1

Recommendations for Requiring Student Owned Notebook Computers

Rich Goosen Product Design Engineering Technology

2/29/2008

2

Typical Motivations

• More efficient facility use

• Allows optimization for a specific program

• Enhances program image

• Can reduce institutional costs

• Improves learning

• Promotes computer literacy

• Little reason not to

3

Typical Problems

• Difficult to change institutional attitudes

• Threatens existing infrastructure• Can require additional

infrastructure• Increases student costs• Difficult to develop university

standards that balance cost & performance requirements

4

Notebook Computers in PDET at FSU

• Idea developed circa 1995• Motivated by;

– Lack of solid modeling software consensus

– Lack of computer lab. capacity– Lack of available time for conventional lab.

format classes– Need to increase hands-on learning

• Student attitudes monitored since 1997• Implemented in January 2001

5

Program Details

• Student computer choice – program specifications

• Required by January of 3rd year• Software license (stand alone)

provided by program• Technical support by program

faculty only• Power provided at student

workstations

6

Start Up Problems

• No software agreement

• Hardware limitations

• Organizational resistance– Leadership concerns– IT concerns

• The Technology Fee

• Windows ME

77

Student Class Survey Student Class Survey DataData

88

Available DataAvailable Data

Collected over a 7 year period (2001 Collected over a 7 year period (2001 thru 2007)thru 2007)

Each class surveyed after completing Each class surveyed after completing one semester of class using one semester of class using notebook PCsnotebook PCs

133 survey records available to date133 survey records available to date

99

Importance of ChoiceImportance of Choice

Is allowing students to Is allowing students to select their own laptop PC select their own laptop PC

a positive factor?a positive factor?

1010

““How important is it for students to How important is it for students to have the option of selecting a laptop have the option of selecting a laptop

of their of their choicechoice?”?”

1= Very Important1= Very Important 5= Not Important5= Not Important

1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0 5.0

Student Choice

0

20

40

60

80

Fre

qu

en

cy

Student Choice

Student Choice

78 58.6 60.0 60.0

37 27.8 28.5 88.5

6 4.5 4.6 93.1

5 3.8 3.8 96.9

4 3.0 3.1 100.0

130 97.7 100.0

3 2.3

133 100.0

1.00

2.00

3.00

4.00

5.00

Total

Valid

SystemMissing

Total

Frequency Percent Valid PercentCumulative

Percent

1111

ConclusionConclusion

Students feel that being able to Students feel that being able to select a laptop computer of their select a laptop computer of their choice is important.choice is important.

1212

Laptop PC OperationLaptop PC Operation

Can a laptop PC satisfactorily Can a laptop PC satisfactorily operate the required software operate the required software

applications?applications?

1313

““Describe your laptop PC’s Describe your laptop PC’s operation running PRO-E.”operation running PRO-E.”

1= No Problems1= No Problems 3= Adequate 3= Adequate

5= Unacceptable5= Unacceptable

1.00 1.50 2.00 3.00 4.00 5.00

Operation

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Fre

qu

ency

Operation

Operation

52 39.1 40.0 40.0

2 1.5 1.5 41.5

43 32.3 33.1 74.6

24 18.0 18.5 93.1

7 5.3 5.4 98.5

2 1.5 1.5 100.0

130 97.7 100.0

3 2.3

133 100.0

1.000

1.500

2.000

3.000

4.000

5.000

Total

Valid

SystemMissing

Total

Frequency Percent Valid PercentCumulative

Percent

1414

ConclusionConclusion

Student laptop computers were able Student laptop computers were able to operate the primary application to operate the primary application software adequately or better for software adequately or better for nearly all (93%) of the students.nearly all (93%) of the students.

1515

Program ImageProgram Image

Do students think that Do students think that requiring a laptop PC is a requiring a laptop PC is a positive or a negative for positive or a negative for

perspective students?perspective students?

1616

““For a student considering entering For a student considering entering the PDET Program do you think the the PDET Program do you think the

laptop PC requirement is a ;”laptop PC requirement is a ;”

1= A positive factor1= A positive factor 5= A negative 5= A negative factorfactor

1.0 2.0 3.0 3.5 4.0 5.0

New Student +/-

0

10

20

30

40

50

Fre

qu

ency

New Student +/-

New Student +/-

47 35.3 36.2 36.2

40 30.1 30.8 66.9

20 15.0 15.4 82.3

2 1.5 1.5 83.8

18 13.5 13.8 97.7

3 2.3 2.3 100.0

130 97.7 100.0

3 2.3

133 100.0

1.00

2.00

3.00

3.50

4.00

5.00

Total

Valid

SystemMissing

Total

Frequency Percent Valid PercentCumulative

Percent

1717

ConclusionConclusion

Most students (67%) Most students (67%) participating in participating in the program the program think the laptop PC think the laptop PC requirement is a positive factor for requirement is a positive factor for those selecting an academic those selecting an academic program.program.

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Student SatisfactionStudent SatisfactionMeasuresMeasures

How do students feel about using laptop How do students feel about using laptop PCs in class?PCs in class?

How do students feel about being How do students feel about being required to have one?required to have one?

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Parallel QuestionsParallel Questions

““Overall, how do you feel about Overall, how do you feel about conducting this course using laptops, conducting this course using laptops, compared to computer lab based compared to computer lab based classes ?” classes ?”

1= prefer laptop1= prefer laptop 5= prefer lab 5= prefer lab ““Overall do you think PDET classes Overall do you think PDET classes

using student owned laptop PCs are:”using student owned laptop PCs are:” 1= good idea1= good idea 5= bad idea 5= bad idea

2020

Parallel ResultsParallel Results

1.00 2.00 3.00 4.00 5.00

Laptop Course Eval.

0

20

40

60

80

Fre

qu

ency

Laptop Course Eval.

1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0 5.0

Overall Evaluation

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Fre

qu

ency

Overall Evaluation

2121

Parallel ResultsParallel Results

Laptop Course Eval.

77 57.9 57.9 57.9

31 23.3 23.3 81.2

14 10.5 10.5 91.7

7 5.3 5.3 97.0

4 3.0 3.0 100.0

133 100.0 100.0

1.000

2.000

3.000

4.000

5.000

Total

ValidFrequency Percent Valid Percent

CumulativePercent

1= prefer laptop1= prefer laptop 1= good idea 1= good idea

5= prefer lab 5= prefer lab 5= bad idea 5= bad idea

Overall Evaluation

68 51.1 52.3 52.3

36 27.1 27.7 80.0

18 13.5 13.8 93.8

7 5.3 5.4 99.2

1 .8 .8 100.0

130 97.7 100.0

3 2.3

133 100.0

1.00

2.00

3.00

4.00

5.00

Total

Valid

SystemMissing

Total

Frequency Percent Valid PercentCumulative

Percent

2222

ConclusionConclusion

Most students taking a laptop Most students taking a laptop computer class prefer classes using computer class prefer classes using laptop computers (91%) and do not laptop computers (91%) and do not mind being required to have them mind being required to have them (93%).(93%).

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Cost Impact to Cost Impact to StudentsStudents

What level of financial burden What level of financial burden does requiring a laptop PC does requiring a laptop PC

have on students?have on students?

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Notes on Cost Impact EvaluationNotes on Cost Impact Evaluation

Cost data not available for Winter Cost data not available for Winter 2001.2001.

Estimated new retail cost of a Estimated new retail cost of a suitable laptop PC in Fall 2001 = suitable laptop PC in Fall 2001 = $1199, Feb 2008 = $749$1199, Feb 2008 = $749

Data represents 86 total responsesData represents 86 total responses

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2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 0

Class Year

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

Lap

top

Co

st

110

126

133

112

2626

ConclusionsConclusions

Current students spend about $1200 Current students spend about $1200 for a new laptop PC.for a new laptop PC.

Students historically spend more Students historically spend more than required.than required.

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Which Notebook PCs do Which Notebook PCs do Students Prefer ?Students Prefer ?

2828

Who is the Preferred VendorWho is the Preferred Vendor

0Dell

HPToshiba

IBMGateway

CompaqSony

NECFujitsu

SagerE machine

1213

Laptop Manf.

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Fre

qu

ency

Laptop Manf.

2929

ConclusionConclusion

DELL is the vendor clearly preferred DELL is the vendor clearly preferred by students.by students.

3030

Out of Class AccessOut of Class Access

How much time do students spend How much time do students spend operating the target software outside operating the target software outside of class?of class?

How much laboratory classroom How much laboratory classroom utilization is saved by using notebook utilization is saved by using notebook PCs?PCs?

3131

““For each hour of class, about how For each hour of class, about how much out of class time did you spend much out of class time did you spend

using Pro-E? ____ hours”using Pro-E? ____ hours”

Descriptives

2.18 .109

1.97

2.40

2.12

2.00

1.510

1.229

0

6

6

2

.722 .216

.542 .428

Mean

Lower Bound

Upper Bound

95% ConfidenceInterval for Mean

5% Trimmed Mean

Median

Variance

Std. Deviation

Minimum

Maximum

Range

Interquartile Range

Skewness

Kurtosis

Out of Class TimeStatistic Std. Error

3232

ConclusionConclusion

For the course evaluated students report For the course evaluated students report spending an average of 2.18 hours out of spending an average of 2.18 hours out of class working with the target software for class working with the target software for each class hour.each class hour.

For equivalent access during class time For equivalent access during class time this 1+3 class would require a 1+12 this 1+3 class would require a 1+12 format. format.

Four Hours of Four Hours of classroomclassroom use would require use would require 13 hours of 13 hours of computer labcomputer lab access. access.

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Lessons & Observations

• It can hurt to be first• Software licensing is

critical• Hardware must be

adequate for software• Hardware failure is

rare• Notebook batteries

are problematic

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Lessons & Observations (continued)

• Internet access must be controlled

• Largest Problem – Internet pollution

• Best Instructor location – behind the class

• Notebook computers are becoming equivalent to calculators

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Lessons & Observations (continued)

• Students are all familiar with PCs

• Many students have bad PC habits

• Students are PC fault tolerant

• Students will find a way to get what they want

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Lessons & Observations (continued)

• Students use their notebook PCs for much more than school

• Few students use their notebook PCs to take notes in class

• Students prefer to have their own notebook PC

• Students want to select their own notebook PC