distance learning student response profile and totals

BOCES Distance Learning Program Quality Access Support . .

SAN-HFM Distance Learning Project Student Survey 2008 – 2009 School Year



Distance Learning Student Response Profile and Totals

Host Site Responses

Receive Site Responses

274 257

531

From Host Site From ReceiveSite

Total Responses

91

151

226

111

115

234

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

Freshmen Sophomores Juniors Seniors

379

152

First Time DLStudents

Veteran DL Students

Section A

1 Student answered “Other.”5 Students gave no answer.



86%

4%

10%

78%

11%

11%

81%

8%

11%

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



90%

5% 5%

71%

15%

14%

81%

10%

9%

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




Section B

Overall Responses

Host Site Responses



85%

3%

7%5%

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

69%

13%

8%

10%

52%

19%

19%

10%




Not Applicable

Section B

Overall Responses

Host Site Responses



83%

7%

10% 14%

67%

19%

75%

13%

12%

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



92%

4% 4%

89%

4%7%

90%

4% 6%

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




Section B

Overall Responses

Host Site Responses



72%

8%

12%

8%

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

75%

7%

12%

6%

79%

5%

12%4%




Not Applicable

Section B

Overall Responses

Host Site Responses



86%

7%7%

77%

12%

11%

82%

9%

9%

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




Section B

Overall Responses

Host Site Responses



73%

4%

13%

10%

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

66%

15%

11%

8%

60%

16%

11%

13%Receive Site Responses



Not Applicable

Section B

Overall Responses

Host Site Responses



80%

7%

13%

7%

13%

80%

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


81%

12%

7%



Section B

Overall Responses

Host Site Responses



86%

4%

10%

5%

11%

84%

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

Overall Responses

Host Site Responses


82%

5%

13%



Section B


SAN-HFM Distance Learning Project Student Survey 2008 – 2009 School Year Section C

StudentStudentCommentsComments



Student Comments

1. I took Distance Learning because:

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I like how the distance learning classes operate and I was interested in studying psychology. - I enjoy language and wanted to learn Chinese. - It was fifth year of Spanish for me and it just happened to be in the DL room.

I wanted to take a psychology course and my school didn't offer it. - The AP History class was only offered through the DL. - The music theory class was only offered through distance learning. -I wanted to take French IV and the only option to do so was in the DL class.

I wanted to experience a new and interesting way of learning and I wanted to take a class that wasn't offered at my school.

I needed to prepare for the SATs - I needed another class and marine science has always interested me. - I wanted to receive the college credits, and this was the only form it was offered in. - I wanted to get experience and take more difficult classes.

I had taken these types of classes many times before and I always enjoyed meeting new people. - I think it's a good learning experience and having a DL opens more educational opportunities to schools.

Section C



Student Comments

Section C

Students most frequently said they took Distance Learning because:

12%

9%

15%

3%

3%

15%

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?

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Despite the fact that the schools are miles apart, you feel close to the teachers and the students. - Distance Learning was an opportunity to meet new people and experience a different learning style. - I enjoyed interacting with other students to share different thoughts and ideas.

I thought the whole system and setup was interesting, and I really like Mr. Howard, my DL teacher from Wells. - It was weird at first but you get used to it. - It's a fun way to take a class and it makes you pay attention because it is interesting.

That our class at our site was very small. With only six kids it was easy to all work together. - I like how different it is than other classes. It was very hands-on and the activities were fun and different. - I liked how it felt as if I were in college.

The fact that there are always interesting classes like film studies or forensic science.

I like how the teacher paid attention to each classroom, and I also liked the addition of the other classmates.

It created an opportunity for me to take a class not normally offered at my school.

Section C



Student Comments

Section C

Most frequently noted as liked by DL students:

16%

5%2%

15%

57%

5%

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?

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Sometimes it's a little hard to hear people talk, sometimes people hit the microphone and it's too loud. - I didn’t like that we couldn’t hear and speak clearly with other schools, and the computers failed a lot. - At the beginning of the semester we really couldn’t hear the other sites it made it frustrating.

You don't always get the same attention as the people in the classroom with the teacher. - The teacher wasn't as interactive with the class as he could have been had he been in the room with us.

Some of the students in my class were disruptive. - The teacher had very little control in her own class. - People constantly banging things near the microphones.

The period schedules are too different. - I didn't like that we had to start 5 minutes late because the other schools schedules didn’t match ours.

I did not like how, if I needed help after class, I couldn't go see the teacher. - It was hard to get extra help from the teacher, and the teacher wasn't equally focused on each room.

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:

Not dealing effectively with bell schedule or school calendar differences.

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

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

* 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?

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I wouldn't change anything, I like it.

I would highly recommend adjustments be made on the sound so that it's easier to hear. - Better audio quality. - Better volume control. - New TV's, bigger room, better PC's.

Have less sensitive microphones. - Make it possible to have different Elmo/camera/computer combinations on the televisions.

More opportunities to meet host class and more hands on work activities. – That the teacher maybe take trips to the different schools and interact with the other classmates.

The only change I would make would be to have more interaction with the other schools. - The teacher should pay more attention to students from other schools.

To better screen students for potential behavioral issues. This was quite possibly one of the most disrespectful classes I have ever attended.

I didn't like the time delay between our start and their start.

Section C



Student Comments

Section C

Most frequently suggested changes:

More discipline to deal with disruptive and disrespectful students.

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.

Deal more effectively with bell schedule and school calendar differences.

Note: Comments indicating that a student did not feel any changes were necessary were more frequent than all of the categories above combined. “I would not change much in the classes just offer more of them at the school.” “None, what’s being done works fine.”



Student Comments

5. What surprised you about Distance Learning?

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

How easy it was to get used to the cameras. - How organized it was. - How closely it resembled a normal classroom. - How easy it was to adapt to a new learning style. - How much like an actual class it was, we learned the same amount in a new way.

Nothing really surprised me because I've had a class here before.

How well you can talk to and see the other schools. - The fact that we were able to communicate with students from other schools with few technological problems.

The concept of distance learning itself surprised me, I did not know our school even offered courses like this until I took the class.

The technology and the interaction between the other schools.

I was surprised at how easily and efficiently the class worked with the different sites communicating.

I was surprised that different schools had very different schedules this was a pain because we had to wait 5 minutes before class and 10 minutes before the class is over.

Section C



Student Comments

Section C

50%

14%

5%

31%

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

69%

1%

30%

65%

24%

11%

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.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

A good job was done, but I feel the teacher needed to try and give equal attention to students at both sites.

I wish he could have been more available for extra help.

He seldom paid attention to the camera's whereabouts and oftentimes we could not see him.

She could have had more control of the home class

I wish he would have contacted us and kept us better updated on our grades.

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 6% 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.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

He visited each school and met with the kids. - She always made sure both schools understood the material, and she visited the other site. - He organized a meeting for all the schools to get together.

She gave everyone equal attention. - When either school was having technical difficulties she would allow for us to have more time to complete it, or to work on it outside class. - She made sure to ask the other students questions and made sure they had all their materials.

She made extra notes on our work to try to help us understand material better since we couldn't go to her personally. - She always offered to meet after class with students to provide extra help. - We had study sessions and several meetings with the other students.

The teacher used blackboard for handing in work on the computer. – She always let us e-mail and responded quickly when we were working on projects in the computer lab. - She made sure using email, phone calls, and during class that all were involved and understood the material.

She had a BOCES technician come and fix the equipment.

Section C


SAN-HFM Distance Learning Project Student Survey 2008 – 2009 School Year Section C

26%16%

12%

19% 27%

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.

distance learning student response profile and totals

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