Student Survey - Spring 1999

Survey Text
Survey Results
Survey Interpretation
Other Surveys

Survey Text

On 4/10/1999 the following survey was set to 1000 students who had used the computer classrooms since the start of the Winter quarter.
  Lab Management is constantly trying to refine and improve the campus
computer rooms.  We would like your input to determine what changes you
feel would improve our services.

  Your name was selected by a random sample of all computer room users. 
As a result, your responses to this survey represent many users.  Please
reply to this survey so that your views will be properly represented. 

  The survey contains nine questions which are listed below.  To answer
the survey, reply to this message and mark your answers to the questions
below 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. There is a space for comments at the end of the
survey.

Thank you for your time and input.

                        Tim Leamy
                        Information Resources
                        tcleamy@ucdavis.edu
*****  Computer Room Survey *****

1. Why do you use the computer rooms (please mark all that apply)

  [] Don't own a computer
  [] Need to access the network (e.g., Netscape, email, Eudora, Telnet)
  [] Need to print
  [] Need to access class software or information
  [] Need to access to special hardware (scanners, video editors, etc.)
  [] Campus computers are more convenient than mine
  [] Campus computers work better than mine
  [] Required for class
  [] Class meets in a computer room
  [] Other (please describe): []

2.  Do you own a computer?
  [] YES
  [] NO   (If NO please skip to question #4.)

3.  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 (Windows)
             [] Other       [] Don't know

  Does it have a Zip drive: [] Yes   [] No   [] Don't know

  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

4.  Which of these items will improve service to you in the computer
rooms?  Please rank the THREE most important by placing 1, 2 or 3 in the
brackets provided, using 1 for the most important.

  []  More computers
  []  More staff
  []  Better trained staff
  []  Newer equipment
  []  Open later hours (after midnight)
  []  More open use time (i.e. no classes in session)
  []  More centrally located computer rooms
  []  Other (please describe): []

5.  Please rate the ease of finding an available computer on campus to
use.
  [] Easy               
  [] Sometimes easy
  [] Moderately difficult
  [] Difficult          
  [] Extremely difficult

6.  Do you know about the "Available Computer Rooms" webpage at
http://lm.ucdavis.edu/rooms/available/?
  [] Yes   [] No
  
7.  There has been a large increase in the amount of printing in the
computer rooms.  Lab Management would like to reduce this printing to a
more reasonable level.  Please rate your preference of these possible
solutions (1 the best, 5 the worst).
  [] Per page charge for printing.  (For example, each page would cost 10
cents.)
  [] Per page charge for printing after a number of free pages.  (For
example, charge 10 cents a page after the first 250 pages.)
  [] Only allow a certain number of pages printed per quarter.  (For
example, charge 10 cents a page after the first 250 pages.)
  [] Only allow a certain number of pages printed per quarter.  (For
example, users would be unable to print after 250 pages.) 
  [] Use a student fee to support printing
  [] Stop supporting printing by removing printers from computer rooms.

8.  In order to reduce the pages printed, we are considering implementing
duplexed printing (which is printing on both sides of a piece of paper).
Would duplex printing cause a problem for your print outs?
  [] Yes   []No

9.  Do you have any other questions or comments?
  []

Thank you for your time and input.

Survey Results

There were 402 responses. Of those 396 were usable.
 
Reasons for using computer rooms
Need to print 280 70.7%
Need to access the network 237 59.8%
Need to access class software or information 214 54.0%
Campus computers are more convenient than mine 127 32.1%
Campus computers work better than mine 95 23.2%
Required for class 92 23.2%
Specialized hardware 92 23.3%
Don't own a computer 88 22.2%
Class meets in a computer room 69 17.4%
Other 33 8.3%


 
Own a computer
Yes 309 78.0%
No 81 20.5%

Of those who own a computer:
Percentages are of those who own a computer, not total respondents.


Most important way to improve computer classrooms
Ranking 1st 2nd 3rd Total
More computers 162 87 44 704
More open use time 90 111 54 546
Open later hours 39 41 53 252
More centrally located computer rooms 22 41 96 244
Newer equipment 13 38 43 158
Better trained staff 6 12 17 59
More staff 6 10 15 53
Other 10 4 10 48
Total is computed by (number of 1st's) x 3 + (number of 2nd's) x 2 + (number of 3rd's).


  Ease of finding free computer to use
Easy 47 11.9%
Sometimes easy 200 50.5%
Moderately difficult 114 28.8%
Difficult 27 6.8%
Extremely difficult 4 1.0%


Know about computer availability web page
Yes 88 22.2%
No 304 76.8%


Best solution to address printing issues
Ranking 1st 2nd 3rd Total
Per page charge after free amount 157 80 29 660
Only allow a certain number of pages per quarter 63 117 55 478
Student fee 39 45 93 300
Per page charge 2 19 83 127
Stop supporting printing 0 0 6 6
Total is computed by (number of 1st's) x 3 + (number of 2nd's) x 2 + (number of 3rd's).


Would duplex printing cause a problem
Yes 111 28.0%
No 274 69.2%


Survey Interpretation


The percentage of students who own a computer is 78.0%.   This is up from 69% in Winter 1997 and 74% in Winter 1998.

The top reasons why students use the computer rooms are access to printers (70.7%), access to the network  (59.8%), and access to class software (54.0%).  These same three items were the top reasons for the last three student surveys, although network and printing swapped places.  It could be that the improved modem pool has slightly reduced the number of students who need the computer rooms for network access.
It is interesting to compare the usage profiles of computer owners vs. non-owners. (The "don't own a computer", "campus computers are more convenient than mine", and "campus computers are better than mine" responses were removed since they don't make sense in this comparison).
 
Non-owners (81) Computer Owners (309)
Access the network
82.7%
54.4%
Access to printers
79.0%
68.9%
Access to class software
64.2%
51.5%
Required for class
30.9%
21.7%
Class meets in computer room
17.3%
17.8%
Specialized hardware
17.3%
25.2%

For the third year the most desired improvements for the computer rooms voiced by the students are more computers and more open use time. Open later hours and  more centrally located computer rooms rank a distant third and fourth, while the other improvements received  little support. It appears students are more concerned about access to the computer rooms as opposed to the quality of the service provided in those rooms.

As in past surveys, the students felt that a per-page printing charge after a number of free pages was the best solution.


Other Surveys


Survey Text
Survey Results
Survey Interpretation
Other Surveys

Comments: tcleamy@ucdavis.edu
URL: http://lm.ucdavis.edu/pubs/survey/student_s99/
Last reviewed: Thu, 18-Jul-2002
Last updated: June 3, 1999