Faculty Survey - Fall 2009

Survey Interpretation
Survey Text
Survey Results
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Survey Interpretation

Computer Lab Management (CLM) periodically surveys faculty who teach in our computer classrooms. CLM uses this information to improve the quality of service in the computer classrooms.

The survey results, especially question #6, show that overall faculty are overall happy with the computer classrooms. The top areas listed for improvement in Question 2 were centered around more classroom availability, temperature, and room layout issues.

Based on the comments there are several areas that CLM will investigate further:

  • CLM will try to find more space for computer classrooms to address the need for "More classroom availability".
  • CLM will continue to work on classroom temperature issues. But unfortunately there doesn't appear to be a single HVAC setting which will meet each faculty member's desired temperature for a room.
  • CLM is surveying the facutly who teach in the laptop computer classrooms (247 Olson) to see if Mac Mini's with external monitors are a better match for their teaching needs.
  • CLM installed an electronic stapler in 247 Olson to prevent the need for students in that room to go to 241 Olson to use the stapler.
  • CLM had considered holding an orientation at the start of the quarter for faculty. Based on the survey results it appears it would not be very useful.

Survey Text

On 12/7/2009 Computer Lab Management sent an email to faculty who had taught in the computer rooms during Fall 2009 asking them to fill out this survey.

Survey Results

There were 27 responses.

Question 2. Please identify the top three areas (number 1 to 3 in order of priority) where we can improve our services:

  Number of 1's Number of 2's Number of 3's
Better support from the Computer Room Consultant (CRC) 1 0 5
Better equipment reliability 3 2 3
More classroom availability 7 4 1
Larger classrooms (to accommodate more students) 2 1 6
Larger classrooms (to allow more workspace at each station) 1 1 5
Smaller classrooms 1 3 3
Better support from computer lab managers 0 1 4
Better preparedness of the classroom 0 1 4
Newer/Faster equipment 3 0 5
Reduced classroom interruption 1 2 5
Better temperature control (room was too hot or too cold) 3 3 4
Improved classroom environment 4 1 4
Other 4 1 2

Improved classroom environment and Other reasons:

  • A few of the machines would not allow log on, however there were plenty of alternative machines. All went well. Great job by the technical support student/staff.
  • A great lab.
  • Free printing. We use the computer classrooms to help students learn how to conduct online research, so many of them find useful research sources that they would like to print, but because they're required to print under their log-in name and so have those pages deducted from their quarterly printing quota, many of them are reluctant to do so and can't get the full benefit of the research session.
  • I don't see any need for improvement in any of the categories above except the temperature of the classroom, which was far too hot this quarter.
  • I have no complaints about the computer classroom. At one point, I had what I thought was a Software Issue, but that was due to my lack of understanding of how to get the software to work on the lab machines. Once we figured it out, it worked just hunkydory. The lab assistant was great on this.
  • I have trouble hearing my students questions over the HVAC vent located in the front center of the classroom. Poor HVAC layout.
  • I would prefer a layout in which all students could face toward one another (a horseshoe or circle) instead of having half the class always facing away from the other half. I realize this is probably impossible, especially given the size of the rooms, but it's a what I would find most helpful for class discussions.
  • It would be nice to have them be able to work in groups and pull their chairs together, and even more exciting to be able to have a discussion in a circle (of 25 people). Availability, though, is the most important. It's hard to squeeze everything into a quarter and I need the computer classrooms on specific days.
  • More labs open until 9pm
  • Room gets stuffy inside when rainy or cold outside.
  • Room was very warm, especially late in the quarter. Laptops frequently decoupled from network connections; this is a big problem.
  • The most important change would be to have the screen and the whiteboard on different walls, so that I could use both at the same time. (1 Olson)
  • The most important improvement would be to have the whiteboard and screen on different walls so that I could use both at the same time. (21 Olson)
  • The only issue I had was that access to the class folder was very slow if multiple people were accessing it.

Question 3. How would you rate your overall experience teaching in CLM Computer Classrooms this quarter compared with previous quarters?

Better 6
Same 16
Worse 2
N/A 3

"Better" Reasons given:

  • I am more experienced with the available technology, and when it works, things are great.
  • The CRCs were always very helpful.
  • Working w/ Tim Leamy really helped us out.
  • There were two improvements 1) The Computer Lab Managers seemed to be more alert and interested in helping and 2) they always had replacement dry errase markers available. The latter is rally appreciated as I use the colored markers a lot and when they stop writing well they are of no value for lecture purposes -- because they cannot be seen in the back of the room.
  • more familiarity with the system.
  • I was very pleased to see the addition of the "drink safe zone"

"Same" Reasons given:

  • My experience has been uniformly positive.
  • The young woman who provided technical support in 15 Olson was most helpful - and with a friendly cheerful manner.
  • outstanding support this quarter as in the past
  • There was some confusion about our scheduling, and about getting our software installed at the beginning of the quarter. But I assume this was a one-time thing; previous experience with computer classrooms has been fine.
  • I've always been satisfied.
  • Experience is generally good every quarter.
  • No problems

"Worse" Reasons given:

  • Really it was only worse because of the laptops. The small screens are harder to see from where the laptop sits on the workstation; moving the laptop tends to disrupt its connection; and the sheer number of connections makes it hard to stick a jump drive into place, too.
  • While I appreciate the lab attendants' help, I find their presence in the classroom to be both unnecessary and distracting to my teaching. I don't see why they can't be stationed in the lab in the basement. In the basement they could multitask (most of the time they don't do anything), and they would only take an additional 30 seconds to get to a classroom. That's the way it worked at my previous universities. On several occasions the lab attendants were helpful in solving glitches, and I really appreciated their help, patience, and friendliness. Two attendants who helped me with the share folders were particularly helpful. I wish I had gotten their names (both men). However, the lab attendants were not uniformly good at their jobs. Once a lab attendant returned to his seat when he couldn't figure out how to solve the problem and left it at that; he didn't even call for additional help, which completely defeated the purpose of having on-site help. My students were the ones to suggest a work around. On another occasion, a lab attendant printed an 8 page document during my class while I was speaking. I was pretty annoyed. I had to stop and turn the printer off so I wouldn't have to compete with the noise or try to talk over it (it's really loud on that side of the room). Then she walked right over to pick up her document while I was in the middle of lecturing! She never even bothered to apologize for interrupting the class; she didn't even seem to get that it was rude. The room has to be a classroom first, not a lab. Several times lab attendants waved the next class of students in while I was still meeting with my students during my class period. The lab attendants assumed that was class was over when I ended class early on purpose to talk with several students during the remaning time period. It's really hard to do that in a room with 45 people shuffling around, printing, talking on their phones, etc. As it is students pour into the room without waiting for all of us to exit just to check their email or Facebook, but my time period should be my time to use the room as I please. I think the students who plagiarize or get a "D" on an assignment deserve a little privacy when I have to talk to them. End of class discussions should be confidential and discreet, but the lab attendants don't understand the pedagogical purpose of the room and time. Understandably, they think like students and not professors. It's also reallly distracting having people going in and out of the room all the time while I'm trying to talk. I also have my students do oral presentations, and it's really hard on them to be interrupted all the time when they're nervous enough and don't have the teaching skills or experience to cope with it. While the interruptions are usually for the lab attendants, last week I had 5-6 students come in to use a stapler. If it hadn't prevented access to the lab attendant, I would have just locked the door. Also, if a lab attendant wants to challenge my authority on the first day of class, he should ask to speak with me in the hall and not embarrass me in front of my students.

Question 4. What pedagogical issues, if any, have you faced while teaching in a computer classroom?

  • Hard to have group work, get them to talk to each other when they're in rows.
  • It is difficult to foster discussions when students are facing different directions. Even when they all turn to face the front of the room, they are not able to see one another very well.
  • Mostly the competition/ distraction of the computers when trying to hopld regular discussions.
  • n/a
  • None (other than the printing situation)
  • None. (2 responses)
  • Preventing students from surfing the web w/o having to take control of their computers. This issue, of course, has nothing to do with Computer Lab Management, but is nonetheless endemic in my own experience and in my discussions with colleagues.
  • Students falling behind and not catching up before the next week. Not your issue!
  • The pedagogical problems have to do with the lack of pedagogical awareness on the part of the staff (see above). Most of the support staff overall is great, and the supervisors are great. The classrooms mostly function really well.

Question 5. What technological issues, if any, have you faced while teaching in a computer classroom?

  • Aformentioned connection issues. One student's computer locked up on her in the midst of an in-class essay exam. My computer did not correctly connect to the projector one time.
  • Changes in software (Excel).
  • I always forget how to use the program where I can see all their computers and lock them. It would be nice if the front desk person double checked by asking me this before I got started.
  • n/a
  • None (2 responses)
  • None
  • NONE -- everything worked great this year
  • None this quarter
  • None to speak of.
  • Remote Desktop no longer seems quite as agreeable to letting me distribute documents to students. I've already talked about the issue with Rodd K.
  • the button to toggle the projector between the laptop and the computer display is a little sticky in Olson 27. It has to be hit just right or you have to hold it in for a few minutes to get it to go over. Never bad enough to call a tech, but just fyi.
  • The projector randomly shuts off, mabye once or twice a quarter. One freak/random instance the head computer #1 had a crazy spell...but mostly random un-preventable things. Some computers were not available to students because their log in info wasn't accepted, but would be on another computer. This is a problem when the labs are fully enrolled and there aren't any extras available.
  • The share folders were a total mess. Even the initial solution that was supposed to modify them didn't always work, so I never knew if I could count on my lesson plan working, which was a huge problem. After talking with my colleagues, I discovered that lots of folks have just given up using them because of the problems, which is a shame. However, given that I lost about 40 minutes of class time over two class periods, I can't blame them. Unlike the semester system, the quarter system is unforgiving. If a technical glitch causes a time delay, that lesson will never be taught, but the students still need to know it.

Question 6. How was your overall teaching experience in the computer classroom?

  • Very good (2 responses)
  • Fine. (2 responses)
  • Excellent. (2 responses)
  • Great (3 responses)
  • Good (3 responses)
  • outstanding
  • Very good, it works for us.
  • Very good --- except the room is almost always excessively cold. The students are putting on their hats and hoods and looking uncomfortable.!
  • Positive.
  • Everything was just fine
  • I think you do everything right. No complaints at all - just a suggestion.
  • Despite my complaints, I really like teaching in the computer classrooms and think the facilites are wonderful. I also really appreciated Rodd and Tim's help with solving the problem with the share folders and responding so quickly to my suggestion about the beverages. I was really impressed and appreciative.
  • Pretty smooth as far as what the computer lab provides/is responsible for.

Question 7. Do you have any other comments or suggestions regarding the computer classrooms.

  • Tim Leamy is incredibly helpful.
  • Is there any possibility that work on a given computer station could be archived for up to a week in case (as happened in my class) a midterm fails to upload to SmartSite?
  • n/a
  • Overall they are wonderful. Thanks for providing this service.
  • Keep up the outstanding work.
  • keep up the great work. thanks
  • Really well designed
  • Nope.
  • No. Everything went smoothly.
  • The tech who was on duty most of the time that I taught, Kevin, was fantastic -- invariably helpful, and always friendly.
  • I use the projector a lot and find that rooms in Olson Hall are either too bright even after I switch off one of the two light switches, or, after I switch them both off, too dark. I'd like to request that the lights in computer classrooms be put on dimmers. I and others could then set light levels precisely.
  • I think that was long enough! I just spent an hour filling this out, so I'm going to pass on commenting on my other room. Thanks for listening!

Question 8. Would you find it helpful to attend an orientation session with computer lab managers at the start of the quarter?

Not Sure 3
Yes 2
No 19

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