Faculty Survey - Spring 2009

Survey Interpretation
Survey Text
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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, noise, and room layout issues. Many of the comments about the layouts concerned the size of the rooms and the projection screen.

Based on the comments there are several changes CLM hopes to make in the future:

  • CLM will try to find more space for computer classrooms to address the need for "More classroom availability".
  • When CLM renovates a room we will increase the amount of whiteboard space to ensure enough whiteboard is available when the projection screen is down. We will also investigate the possibility of adding whiteboards to other walls of the classroom.
  • We will attempt to reduce the noise from adjoining rooms, the printer, and keyboards. However, we have limited ability to change some of the noise production so it may be difficult to address the noise issue entirely.

Survey Text

On 6/3/2009 Computer Lab Management sent an email to faculty who had taught in the computer rooms during Spring 2009 asking them to fill out this survey.

Spring 2009 Computer Classroom Survey

Computer 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.

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 fill out this form twice, once for each room. This will allow us to match your comments with the specific computer classroom.

Name: (Optional)
E-mail Address: (Optional)

1. Which computer classroom did you teach in during the last quarter?
(If you taught in multiple classrooms, please reply separately for each classroom.)

2. Please identify the top three areas (number 1 to 3 in order of priority) where we can improve our services:
Better support from the Computer Room Consultant (CRC)
Better equipment reliability
More classroom availability
Larger classrooms (to accommodate more students)
Larger classrooms (to allow more workspace at each station)
Better support from computer lab managers
Better preparedness of the classroom
Newer/Faster equipment
Reduced classroom interruption
Better temperature control (room was too hot or too cold)
Improved classroom environment (for example: quieter, better layout) - Please specify
Other - Please specify

3. How would you rate your overall experience teaching in CLM computer classrooms this quarter compared with previous quarters?
Better
Same
Worse
N/A (This is my first quarter teaching in computer classrooms)
Please explain your reasons:

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

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

6. What is your overall teaching experience in the computer classroom?

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

Survey Results

There were 25 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 1 0
Better equipment reliability 1 1 3
More classroom availability 4 1 1
Larger classrooms (to accommodate more students) 3 1 1
Larger classrooms (to allow more workspace at each station) 0 2 1
Better support from computer lab managers 0 0 0
Better preparedness of the classroom 0 0 0
Newer/Faster equipment 0 2 3
Reduced classroom interruption 0 2 0
Better temperature control (room was too hot or too cold) 1 1 1
Improved classroom environment 6 5 1
Other 5 1 2

Improved classroom environment reasons:

  • More aisle space so I can physically get to students who need help. (2020 SLB)
  • need quieter keyboards; students in the row with the printer tend to disappear from range of vision; computer monitors are too high/tall, making it difficult for students to make eye contact during discussions. (27 Olson)
  • Need room for the instructor to step away from the screen to lecture, look at the screen, and interact with students. The classroom is rather tight for space around the instructor's area. I prefer to be a bit of a distance from the screen when lecturing so that I can easily see what the students see on screen. It would be nice to have some room towards the back of the room, away from the screen. (1131 Meyer)
  • Noise from adjoining classroom
  • quieter printer
  • quieter--including quieter keyboards!
  • quieter
  • Rearranged layout so that projector screen doesn't cover whiteboard. Would like to have whiteboard on one wall, projector on another wall, so could use both at the same time. (27 Olson)
  • The layout of stations is problematic for a discussion; the students can't even see each other, which makes interaction difficult. I've taught other places where the computers were all around the outside of the room with tables in the center for discussion and/or group work. I think that would be more effective regarding pedagogy. That arrangment also makes it easier to see when students are surfing the internet. I can't actually use the surveillance function when I'm demonstrating something on the large screen, so it's difficult to tell which students are paying attention. The layout overall is ineffective. (27 Olson)

Other reasons:

  • can't we get rid of the old overhead projector that is on the desktop--I'm short, it's always in my line of sight
  • Files saved to class pickup folder being available to students without resaving, renaming. Also, ability of instructors to save frequently used browser sites, such as geckomail.
  • layout is a problem--room is too big and teaching desk off center--always have students in the far reaches of the room--where they tend to hide out. better to have 25 computers, and reconfigure so everyone is centered on the teaching(1 Olson)
  • maybe a better gui interface to see the labs that have been reserved so when i request on i can see what is available
  • More space for practicing and doing homeworks for students
  • No problems experienced!
  • Screen is on the small side so it may be difficult to see from the back (93 Hutchison)
  • smaller classrooms to allow for better student interaction -- Olson 247, for example, is much better size for the kind of class I teach.
  • The classrooms aren't too small. They're too large! You're going to get biased answers. The classrooms are too big for student interaction. Because of the layout of the master terminal, I'm also really far away from some of the students.

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

Better 6
Same 15
Worse 0
N/A 4

"Better" Reasons given:

  • The CRC's were helpful, classroom access was more organized, the facilty if better, the equipment is better. Just need more room for the instructor. It would be nice to have a bit of space in the middle, as mentioned above, to allow the instructor to move around.
  • Very attentive and well-trained consultants. But the problem of files not being accessible to students without being renamed and resaved on the server is relatively new and a real drag.
  • I had a smaller more focused group of students--more a function of the type of class than the anything to do with the lab
  • I switched statistical packages so I had an opportunity to have Tim show me the set up in person. This was very helpful as I learned I few tricks.The quarter went without a glitch!

"Same" Reasons given:

  • Hard to improve on the performance. I get everything I need in the rooms so very, very pleased.
  • We have always received wonderful attention to our classroom needs.
  • Excellent as always.

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

  • because classroom is large, given the number of students, it's hard to have a discussion. Because teacher's computer is at one side rather than in the middle, it's more difficult to include the students that sit in the far row. Also, sometimes I'd like to write a series of directions or a chart on the whiteboard, and also refer to a projected image -- current configuration doesn't allow that. Although there is some whiteboard visible on either side of the projector screen, not all the students in the room can see both sides, because the screen is in the way.
  • Group work is difficult; because students in the far reaches of the very wide classroom get "lost," it's too easy for them to feel isolated (and for them to start playing around on the computers undetected.)
  • hard to move around in this small room/hard to keep students from checking email etc.
  • I had to remind myself to modify the default fonts of the software I was using (STATA) to make sure people in the back rows could read the commands properly.
  • It's hard to do group work. I wish there were easier ways to have students in small groups cluster around (and see) a single computer.
  • more difficult holding discussions than in conventional classrooms, especially when students are printing.
  • none. It was perfect.
  • See above. The vast distance of the classroom is an obstruction to discussion and fostering a sense of community in the classroom. Eye contact is important, even in a computer classroom. These aren't labs; they're classrooms and should be designed for teaching. I think 25 seats is probably too many.
  • Speed and timing; I have trouble with going to fast in teaching as it is, and it was difficult to tell when students were ready for me to continue.
  • with this room, issue of getting everyone involved
  • None (listed 5 times)

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

  • the problem of files not being accessible to students without being renamed and resaved on the server is relatively new and a real drag.
  • cannot find wanted functions in some software, like excel, with some computers
  • few minor things--file folders sometimes take repeated attempts before the permissions can be changed; projector is slow to start
  • I don't like the fact that I can't see my students faces because the ones who sit further away tend to be hidden behind their screens.
  • My students want to work on their laptops rather than the lab computers. Their laptop screens are hard to see, and I stumble around a lot because I am not familiar with their machines. They become familiar with their laptops, and it doesn't seem fair to insist that they use the lab computers.
  • None to speak of. Primarily wanting to have something up on the projector before class (i.e., and outline of the lecture), and still do something on the teacher-computer.
  • None. Excellent support.
  • Occasionally the computers have frozen and students lost work; occasional problems with computers reading flashdrives.
  • slow projector; plus weird lightswitches that are confusing and hard to adjust lights for when we are using the projector
  • some freezing of computers, some flashdrive problems
  • The color of the projector was off (red instead of black). (2060 SLB)
  • The color projector did not reproduce color very well. Some of my slides were poorly displayed. The projector needs to be brighter and needs to produce better color. Some students had problems logging onto the computers and had to try different ones to find one that would work for them. It would be helpful to be able to access the white board without having to raise the screen .... maybe a mobile white board could be added. (1131 Meyer)
  • The printer an out of paper once, and it jammed a couple of times
  • None (listed 5 times)

Question 6. What is your overall teaching experience in the computer classroom?

  • Classrooms are great.
  • Excellent
  • Excellent and the students are pleased as well.
  • fine
  • Generally, it is quite good.
  • Good (listed 6 times)
  • Great! = )
  • I have mixed feelings overall. The technology itself is great, but some aspects of teaching are harder in the large rooms.
  • I prefer to teach in a non-computer classroom; it's more conducive to my teaching style.
  • I really appreciate the high quality of equipment, and the responsiveness and knowledge of the technical staff. Since I've used labs for years, I don't need much basic help, but whenever I've asked the staff has been prompt and helpful.
  • Only proctored an exam.
  • pretty satisfied
  • Very good. (listed 2 times)
  • Very good. The CRC is very helpful and nice.

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

  • excellent job!
  • I think it's wrong and counter productive that faculty be charged for printing. It's a part of my job. I have to pay to teach? It doesn't make sense. For that matter, I was surprised that students have limits, too. I can understand paying for every page in a lab because that's discretionary, but these are classrooms. The students are required to print some things and don't have a choice.
  • no - very happy.
  • no thanks, you do a great job
  • None (listed 2 times)
  • Other than the size of the screen/projection, everything worked very well. Thanks!
  • Some kind of software to get feedback on whether students have caught up would be very useful (perhaps a little pop-up with a button they can click when they're done, with the response going to the teacher console?).
  • Thank you
  • They are deluxe rooms beautifully supported. Thank you.
  • They are super.
  • This was my first time teaching in a computer room; the support staff were very helpful.

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