Lab Management would like to know how we can improve the quality of
service in the computer classrooms.  We have used feedback in the past to
improve our services and facilities, and hope to use your feedback to
improve further.

  Our records show that you taught a class in one of our computer
classrooms during the last quarter. If you were not the person actually
teaching in the room, please forward this message to that person (such as
a TA).  Please take a moment to fill out the survey and try to be as
specific as possible. 

  The survey contains eight sections which are listed below.  To answer
the survey, reply to this message and mark your answers to the questions
below by putting an "x" or text, as appropriate, between the square
brackets provided (eg. [x]). Since a program will automatically tally your
responses for later analysis, please keep your responses between the
square brackets provided. There is space for comments at the end of the
survey.

  If you have taught in multiple classrooms, please respond for each classroom
separately.  For example, if you taught in both 21 Olson and 241 Olson 
please reply to this email twice, once for each room.  This will allow us
to match your comments with the specific computer classroom.

  Thank you for your time and input.

                        Tim Leamy
                        Information Resources

*****  Computer Classroom Survey *****

1.  Which computer classroom did you teach in during the this quarter?
(Please check only one.  If you taught in multiple classroom, please
reply separately for each classroom.)
[] 1 Olson              [] 21 Olson             [] 27 Olson             
[] 241 Olson            [] 247 Olson            [] 301A SurgeIV         
[] 1102 Hart            [] 1131 Meyer           [] 1154 Meyer           
[] 163 Shields 

2.  Please describe the preparedness of the room for your class.
  Was the room cleared out and ready for your class?  [] Yes   [] No
  
  Did the Computer Room Consultant explain the "Class in Session" sign to
you and ask you which setting you preferred?  [] Yes [] No

  Do you have any additional comments regarding room preparedness?
  [             ]

3. Which platform do you prefer for your classes?
  [] Mac                
  [] PC

  Would you be willing to use the platform other than your preferred
platform for your classes?
  [] Yes
  [] No.  
  If no, please tell us the reason. 
  [             ]

4.  How often did you use computers as part of your class?
  [] All the time (90-100%)
  [] Most of the time (61-89%)
  [] Half of the time (40-60%)
  [] Some of the time (0-39%)

5.  Was your class ever delayed or interrupted by ... 
  (please indicate the number of times each occurred)
  [] hardware/software failure
  [] AV/projection failure
  [] room not cleared out prior to class
  [] students entering the room during your class 
  [] a class held prior to yours running over its scheduled time
  [] a double scheduling (two classes scheduled for the same time)
  [] Other [            ]

6. If you didn't teach in the same computer classroom last year, please
skip to #7.  Otherwise, compare the teaching environment for this quarter
as compared to the last time you taught in the room.  Is it:
  [] better
  [] worse
  [] about the same.
Please let us know why:
  [           ]  

7. What can Lab Management do to make your teaching experience using
computer classrooms better? 
[               ]

8. Do you have any other comments about the computer classrooms.
[               ]

Thank you for your time and input.


                        Tim Leamy
                        Information Resources
                        tcleamy@ucdavis.edu

Question 2.  Preparedness of the room

Was the room cleared and ready?
 

	Num	Percentage
Yes	20	80.0%
No	4	16.0%

Did the CRC explain the class in session sign.
 

	Num	Percentage
Yes	3	12.0%
No	19	76.0%

Additional Comments:

• Since I was teaching a full class I did not use the yellow option though I have in the past. The classroom was prepared--the only problems occurred when previous users did not report hung and frozen machines and I needed to fetch the consultant (247 Olson)
• There was another class in progress and we had to wait briefly - not a problem! (1 Olson)
• Board markers, however, were unusable and old. (247 Olson)
• Frequently there were no markers for the white board or no working markers- -I often had to go to the staff to get additional ones. Also I regret the loss of the staplers in these rooms--I think we need to have them. (27 Olson)
• We had some problem with the classroom projector on some occasions. For a few of the ASE 21 labs we had to teach without a projector. Was lab management able to find out what was wrong with the device? (301A SurgeIV)
• some 'straglers' but they weren't disruptive (1 Olson)
• I liked having the classes written on the board - people knew that they were in the right place. (27 Olson) 
• this was always good (241 Olson)
• I had much less trouble than usual with outsiders wanting to use the computers. (1 Olson)
• It did not seem like anyone was ready for us; the attendant was distracted with something on his workstation then he walked off without much interaction. (27 Olson)

Question 3.  Which platform do you prefer for your classes?

 

	Num	Percentage
Mac	11	44.0%
PC	11	44.0%

 Would you be willing to use the platform other than your preferred platform for your classes?

 

	Num	Percentage
Yes	19	76.0%
No	5	20.0%

Additional Comments

• We have the software for both the Mac cannot be updated any longer but that is what we have used for a long time. Our PC software has not as yet been utilized with full updates. If we are able to accomplish this task by next Fall that would be fine and probably preferred  (1 Olson)
• I won't say never. I really dislike Olson 27 and would prefer not to teach there again until/unless the room is reconfigured. (27 Olson)
• The programs and applications that we have been teaching for ASE 21 have always been taught with PCs and Windows operating systems. To change the platform would mean that we would have to rewrite our lab manuals. (301A SurgeIV)
• no more hassles for me (1 Olson)
• too many other things to deal with (241 Olson)
• complications (247 Olson)

Question 4. How often did you use computers as part of your class?

Question 5. Class sessions interrupted by ...

There were four reported Others:

• fire alarm (27 Olson)
• the hardware/software problems were easily dealt with and occurred when the class was working individually so it did not disrupt the class as a whole. (1 Olson)
• only report I received was when software had been placed on computers for a specific instructor that would not allow my CD to run . . . staff then corrected problem (1102 Hart)
• Consultant mis-reading schedule (241 Olson)

Question 5:  Compare the teaching environment for this quarter as compared to the last time you taught in the room.

Reasons:

• nothing really changed (1154 Meyer)
• Even though the lab received new computers there were still problems with software. At times software would not load or work properly 'a' drives had saving problems and computers would freeze once in a while (301A SurgeIV)
• I can't say for sure because the class I was teaching is one in which I use the computer less than in any other class. (241 Olson)
• I have had all the problem in #5 at some time in the past. This quarter I had none of them. (247 Olson)

Question 7. What can Lab Management do to make your teaching experience using computer classrooms better?

• nothing (27 Olson)
• You're doing a good job--some of the students don't use Macs though they caught on quickly; the issue of temp. accounts--I needed three--was a little tricky but I took the three immediately down to have them registered (247 Olson)
• Nothing it works extremely well! (1 Olson)
• Have lab techs make a presentation to students about any problems that they may have with computers. Often time there are notes on the computers or chalkboards that in the moment of teaching I either did not see or pay attention to. It is better to have someone who works there and knows of problems review them with students. (247 Olson)
• Go into the classroom a few minutes before the hour and tell students not in the class to leave so I don't have to do it; put a box of markers somewhere in the classroom or just make sure that each classroom always has 3 working markers; replace the staplers; fix the computers so I don't have glitches with my permissions in my class folders. Above all reconfigure Olson 27 so that it is a functional classroom rather than just a lab and improve the dropoff folders so they're more functional. Well you asked. (27 Olson)
• Maybe prepare CRCs a little more. But the problems that arise are understandable computers are unpredictable at times. The best I think L.M. could do is just have standard problem solving protocol for aforementioned problems. (301A SurgeIV)
• you are doing a great job and I appreciate the ability to reserve these rooms and hold these classes (1 Olson)
• lab management has got consistantly better every year I have taught here (241 Olson)
• SEND A QUICK-GUIDE WITH BASIC INFO ON THE USE OF THE ROOM MAYBE INCLUDE  THE POLICIES AND WHERE TO GET HELP (21 Olson)
• nothing - I appreciate the communication to ensure the computer room is prepared (1102 Hart)
• Improve the quality of the screen projector for the instructor's computer. The projection is very fuzzy. As a result we were forced to use very large fonts reducing the effective size of the screen. (1 Olson)
• Don't issue recharge numbers for important instruction-related uses. (I was training TA's and that should be funded by you not my dept.) (27 Olson)
• Do something to avoid having students not registered for class interrupting class to use computers (241 Olson)

Question 8. Do you have any other comments about the computer classrooms.

• The room and equipment were great. It was convenient; a nice opportunity for the students (27 Olson)
• I liked your file-sharing improvements; it was good to be able to drop in and pick up files from my office. As it turned out I did not use the remote power that much--was I confused or is there no way to display on the big screen an individual's screen? (247 Olson)
• I feel that the classroom operation is a well honed and highly useful service to the campus. I would commend LM for it's provisions and customization capabilities. (163 Shields)
• The lay out for 247 is wonderful. It provides visibility for both students and teachers. 241 and 21 which seem to be modeled on each other are to big to provide adequate visibility. Moreover in these rooms there is competing noise from air conditioners heaters etc. so it is difficult to hear what students are saying. Students can tuck themselves in corners and feel they're not being observed by the instructor and need not participate.  (247 Olson)
• You guys are wonderful--your support is terrific. (27 Olson)
• keep up the GREAT work Tim (241 Olson)
• It works very well for us at TRC (21 Olson)
• SOME COMPUTERS FROZE AND THE STUDENTS LOST ALL THEIR WORK. I NOTIFIED THE  ATTENDANT. (21 Olson)
• I was a TA for stat 102 which has a computer component. I did not do any formal lecturing or instruction except for the first day of class. I basically held office hours in the computer lab and answered student's questions as needed. (27 Olson)

Overall the survey was quite positive.  Many instructors had very positive comments on the level of service Lab Management is providing. 

Question #2 shows we need to work on room preparedness. The rooms were cleared out 79% of the time, but  the CRC explained the class in session signs only 13% of the time.  In addition, we need to do a better job ensuring there are working dry-erase markers.

Question #3 gauged instructors' preferred platform (Mac or PC) and their willingness to use the "other" platform.  While instructors seemed willing to use the "other" platform, the comments showed there are issues preventing a easy switch.

Question #5 shows the type of problems that instructor face.  It clearly shows that we need to improve the reliability of the hardware and software and do a better job of preventing students entering during a class. The Enter/Stop/Yield signs by the doors should make it clear to students that they should not enter if they are not in the class, but obviously some students ignore the sign.  We will need to investigate other methods to address this problem.

Lab Management identified several issues in this survey which we plan to address during the next year.

• Improve "fuzzy" projection by replacing projectors with brighter models. (Replaced projectors in 1131 Meyer and 1102 Hart during Winter 2000 and hope to replace Olson projectors in Summer 2001)

• We need to do a better job of clearing out the computer classrooms before a class.
• We need better methods to discourage students from entering a class they are not enrolled in.  The signs by the doors may not be enough.
• Ensure there are working dry-erase markers.
• Reevaluate the layout in 27 Olson.  One instructor was very unhappy with the current layouts, but other instructors seem to like it.  It might be an issue of trying to match instructors with the preferred layout.

• Lab Management Faculty Survey (Spring 2000)
• Lab Management Student Survey (Winter 2000)
• Lab Management Faculty Survey (Fall 1999)
• Lab Management Faculty Survey (Spring 1999)
• Lab Management Student Survey (Spring 1999)
• Lab Management Student Survey (Fall 1998)
• Lab Management Faculty Survey (Winter 1998)
• Lab Management Student Survey (Winter 1998)
• Lab Management Student Survey (Winter 1997)
• ASUCD Student Computer Survey (Winter 1997)

Comments: tcleamy@ucdavis.edu URL: http://lm.ucdavis.edu/pubs/survey/faculty_f00.html Last reviewed: Thu, 18-Jul-2002 Last updated: January 25, 2001