Overall the survey respondents were happy with their computer classroom experience. Six respondents said the computer room they used was better than last year compared to only one who said it was worse. The responses to question #6 were quite positive.  A majority of respondents also noted the high level of service they received from CRCs and Lab Managers.

CLM has already addressed some of the issues mentioned in the survey:

• 2020 SLB can be booked online at http://clm.ucdavis.edu/rooms/reserve.html
• The sound system in 2020 SLB is now fully functional.
• The new Hitachi projectors installed during Summer 2005 displayed a blue screen by default when there is no input.  Some faculty expected a black screen.  Therefore, we reconfigured the projectors to display a black screen when there is no input.

However, there are some outstanding issues:

• Sight lines continue to be a concern.  The size of the computer monitor and the viewing angle to the screen are the two major components of this issue.  Given an overall market trend towards larger and wider screens, this will likely continue to be an issue.  However, we will continue to strive to improve sight lines where we can.
• Mac OS 9 software doesn't always work well under OS X.  Unfortunately there is not much we can do to improve the situation.  Hopefully most vendors will release OS X versions of their software so we can avoid the problems.
• The current method for accessing the class folders from faculty offices is a bit confusing since it differs from how it works in the computer classroom.  Starting during the Summer 2005, CLM has been working with individual departments to help train faculty more completely on the FTP process.  It is also investigating other more intuitive ways to manage class folders remotely.
• Given its basement location, finding the computer classrooms in Hutchison can be difficult.
• We need to do a better jobs regulating the temperature in the computer classrooms.  There were comments about the several rooms being too cold and one being too warm.  Ironically we also got complaints for some of the "too cold" rooms that those rooms were too hot during the summer. 

There were some issues mentioned in previous surveys which are not mentioned in this survey.  We believe that changes we have made recently have improved the computer classrooms and mostly resolved these issues:

• Projector issues.  We upgraded the projectors in 1, 21, 27, 241, & 247 Olson; 1131 Meyer; and 1102 Hart during Summer 2005 with ones that are brighter and handle higher resolutions much better.
• Slow printers.  We replaced all the printers with high-speed Hewlett Packard LaserJet 4350dtn printers over Summer 2005.
• Location of screen and light controls.  We moved the screen controls in several rooms to be next to the light controls and closer to the instructor.  We plan to ensure the controls are in logical places in all computer classrooms.

Fall 2005 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:
E-mail Address:

1. Which computer classroom did you teach in during the last quarter? (Please check only one. If you taught in multiple classroom, please reply separately for each classroom.)
1 Olson 21 Olson 27 Olson 241 Olson 247 Olson 73 Hutchison 93 Hutchison 1102 Hart 1131 Meyer 2020 SLB

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
Improved classroom environment (for example: quieter, better temperature) - 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.

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

Improved classroom environment reasons:

• needs better temperature control.
• the room did get a bit warm
• quieter (3 responses)
• students often very cold
• temperature, the fans in the room were in the way while teaching
• Not so cold
• it's always very cold in this room. I often wear gloves while I'm teaching

Other reasons:

• allow other equipment e.g. laser pointers,etc
• ability to lock computer screens in SLB like in Olson
• can the SLB lab be booked online now?? I don't think this was possible last summer, but perhaps because it was so new.
• Perhaps more teaching software
• The rooms that are used primarily for teaching should have screens that are much less intrusive that the ones currently being used in the basement of Olson. I've been teaching in these rooms since the CAI program's inception, and I think that notebook computers have worked best in these rooms.
• Possible decorate or put art on the walls??? It could be a student art exhibit or something.
• Full room sound for this room (2020 SLB)
• better sightlines to facilitate discussion (1 Olson)

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

Reasons given:

• This is the first time I use the CLM computer classroom. But it was a great experience. The room consultant was very helpful, polite, efficient and on top of things. Tim Leamy was exceptionally helpful in getting the room set up and providing temporary passwords for some non-UCD people who attended the class.
• The CRCs are really doing a great job.
• Support and availability of equipment were excellent last year and this year too.
• In the beginning the CRC cleared the room of students before we came in, which was nice. But towards the end of the quarter, there were more and more students using the room when we arrived and I had to clear the students out myself.
• It's always been great!
• we use a projector, that really helped for the computer lab
• Outstanding service--everything went smoothly. No mishaps!
• No major problems this quarter. CRCs have been much better informed and more helpful than in recent quarters.
• I have always been very pleased with the computer classrooms.
• Lab was in a distant location and difficult for the students to find making many of them late for class. There was no full room sound to play online media clips. There were a number of interruptions from the in-room tech (all well-meaning as he tried to correct the sound problem) as well as some other computer specialists he brought in. This was really all unnecessary. I don't particularly care to have a tech in the room during lecture.
• As before, some aspects of OS9 software did not work properly on these OSX machines.
• I had no problems, other than the temperature. the staff are excellent and helpful and friendly.
• The room in 1131 Meyer was much more conducive to teaching than the ones in Shields.

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

• Students in the far sides, specially up front cannot see the screen very well.
• None. (5 responses)
• Trying to develop more creative ways of using the software available.
• My complaint about the size of computer screens is both pedagogical and technological. Perhaps even more of the former since in the rooms where large screens are used it is hard for the class to have a discussion where we can see each other. It's also easier for students to hunker down and hide.(1 Olson)
• What does "pedagogical" mean?
• students unable to see what I write on the board over their computer monitors (73 Hutchison)
• I did not really face any pedagogical issues. It would be nice to have the classroom a little bit longer before the actual start time of the class in order to prepare for class, but it all worked out fine.
• None in Hart. It would be great if the monitors did not block the students' faces, but I often stand while I'm at the instructor's station so that I have eye contact with my students.
• Other than some non-class students wandering into and out of the lab, not much impeded teaching.
• Difficulty facilitating discussion, due to noise and poor sight lines among students. I'd also like to know more about proven pedagogical techniques of using computers to teach writing. (1 Olson)

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

• The settings in some programs were not standard in all computers, my computer would open a *.csv (coma separated values) in a different format than some students.
• none
• Technology seemed to be working OK!
• Software glitch in Excel, resolved by Computer Manager.
• None, the room consultant was great.
• I can't really think of any.
• See the above response about the size of the computer screens
• A bit of delay getting the instructors computer up and running on the screen
• sometimes, Microsoft Windows programs have to install on the computer, which is frustrating for TA's and students alike.
• students on the internet while trying to teach
• I continue to be frustrated and impeded by the present system for accessing classroom files from our offices -- specifically by (1) the difficulty of moving whole files of material and the impossibility of doing things like changing privileges on folders, and moving material from one folder to another. Because there isn't time in class or between classes to do these things, some of my files ended up in a mess. (Accidentally, I copied some documents to the main page of my class folder -- which I don't believe used to be possible, and which shouldn't be.) Perhaps I don't fully understand how to use the Fetch program, but I found the old telnet system that took us right into the file server much easier to use. I know I'm not the only one who's inconvenienced by this new system. The (fairly new) instructor who followed me in 241 would always appear the second my class was over, desperately eager to get to the instructor's computer so she could transfer files from her flash drive. The process shouldn't be this frantic.
• Once we lost password access to the MathCad server, but you were able to get it back for us.
• PAUP* does not support printing in this lab. This also prevents students from saving certain work in a file format that can be opened in another program. In addition, one Java app we used inexplicably worked on some machines, but not others. Using terminal and navigating to programs on the lab machines seemed particularly cumbersome.
• We had a problem at the beginning of the quarter with the overhead: when I tried to blank the screen so that I could put up the screen and use the board, I'd get a blue screen instead, which was distracting and made it difficult to use the board. We got it straightened out eventually.
• None that I can think of.
• I had trouble logging into the computer system. For the second year in a row it claimed that I did not have a kerberos login. The lab manager gave me a temporary password so things were okay.

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

• I thought it was a nice room to teach in. My issues were more logistic than technological.
• Good experience
• Classroom is well designed, and an effective environment. However, it can be difficult for the instructor to move around along rows to address individual student problems. (93 Hutchison)
• Really really good!!
• excellent (4 responses)
• Outstanding.
• Are you asking how my experience was this quarter or what is my cumulative experience teaching in this environment? My experience this quarter was very good. My cumulative experience is considerable since I've taught in a computer classroom almost every quarter for about sixteen years now.
• Outstanding, it is a pleasure to teach in such excellent facilities. Thanks for asking where to improve the computer rooms, but if you just keep up the good work this is all that is needed.
• Pretty Good
• I have been teaching in Hutch 73 for the last 4 consecutive quarters.
• very satisfied
• overall, the teaching experience was fine. I enjoyed teaching in the computer lab
• I have had good experiences overall during the many quarters I've taught in a computer classroom.
• Excellent, except for the problem of file transfer and management from our office computers.
• My experiences have been very good. The challenge is keeping the students attention-they seem to be drawn to their email :)
• Mine was a small class, but I had no real problems.
• It was a positive experience. The staff was helpful in getting me started (finding the right button to push to get the projector screen to go down, etc.). Also, they were helpful in announcing that a class would be starting so people not belonging in the class would know that it was time for them to leave (or to get my permission to sit quietly in the back).
• Very good and extremely effective for my purpose of introducing students to electronic research
• We spent too much time apologizing to students for things that didn't work as we expected them too. This meant that the class was not as efficient as it might be. In addition, students felt that they needed more time outside of the class time (3 hrs/week) to become proficient with the software, yet the lab was not available that much outside of class time (it is heavily used).
• Good (2 responses)
• Great.
• It was fine. Things went smoothly and getting the necessary software installed was easy.
• I don't exploit the computers nearly as much as I should, partly because of lack of time to try new things outside of class time, preferably with a trouble shooter on site to help.

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

• Yes! My students and I had a hard time finding 93 Hutchison. Can a clearer label saying 93 be placed outside the door? Overall, everything was great, well organized, easily accessible. Thanks!
• The CRC was helpful and courteous. They kindly asked if I would mind if students could come in and use the computer room when only 2 of my students were left in the computer lab and the reserved time for the computer lab was almost up. I was very pleased with my experience as a TA in the lab.
• Thank you for your help.
• The distance from the classroom to the help desk results in the instructor being out of contact for some time. It is therefore essential in this room for 2 instructors to be present. I must commend the lab manager for making this classroom available at very short notice when we had to open an additional class section. (1131 Meyer)
• I think you have a great program. thank you.
• The site attendants have been very willing to help.
• Excellent work!
• You guys are doing a great job with this program! But the screen size really is an issue you need to think about....
• Tim Leamy does an outstanding job providing support and maintaining the computer rooms in top shape. Tim has always been very quick to positively respond to any needs that I have required for my teaching in the computer rooms. I appreciate very much his support. The computer support staff also does an excellent job in the upkeep of the rooms.
• Keep plenty of markers at the whiteboard, color printers would be nice!
• Windows??? Joke.
• The computer rooms tend to be very big and unsuitable to teach a class of 12-24 students. A few smaller class rooms would be nice.
• Having someone who can teach Breeze to the students and instructors might make it possible for me to reduce the hours I need the room.
• No. You guys are doing a great job.
• It would be nice if we could have computer classrooms closer to our regular classrooms so students can make it to computer class on time.
• We should be moving away from fixed computer labs for some classes. Given space with wireless and a printer, much of this can be accomplished with laptops. In addition, for specialty software, laptops can be made available to individual students outside of assigned laboratory times. Although fixed labs have their place, UCD should be more forward thinking.
• No, I love teaching in Hart.

• Faculty Survey (Spring 2005)
• Student Survey #1 (Winter 2005)
• Student Survey #2 - Laptop Use (Winter 2005) 
• Faculty Survey (Fall 2004)
• Faculty Survey (Spring 2004)
• Student Survey #1 (Winter 2004)
• Student Survey #2 (Winter 2004)
• Faculty Survey (Fall 2003)
• Faculty Survey (Spring 2003)
• Faculty Survey (Fall 2002)
• Faculty Survey (Spring 2002)
• Student Survey #1 (Winter 2002)
• Student Survey #2 (Winter 2002)
• Student Survey #3 (Winter 2002)
• Faculty Survey (Fall 2001)
• Faculty Survey (Spring 2001)
• Student Survey (Winter 2001)
• Faculty Survey (Fall 2000)
• Duplex Printing (Summer 2000)
• Faculty Survey (Spring 2000)
• Student Survey (Spring 2000)
• Student Survey (Winter 2000)
• Faculty Survey (Fall 1999)
• Faculty Survey (Spring 1999)
• Student Survey (Spring 1999)
• Student Survey (Fall 1998)
• Faculty Survey (Winter 1998)
• Student Survey (Winter 1998)
• Student Survey (Winter 1997)
• ASUCD Student Computer Survey (Winter 1997)

Comments: tcleamy@ucdavis.edu URL: http://clm.ucdavis.edu/pubs/survey/faculty_f05.html Last updated: Wed, 18-Jan-2006 Last reviewed: Wed, 18-Jan-2006