Part-Time Undergraduate Student Survey, Spring 2003

The Study

A goal of Information Technology Services is to systematically transform the learning environment within the next few years. To achieve this goal, it is imperative that we understand how students use and view information technology.

In Spring 2003, emails containing a web link to the part-time undergraduate student computing survey were sent to 6,500 part-time undergraduate students at all campus locations. The response rate was 16.3% (N=1060).

The Results

Survey respondents are distributed relatively evenly by class standing:

• 1st year ............. 17%
• 2nd year ............. 20%
• 3rd year ............. 27%
• 4th year ............. 26%

52% are female 97% and living off campus. A large portion (31%) are at the University Park campus. Of these, 42% are majoring in Ag. Sciences, 11% in Health and Human Development, and 13% each in Communications and the Eberly College Of Science.

Ownership Issues

• 96% own a personal computer
• 21% own both a laptop and a desktop computer.
• 68% only own a desktop computer
• Of the 4% who do not own a computer, 98% have access to one at work or home.
• 7% only own a laptop computer

University Park students and CC* students are equally likely to not own a computer. However, CC students are more likely than UP students to own a desktop computer and less likely to own a laptop. Students of 3rd year or higher standing were more likely to not own a computer than students of 2nd year or lower standing.

94% prefer Windows over MAC and UNIX. Females were more likely to like Windows systems, equally likely to like MAC systems, and less likely to prefer UNIX/LINUX systems.

4% of laptop owners use their laptop in a wireless mode on campus. Of those not using a wireless mode:

• 18% did not like toting their laptop around campus
• 6% think wireless cards are too costly
• 7% thought there were not enough wireless locations on campus
• 6% cited the difficulty of using a wireless system

Laptop owners would like to see the following:

Ports in classrooms..........30%
Ports in residence halls....28%
Power plugs in classes....31%
Wireless connectivity.......15%
Secure lockers.................16%

Personal Digital Assistant Ownership

18% own a Personal Digital Assistant. Of these,

• 22% use their PDA to communicate with the web
• 39% take notes in class
• 25% access email
• 29% would like to take a training seminar on how to better use their PDA.

The higher the class standing, the more likely students are to own a PDA. Males are more likely than females to own a PDA. 73% own a cell phone. Of these,

• 10% use their cell phone to access the Internet
• 15% to access email
• 26% would like to attend a training seminar on how to better use their cell.

Females, University Park students, and 3rd/4th year students are more likely to own a cell phone than their counterparts. 48% of respondents were not aware of the "We Are - Penn State Portal" 39% of students have never updated their virus protection software or do it less than once a month.

Opinions about Technology

89% believe they understand the ethics and legality of materials found on the internet. 92% of males versus 86% of females believed they understood the concept. Upperclassmen and UP students are as likely to understand the concepts as their counterparts.

64% report being skilled or very skilled at using computers for their academic work. Students of higher class standing are more likely to believe they are very skilled. UP and CC students are equally likely to believe they are very skilled. 22% of males and 39% of females believe they are very skilled.

12% have taken an on-line course through PSU. Of these,

• 48% said accessing on-line course materials was very easy
• 72% would take another on-line course.

Most difficult technology challenges at PSU:

In general, UP students reported that using these 3 technologies is more challenging. Also upperclassmen found residence hall connections easier but found LIAS harder to use.

Computer Usage

• 71% believe it is very or extremely important for professors to maintain course websites.
  
  
• 68% attend class as often for courses with websites as for those without websites. 62% of CC students would attend such a class.
  
  
• 41% would prefer to take a class that makes significant use of technology for out of class learning, reducing classroom meeting time.
  
  
• 50% preferred a traditional classroom setting.

On average, students have taken 4 courses in the past year that involved word processing and 3.6 courses that involved retrieving information electronically.

The mean number of courses that students have taken involving the above skills does not vary for UP versus CC students.

Percentages of respondents whose instructors, since summer 2000, have used the following ANGEL technologies:

• Posting and updating course syllabus .....49%
• Post lecture notes ...................................40%
• Using Email to communicate ....................44%
• Providing Links to Web sites ...................34%
• Using the class calendar .........................26%

Generally, UP students were all much more likely to have seen these ANGEL technologies.

Students Interest In Technologies By Campus

• Females were more likely to want to learn about web page development, digital imaging software, and better web searching techniques.
• Males were more likely to want to learn a programming language.

Where students get information on computing training seminars and workshops:

• 19% posters in computer labs and residence halls
• 18% word of mouth
• 16% fliers
• 17% Web pages
• 5% Daily Collegian

Technology services students were most aware of:

• Student computer labs.............92%
• PSU Webmail access................78%
• Student computer help desk....76%