A survey was sent out to all KSC students that was closed on Wednesday, April 15, which was meant to gauge how remote learning has been going for the student population so far.
According to Provost Ockle Johnson, 827 students took the survey. The survey revealed a strong link between students’ internet connection/accessibility and how they view online learning.
“One thing which was very interesting is the correlation between internet service and how students rated their success, satisfaction and engagement with faculty,” Johnson said. “For those with excellent service, 75.7 percent felt successful, 52.2 percent were satisfied, 86.8 percent were well engaged, compared to 15.4 percent, 0 percent and 38.5 percent respectively for those with terrible service.”
The quality of internet service varied: 17.9 percent reported excellent service, 15.1 percent reported poor or terrible. 66.1 percent of students felt they were at least moderately successful with their online courses. 56.2 percent of students were at least moderately satisfied with their online courses. 74.6 percent of students felt at least moderately engaged by their faculty.
One common feeling from students was their dissatisfaction with online learning in general.
“Students, even if they felt successful in their courses, were less likely to be satisfied. This was not a surprise. Students come to Keene State because they want the in-person classes with in-person access to their faculty,” Johnson said. “Students expressed their strong preference for in-person classes and disappointment that we had to move to online delivery of courses. They also expressed concerns over additional work, managing communication overload and the ability to stay motivated and organized.”
Johnson also said that many students included in their comments positive faculty communication, use of Zoom, use of Canvas and maintenance of a routine.
Moving forward, the information that the administration received from this survey will be used to inform how they will continue with remote learning if necessary.
“The college will continue to provide opportunities for faculty to develop skills with online delivery technology and course design. The college will also consider what assistance we can provide students to ensure strong internet connectivity if we need to go to online delivery in the future,” Johnson said. “For this semester, we will continue to encourage faculty to communicate with their students and provide assessment feedback. We will use it at the end of the semester and over the summer to guide further professional development for faculty.”
Rachel Vitello can be contacted at
rvitello@kscequinox.com
