As part of an ongoing effort to understand and meet the needs of our clients, Computer Lab Management (CLM) conducted a student survey on April 6, 2003. The survey was sent to 1000 students who used the computer classrooms during the Winter 2003 quarter. There were 119 respondents. There were several items that were revealed in this survey. These include the following:

• The most common reason respondents say they use the various computing facilities is to print web based documents (70.3%)
• A majority of the respondents print documents on campus that they created at home (66.1%)
• Nearly all students who replied to the survey said they own a computer (97.4%)
• Nearly one out of every four of those surveyed own and use laptops primarily (22.3%)
• Nearly all of those who use our facilities own a Windows based computer (91%)
• One in four said they connect via 56K or slower speed to the internet from home (25.9%)
• A little over half the respondents said they own a DVD-Rom drive (55.6%)
• Email is the most tested way to transfer files between the respondents' home and the campus (72.0%)
• Most of the respondents will not wait when faced a waiting line consisting of 10 or more people (61.0%)
• Students primarily use Geckomail/MyUCDavis and Outlook as their primary email application (47.0% and 27.0% respectively).

Results from survey comments from this and another student survey is located at http://clm.ucdavis.edu/pubs/survey/studentcomment-w03.html. The page will also have an interpretation.

The survey indicates that while computer room users own their own computers, they utilize the printing resources available on campus. These users are predominantly owners of Windows based computers. IET Computer Lab Management will need to ensure that printing services are available to students.

There are a variety of email programs but a majority utilize Geckomail and Outlook. Students preferred to send a file to themselves rather than use removal media to save documents. IET Computer Lab Management consultants should be knowledgeable in Geckomail and Outlook and how to attach or receive attached email files. In addition, CLM should work to educate and encourage more effective means to transfer files between home and campus other than via email.

Respondents also stated that they are more likely to not wait in line if the line has 10 or more people. IET Computer Lab Management will continue to lobby for additional space and work on any ways to minimize the lenth of the waiting line.

Survey Details

   Computer Lab Management periodically surveys computer room users in
order to make adjustments and meet customer needs. This survey helps us
determine what changes and improvements are most appropriate. We would
like your input to determine what changes you feel would improve our
services.  Please answer the following questions by putting an "x" or
text, as appropriate, between the square brackets provided (eg. [x]).  
Since a program will automatically tally your responses for later
analysis, please keep your responses between the square brackets provided.
  Thank you for your time and input.
			Tim Leamy
			Computer Lab Management
			Classroom Technology Services			
			tcleamy@ucdavis.edu

*****  Computer Room Survey *****
1. Class Standing:
		[] First year			[] Second year
		[] Third year			[] Fourth year
		[] Fifth or more year		[] Masters candidate
		[] PhD candidate		[] Professional School


2. Why do you use the computer rooms (please mark all that)?
  [] Don't own a computer
  [] Need to access the web (Mozilla and Internet Explorer)
  [] Need to check/reply to email
  [] Need to print documents created at home
  [] Need to print documents from the web
  [] Need to print documents created on campus computers
  [] Need to access specialized software which is not on home computer
  [] Need to access special hardware (scanners, video editors, etc.)
  [] Campus computers have faster access to the network (web, email, etc)
  [] Campus computers are more convenient than mine
  [] Campus computers work better than mine
  [] Class meets in a computer room
  [] To access student information (RSVP, grades, financial aid info,
     classes enrolled)
  [] Other (please describe): [ ]


3.  Do you own a computer?

  [] Yes
  [] No   (If NO please skip to question #6.)


4. If you own a computer please answer the following:  (If you own more
than one computer please respond for the one you use most often.)

  Type:      [] Desktop     [] Laptop
  Platform:  [] Macintosh   [] PC/IBM compatible
             [] Other       [] Don't know
  Operating System: (if use multiple select primary one)
             [] Mac OS 7      [] Mac OS 8       [] Mac OS 9
             [] Mac OS X
             [] Mac - not sure what version
             [] Windows 95    [] Windows 98     [] Windows NT
             [] Windows 2000  [] Windows ME     [] Windows XP
             [] Windows - not sure what version  
             [] Linux         [] Other Unix
             [] Other		
  Printer:   [] None        [] Dot Matrix          [] Ink Jet
             [] Laser       [] Other
             [] Don't Know
  Network Connection:  [] 56K modem	[] 28.8K or slower modem
		       [] DSL		[] Cable Modem
		       [] High speed provided by apartment complex
		       [] Satellite	[] None
                       [] Don't know
		       [] Other:  please specify [     ]
     Is your network connection shared with your roommates: [] Yes [] No
  
  Peripherals:  DVD-ROM:   [] Yes   [] No   [] Don't know    
                CD-ROM:    [] Yes   [] No   [] Don't know    
                CD-RW:     [] Yes   [] No   [] Don't know    
                Zip drive: [] Yes   [] No   [] Don't know
                Floppy:    [] Yes   [] No   [] Don't know    
  How do you usually transfer files from your computer to computers on 
campus?
        [] mySpace(in myUCDavis)	[] Floppy disk
        [] Zip disk			[] CD-RW 
        [] USB storage device
        [] Email the file to myself	
	[] Other - please specify [                  ]



5.  If you are waiting for a computer in a lab, and one of the other type is
available (ie.  You own a PC but a Mac is available) would you:

 [] Use the available computer
 [] Wait until the type you own is available

6.When you go to a computer room on a drop in basis, how long do you
typically have to wait for an open computer?

  [] Not at all
  [] Less than 5 minutes
  [] 5 to 10 minutes
  [] 10 to 15 minutes
  [] 15 to 30 minutes
  [] Over 30 minutes


7. If you go to a computer room and see more than 10 people waiting in
line, have you (check all that apply):

  [] gone at the end of line to wait
  [] go to another lab which no or shorter waiting line
  [] given up and decided to come back at a later time that day
  [] given up and will wait until you got home to use a computer


8. What email programs do you use? (Mark all that apply)

 [] myUCDavis (my.ucdavis.edu)
 [] Geckomail (geckomail.ucdavis.edu)
 [] ISUN/pine
 [] Eudora
 [] Outlook
 [] Entourage
 [] Other - please identify [  ]


9.  Which email program do you use the most? (Mark only one)
 [] myUCDavis (my.ucdavis.edu)
 [] Geckomail (geckomail.ucdavis.edu)
 [] ISUN/pine
 [] Eudora
 [] Outlook
 [] Entourage
 [] Other - please identify [  ]


10. Do you have any other suggestions or comments?
 [   ]

Thank you for your time and input.

1. Class Standing

2. Why do the students use the computer rooms

Other Reasons:

• No printer or limited printing resources at home
• To print class materials too large to download to home computer to print
• Needed a DVD recorder
• Slow or unreliable printer at home
• To kill time
• To work in an environment with fewer distractions
• To demonstrate computer aided instruction
• To avoid using/wasting ink at home
• To capture 200 sheet quota

3. Do you own a computer?

		Percent
Yes	111	97.4%
No	3	2.6%

4.

What type of computer do you own?

What computer platform or brand do you use?

What type of operating system do you use?

What type of printer do you own?

	Number	Percentage
None	23	20.7%
Dot Matrix	0	0.0%
Ink Jet	69	62.2%
Laser	13	11.7%
Other	2	1.8%
Don't know	4	3.6%

 

What type of network connection do you have at home?

	Number	Percentage
56K modem	26	23.2%
28.8K or slower modem	3	2.7%
DSL	49	43.8%
Cable Modem	8	7.1%
High speed provided by apartment complex	11	9.8%
Satellite	0	0.0%
none	1	0.9%
Don't know	9	8.0%
Other	5	4.5%

Other network types given: telephone line, campus network connection, very slow dial up, wireless, ethernet

Are you sharing the network connection with you roommates?

	Number	Percentage
Yes	62	69.7%
No	27	30.3%

What type of peripherals do you have at home?

	Yes	No	Don't Know	Percentage
DVD-Rom	55	42	2	55.6%
CD-ROM	101	3	0	97.1%
CD-RW	73	20	6	73.7%
Zip Drive	20	62	4	23.3%
Floppy	108	3	0	97.3%

How do you transfer files between campus and home computer?

	Yes	No	Percentage
MySpace	26	92	22.0%
Floppy Disk	65	53	55.1%
Zip Disk	7	111	5.9%
CD-RW	10	108	8.5%
USB Storage Device	4	114	3.4%
Email the file to themselves	85	33	72.0%
Other	5	113	4.2%

Other transfer means: FTP, online storage, web, ssh/scp

5. If you are waiting for a computer in a lab, and one of the other type is available (ie. They own a PC but a Mac is available) you would:

6. How long do you typically have to wait for a computer when using computers on a drop-in basis?

 7. If you see a waiting line in the computer room with 10 or more people waiting, you...

 8. Which email program do you use?

Other mail program types: 8 AOL email, 10 Hotmail, 1 Juno, 2 Mac OSX mail application, 1 mutt, 4 Yahoo/Hotmail

9. Which email program do you primarily use?

Other mail program types: 6 AOL email, 1 Compuserve, 5 Hotmail, 1 Juno, 1 Mac OSX mail application, 1 Netscape, 2 Yahoo

Comments: labmanager@ucdavis.edu URL: http://clm.ucdavis.edu/pubs/survey/student-w03-1.html Last reviewed: Mon, 21-Jul-2003 Last updated: July 21, 2003