As part of an ongoing effort to understand and meet the needs of our clients, Computer Lab Management (CLM) emailed a survey to a sample of our student clients on 2/11/2005. The survey was sent to 2000 students who used the computer classrooms during the Winter 2005 quarter. There were 178 respondents.
This survey focused on laptop use among clients. Therefore, we only are interested in those students who own laptops. Nearly three quarters of the respondents (123 or 69%) owned a laptop. The percentage of laptop ownership remained fairly constant around 20% through Winter 2003. Since then the laptop ownership percentage has risen quickly. (The data in the graph is from Student Survey #1 (Winter 2005). The percentage of laptop users in that survey was 57.5%. So actual laptop ownership is most likely somewhere between 57% and 69%.)
More students are choosing laptop over desktops. However, they generally don't bring their laptops to campus. The Library was the only campus location which saw regular laptop use. All other campus locations surveyed were infrequently used by laptop users. Students primarily used their laptops at home rather than on campus. Apartment and dorm lounges seemed to be the second most used location.
These results appear to indicate that most students do not actually bring their laptop to campus. We attempt to determine the reasons in question #4. There doesn't appear to be one overwhelming factor. Physical infrastructure (power and small desks), security concerns, access to wireless networking, and printing access are the primary deterrents in bringing a laptop on campus. The most common need identified in these surveys was increased wireless coverage and wireless printing.
Accordingly, CLM will investigate the possibility of providing wireless printing. It may be a service we can provide in the existing campus computer rooms.
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. Do you own a laptop? [] Yes [] No (If NO you are done and can send the survey back) 2. Class Standing: [] First year [] Second year [] Third year [] Fourth year [] Fifth or more year[] Masters candidate [] PhD candidate [] Professional School 3. Where and how often do you use your laptop? Please choose one frequency per row. Daily Few times/week Weekly Rarely Never Classrooms [] [] [] [] [] Coffeehouse [] [] [] [] [] Library [] [] [] [] [] MU study lounge [] [] [] [] [] Other lounges [] [] [] [] [] ARC [] [] [] [] [] Please list other areas you use your laptop on-campus [ ] *Off-campus Daily Few times/week Weekly Rarely Never Home [] [] [] [] [] Apt/Dorm Lounge [] [] [] [] [] Friend's house [] [] [] [] [] Coffee shop [] [] [] [] []] Please list other areas you use your laptop off-campus [ ] 4. Indicate how much each statement applies to you (5=strongly agree, 4=agree, 3=neutral, 2=disagree, 1=strongly disagree) [] My laptop is too heavy to carry with me [] There is sufficient wireless network coverage on campus [] There are convenient power outlets available on campus [] If there were more network ports, I would bring my laptop to campus more often [] I am concerned about someone stealing my laptop when I bring it to campus [] I don't use my laptop in class because the desks are too small [] I don't use my laptop in class because the instructor does not provide digital documents [] I would use my laptop in class if I could connect to the Internet [] I would bring my laptop to campus if I could print from it (e.g., wireless printing) [] I would like to use my laptop on campus more often What would increase your use of your laptop on campus [ ] 5. Do you usually print from your laptop at home or in the campus computer rooms? [] Home [] Computer rooms If you answered "Computer rooms", how do you transfer the files from your laptop to the campus computer? (Check all that apply) [] mySpace(in myUCDavis) [] Floppy disk [] Zip disk [] CD-RW [] USB flash drive [] FTP [] Email the file to myself [] Other - please specify [ ] 6. Do you have any other suggestions or comments regarding laptop use? [ ] Thank you for your time and input.
1 . Do you own a laptop?
| Number | Percentage | |
| Yes | 123 | 69.1% |
| No | 55 | 30.9% |
2. Class Standing
| Class | Number | Percentage |
| First Year | 13 | 7.4% |
| Second Year | 34 | 19.3% |
| Third Year | 48 | 27.3% |
| Fourth Year | 39 | 22.2% |
| Fifth Year | 10 | 5.7% |
| Masters candidate | 11 | 6.3% |
| PhD candidate | 18 | 10.2% |
| Professional School | 3 | 1.7% |
3. Where and how often do you use your laptop?
| Daily | Few times per week | Weekly | Rarely | Never | |
| Classrooms | 8 - 6.5% | 11 - 8.9% | 5 - 4.1% | 29 - 23.6% | 63 - 51.2% |
| Coffeehouse | 1 - 0.8% | 11 - 8.9% | 7 - 5.7% | 35 - 28.5% | 62 - 50.4% |
| Library | 10 - 8.1% | 14 - 11.4% | 34 - 27.6% | 25 - 20.3% | 32 - 26.0% |
| MU study lounge | 5 - 4.1% | 6 - 4.9% | 6 - 4.9% | 27 - 22.0% | 70 - 56.9% |
| Other lounges | 2 - 1.6% | 9 - 7.3% | 8 - 6.5% | 26 - 21.1% | 68 - 55.3% |
| ARC | 0 - 0% | 7 - 5.7% | 6 - 4.9% | 12 - 9.8% | 88 - 71.5% |
Other on-campus locations:
| Daily | Few times per week | Weekly | Rarely | Never | |
| Home | 100 - 81.3% | 9 - 7.3% | 1 - 0.8% | 10 - 8.1% | 1 - 0.8% |
| Apt/Dorm Lounge | 46 - 37.4% | 8 - 6.5% | 0 - 0% | 14 - 11.4% | 45 - 36.6% |
| Friend's house | 6 - 4.9% | 9 - 7.3% | 14 - 11.4% | 43 - 35.0% | 39 - 31.7% |
| Coffee shop | 4 - 3.3% | 4 - 3.3% | 8 - 6.5% | 35 - 28.5% | 60 - 48.8% |
Other off-campus locations:
4. Indicate how much each statement applies to you (5=strongly agree, 4=agree, 3=neutral, 2=disagree, 1=strongly disagree)
| 1 - strongly disagree | 2 - disagree | 3 - neutral | 4 - agree | 5 - strongly agree | |
| My laptop is too heavy to carry with me | 24 - 19.5% | 23 - 18.7% | 27 - 22.0% | 33 - 26.8% | 11 - 8.9% |
| There is sufficient wireless network coverage on campus | 21 - 17.1% | 38 - 30.9% | 32 - 26.0% | 21 - 17.1% | 4 - 3.3% |
| There are convenient power outlets available on campus | 11 - 8.9% | 41 - 33.3% | 40 - 32.5% | 23 - 18.7% | 2 - 1.6% |
| If there were more network ports, I would bring my laptop to campus more often | 9 - 7.3% | 14 - 11.4% | 33 - 26.8% | 36 - 29.3% | 25 - 20.3% |
| I am concerned about someone stealing my laptop when I bring it to campus |
6 - 4.9% | 26 - 21.1% | 26 - 21.1% | 40 - 32.5% | 19 - 15.4% |
| I don't use my laptop in class because the desks are too small | 11 - 8.9% | 12 - 9.8% | 42 - 34.1% | 33 - 26.8% | 19 - 15.4% |
| I don't use my laptop in class because the instructor does not provide digital documents | 17 - 13.8% | 26 - 21.1% | 53 - 43.1% | 17 - 13.8% | 4 - 3.3% |
| I would use my laptop in class if I could connect to the Internet | 14 - 11.4% | 28 - 22.8% | 23 - 18.7% | 29 - 23.6% | 22 - 17.9% |
| I would bring my laptop to campus if I could print from it (e.g., wireless printing) | 10 - 8.1% | 8 - 6.5% | 24 - 19.5% | 36 - 29.3% | 38 - 30.9% |
| I would like to use my laptop on campus more often | 6 - 4.9% | 9 - 7.3% | 26 - 21.1% | 46 - 37.4% | 26 - 21.1% |
What would increase your use of your laptop on campus: Responses that were very similar we combined.
5. Do you usually print from your laptop at home or in the campus computer rooms?
| Number | Percentage | |
| Home | 62 | 50.4% |
| Computer rooms | 59 | 48.0% |
How do you transfer files between campus and home computer? (Allowed multiple responses) Percentages are of clients who usually print in computer rooms (59).
Number Percentage MySpace 25 33.0% Floppy Disk 13 22.0% Zip Disk 3 5.1% CD-RW 7 11.9% USB Storage Device 31 52.5% FTP 3 5.1% Email the file to themselves 51 86/4% Other 2 3.4% Other transfer means:
- My lapttop is set up to send printing jobs to the local printers in my school
- Use personal WebDAV space
6. Do you have any other suggestions or comments regarding laptop use
| Comments: labmanager@ucdavis.edu URL: http://clm.ucdavis.edu/pubs/survey/student-w05-2.html Last reviewed: Mon, 11-Apr-2005 Last updated: Mon, 11-Apr-2005 |
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