SUNY Learning Network and Coursespace Student Survey Fall 2006

Abstract

The following report contains frequency and percentages representing responses collected from the SUNY Learning Network (SLN) - CourseSpace Student Online Survey for the fall semester of 2006. The survey sought to obtain general information regarding students’ online or web-enhanced experiences. The survey consisted of 50 quantifiable items and 9 open narrative items. An analysis of narrative responses (i.e., open responses), is not included within this preliminary report.

Between December 14, 2006 and February 15, 2007, 6551 questionnaires were electronically collected. Several surveys were submitted with partially missing data pertaining to specific questions. These surveys were included in the final sample of 6551 and were analyzed in this report. Files containing partial data account for the changing sample size represented in frequency tables 1, 2, 4 and 8-10. Here the notation of ‘Missing Data’ – refers to surveys collected in which no answers were provided for the specific question.

In additional to responses not given, several survey items used the branching procedure described in the faculty survey summary. In these items, the survey was constructed to allow students to skip questions that were not relevant to their learning experiences. Survey items 12a, 13 -17, and narrative items 15, and 29-34 were branched according to each student’s response to item 12, which asked: Was this course offered via SLN or was it a classroom-based course utilizing CourseSpace online enhancements? Students who replied: SLN - were routed to items 13-17 and narrative questions 29 – 30. While students who replied: CourseSpace were routed to item: 12a. Was this a blended/hybrid course? Those who replied ‘Yes or I choose not to answer this question,’ were routed directly to items 18-28 and upon reaching the end of the survey to the narrative questions 31-32. CourseSpace students who replied ‘No’ to item 12a were routed directly items 18-28 and the narrative questions 33-34. All students were asked to complete items 35 and 36. Thus, students were routed to or away from certain items and were not given the opportunity to answer all survey questions. Notations are provided in frequency tables 12a, and 13-17 explaining the missing data counts due to programmed branching.

The student survey was also created using the commercial software package licensed by WebSurveyor Corporation. Participants consisted of students currently registered in the SUNY system either as a fulltime or part-time undergraduates and graduates or as non-matriculated students enrolled in online courses via SLN or CourseSpace during the fall academic term of 2006. The students received a broadcast email asking each to complete and submit an online survey for each online / web-enhanced course they were taking. The analysis of survey responses were conducted using SPSS 15.0 software.