How clearly everyone was heard. - How you can hear everything everyone is saying. - It was very understandable.

How much drama would occur between schools. - Everything is picked up by the microphones, it sometimes it gets loud. - The class times between schools don't match.

Section C



Student Comments

Section C

56%

11%

6%

27%

Most frequently noted as surprising about distance learning:

That it is unexpectedly easy to become comfortable with the system.Interaction with remote teachers and students was easy.The environment is comfortable and enjoyable.It worked so well.

An appreciation for the advancedtechnology.

It was harder or in someway less than what was expected.

Little or nothing surprised me.



Student Comments

75%

2%

23%

69%

26%

5%

I didn’t feel there were any limitations.Yes, the teacher did make effort(s) to compensate for limitationsin the DL system.

No, the teacher did not make an effort to compensate for limitationsin the DL system.

6. Did you feel the teacher made an effort to compensate for any limitations in the DL system?

Host Sites Receive Sites

Section C



Student Comments

(If you answered “No”) Please describe what you wish your teacher could have done.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Been more equal with the students. Some students seemed to be talked to and called on more than others.

We missed notes because they weren't faxed on time, so fax things on time.

The teacher could have been more understanding about technical difficulties.

Done more teaching and less movie watching.

Got the assignments to us on time.

Actually come to our school a few times.

She really didn't do anything other than talk into the microphone.

Had more control over other classrooms.

Section C



Students that feel the teacher did not make an effort to compensate

Section C

Students wished that the teacher would:

Not ignore their remote students or pay less attention to the receive sites.

Visit the remote students at least once.

Been more organized with assignments and notes.

Less than 4% of the responses indicated that the students felt their teacher did not make an effort to compensate for limitations with the system.



Student Comments

(If you answered “Yes”) Please describe the efforts the teacher made to compensate.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

She always addressed us as much as the other students. - My teacher was quite a saint and drove to Warrensburg frequently. - She was very nice, respectful and patient. She gave you time.

He gave us just as much attention as he did his own classroom. She held review classes and she went to other schools. - She went to the class at the other school and invited everyone to review class.

Our teacher gave out assignments on time and explained them. She also gave out her e-mail address. - The teacher e-mailed students and would call for help to fix the system when there were problems.- Our teacher made her private folder easy to access. - Contacted us through blackboard and email.

Our teacher sent PowerPoint's, the TA then distributed them to a folder so we could access them in our network.

The teacher worked with everyone and with their limitations due to bell schedules and lessons. - If we asked her to stay after school one day for help she was more than willing to if she was able to. - She held online review classes for everyone. She set up certain regularly scheduled times to connect for extra classes.

Section C


SAN-HFM Distance Learning Project Student Survey 2007 – 2008 School Year Section C

50%

23%

6%

10%11%

Most Frequently Recognized DL Teacher Efforts

Students that feel the teacher did make an effort to compensate:

Visited receive sites and promoted interaction between schools.

Made e-mail, Web, BlackBoard and/or phone contact available.

Provided extra help and review sessions.

Made efforts to resolve technical issues.

Used the technology to its best advantage.

Documents

SAN-HFM Distance Learning Project Student Survey 2007 – 2008 School Year BOCES Distance Learning Program Quality Access Support