Spring 2020 Student Success During COVID: Survey Results & Methods
Survey results and methods from Spring 2020 highlighting student challenges, successes, access to technology, and feedback to improve future sessions at University of Alaska Anchorage. Insights on internet connectivity, device ownership, student experiences, and the importance of supportive measures during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Spring 2020 Student Success During COVID: Survey Results Claudia Lampman, Ph.D., Vice Provost for Student Success University of Alaska Anchorage
loss of job, loss of childcare for three children & being forced to become a home school teacher with everyone sharing one laptop in a 2 bedroom house. Before this semester, I had a 3.5 GPA and currently, I don t know if I will be able to pass my classes with my current situation. UAA Student, April 2020
Non-proctored and open book exams were a lifesaver during this time. We were all already feeling anxious about COVID-19. UAA made it so we didn t need to feel as anxious about our exams on top of it. Thank you! UAA Student, April 2020
Spring 2020 Student Success During COVID: Survey Methods Survey description to students: As the end of the Spring 2020 semester draws near, we wanted to check in with you to see how you are doing, what worked well for you this semester in your classes, and where we need to improve for the summer 2020 sessions. Please take a few minutes to answer these questions so we can share your feedback with faculty, advisors, and IT staff so they know what you will need to succeed going forward. Distributed on April 16th, 2020 via: Email from Vice Provost for Student Success Blackboard announcement on all course shells Student Success webpage Social media 835 students responded in a two-week period
Which of the following best describes your access to an adequate internet connection where you are living and completing your classes right now? Percent of Students I already had an adequate internet connection where I am living right now. 78.40% I was able to upgrade to an adequate internet connection where I am living right now. 11.20% I did not have an adequate internet connection where I am living right now, but I was able to acquire one. 6.50% I still do not have an adequate internet connection where I am living right now. 3.90%
Which of the following types of devices did you own or have available to complete your courses this semester? Percent of Students Laptop computer 90.60% Smartphone 64.10% Please check all that apply. Desktop computer 25.80% Tablet (such as iPad) 22.20%
Which type of device(s) did you use most often to access online course materials and participate in your classes this semester? Percent of Students Laptop or Desktop Computer 95.30% Please check all that apply. Smartphone 12.20% Tablet (such as iPad) 5.80% Other 0.60%
How often did you need to come to a UAA campus after the COVID shift to alternate delivery for the purpose of using a computer? Percent of Students I never needed to come to campus to use a computer 85.20% I needed to come to campus one or twice to use a computer 11.50% I needed to come to campus regularly to use a computer 3.30%
To what extent are these statements true for you? Definitely true Somewhat True Not at all true 78.60% 69.20% 64.20% 55.00% 37.70% 38.00% 37.50% 28.10% 24.30% 20.20% 17.40% 10.50% 7.70% 7.50% 4.00% I was unfamilar with most of the technology needed to be successful in my classes this semester I am now comfortable with the technology needed to be successful in my classes Limited internet access had a negative impact on my grades I had access to an adequate computer or device for completing my coursework The switch to alternate/online delivery of classes is having a negative impact on my learning
Key Takeaways from the Survey: Technology While a majority (96%) of respondents indicated they had or were able to acquire an adequate internet connection, other technology issues exist: 1 in 8 students said they mostly used a phone to participate in classes and access course materials 1 in 6 needed to come to campus at least once to use a computer 1 in 3 students said limited internet access had at least some negative impact on their learning Only 1 in 2 said they were definitely comfortable with the technology needed to be successful in their classes We need to identify students who need more adequate technology and skills early and connect them with resources Seawolf Tracks can be used to report on students; a video on early alerts coming soon
What is your overall assessment of how you performed in your classes this semester compared to previous semesters? Much worse 13.50% Somewhat worse 34.70% About the same 36.20% Somewhat better 9.10% Much better 6.50%
Please rate the extent to which the following things were helpful in your classes this semester: Very helpful Somewhat helpful Not at all helpful 76.30% 61.00% 55.30% Continued on next two slides 50.30% 42.00% 34.50% 32.60% 19.60% 10.20% 7.70% 6.40% 4.10% Having flexibility to take quizzes and exams when it was convenient for me rather than at a set time Professor using Blackboard for course communication, assignments, and exams Having multiple ways to show mastery of course material or a choice of assignment options Youtube or other video resources (e.g., Khan Academy)
Please rate the extent to which the following things were helpful in your classes this semester: Very helpful Somewhat helpful Not at all helpful 46.50% 44.40% 44.10% 44.00% 43.50% 40.80% 39.70% 35.80% Continued on next slide 17.70% 16.90% 15.10% 11.60% Recorded lectures Powerpoint with voiceover Live online classes (e.g., Zoom) Connecting with other classmates
Please rate the extent to which the following things were helpful in your classes this semester: Very helpful Somewhat helpful Not at all helpful 56.30% 50.90% 48.90% 45.80% 44.20% 38.80% 32.30% 31.50% 29.80% 29.80% 21.90% 19.60% 19.40% 17.10% 13.90% Online study groups or team meetings Online sessions with peer learning or teaching assistants Faculty online office hours Powerpoint without video or voiceover Mainly reading texts to complete course
To what extent did the following things interfere with your ability to be successful in your classes following the shift to alternate delivery? Greatly interfered Somewhat interfered Did not interfere 45.70% 43.00% 42.70% 41.80% 35.40% 34.80% 29.80% 29% 28% 25.80% Continued on next slide 22.10% 21.90% Difficulty doing school work from home and balancing family responsibilities. COVID-related anxiety, difficulty focusing, or other well-being issues Multiple people needing internet access at the same time where I am living Financial hardship due to self or family job loss
To what extent did the following things interfere with your ability to be successful in your classes following the shift to alternate delivery? Greatly interfered Somewhat interfered Did not interfere 81.80% 68.20% 47.40% 39.70% 33.90% 32.70% 26% 22.90% 19.90% 15.10% 9.00% 3.10% Distractions from my personal technology (e.g., phone, video games, television) Personal or family health problems Limited or inadequate internet access Inadequate computer equipment (e.g., having to use only a smartphone)
Key Takeaways from the Survey: Success in Courses 3 in 4 students said the switch to alternate delivery had a definite or somewhat negative impact on their learning 1 in 2 students said their grades this semester are much or somewhat worse than in past semesters 3 in 4 students said having flexibility to take quizzes and tests when it was convenient for them was very helpful 2 in 3 said use of Blackboard was very helpful 4-5 in 10 found multiple ways to show mastery of course material, video resources, recorded lectures, live class sessions (e.g., Zoom), and powerpoint slides with voiceover to be very helpful 8 in 10 indicated that balancing school and life responsibilities and COVID-related anxiety greatly or somewhat interfered with their ability to be successful this semester. It was a highly unusual semester and students said it impacted their ability to learn, their grades, and their emotional well-being. But flexibility, options, and Blackboard helped a lot.
Part 3: Student Support Resources
Which of the following student support resources did you use this semester? I used this service I didn't need to use this service I didn't know this service was available 76.50% 76.00% 75.80% 67.90% 66.10% 64.80% 49.60% 41.40% 31.50% 30% 19.50% 16.60% 16.00% 12.60% 12.50% 11.70% 9.00% 8.00% 6.90% 3.70% 3.70% Academic Advising IT Services Help Desk The Library Help Desk Health Services Mental Health Services Emergency Financial Aid Online Tutoring through the Learning Commons
To what extent did you feel supported by the following groups this semester? I felt very supported I felt somewhat supported I did not feel supported 51.90% 51.50% 47.30% 45.70% 43.10% 42.70% 42.10% 38.70% 36.00% 32.00% 29.10% 28.20% 28.20% 20% 19.20% 18.30% 16.10% 9.60% Faculty Academic Advisors IT Services UAA overall Tutoring Services University of Alaska System
What is your preferred way to learn about various support resources for students? Percent of Students Email 82.00% UAA Webpage 8.60% Text Message 7.10% Other 2.30%
Key Takeaways from the Survey: Resources Students were not aware of some key resources: 1 in 3 respondents were not aware that remote tutoring was available through the Learning Commons 1 in 3 were not aware of emergency financial aid availability 1 in 5 did not know that the Library help desk was open 1 in 6 were unaware that campus health and mental health services were still available We need to do a better job of making sure students are aware of and connected to campus resources.
Part 4: Summer Course Plans and Needs
Summer Course Plans and Needs Do you have adequate access to the technology and IT support you need to be successful in your summer classes? (Students who said no were contacted) Are you planning to take classes at UAA this summer? Percent of Students Yes 40% No 44% I have the technology and access to the internet needed 95.00% Maybe 16% I do not have the technology I need to be successful in my summer classes 5.00%
Difficulty learning online or adjusting to alternate delivery mode (46%) What was the most challenging thing in your alternate delivery courses? (n=849 responses) I cannot learn math this way. This is why I purposely chose an in- person class. Before Spring Break I had a 99.6% grade in that class. I am now going to fail it. I 100% blame COVID for this situation. I do not blame the University, but I would have liked the option to either get financial credit to be used to retake the class or a refund. The inability to ask questions as the lecture was happening. Most of my classes used prerecorded lectures for alternative course delivery therefore I was unable to ask questions in real time. And sometimes it took the professor days-a week to get back to me. Some professors aren t able to upload videos, so they upload notes that they want us to read. This is really not helping me, as I feel like I am getting the same information from them as I m getting from the book (they use the same examples as the book sometimes) and its hard to learn that way for me. I have to find outside resources and feel like I am paying to teaching myself. I just personally learn better traditionally. Having in-person interaction and conversation makes it easier to remember the content of my class, and more engaging. Not being able to do this is not anybody's fault, it just has been hard to switch to online learning for that reason.
Stress of balancing work, school, life, demands, not having good workspace, distractions (17%) What was the most challenging thing in your alternate delivery courses? (n=849 responses) I got laid off temporarily, so I have been instacarting as an alternate form to pay my bills and keep afloat. Aside from watching my siblings and making sure they had their schoolwork done and worked on. It had been quite a challenge, but I am trying my best to manage. Finding a place in my home without distractions. Not having the separation between home (a place where I used to do no school work) and school (where I did all my school work) and learning how to change my habits at home was very difficult and I still feel far less productive even after three weeks of classes in comparison to when I was at UAA everyday. The inability to do my coursework anywhere else aside from my home. I would be more successful if I had a desk and a place to go aside from my room. Also having exams only available and open during a certain time. Example: my professor said you have to take this exam between 1 and 2:30 only at that time. I understand that that's what worked before, but things have drastically changed, and I think it's unfair to expect that of students who now have new responsibilities, and worries. I'm a non-traditional student with a special needs child who has been severely impacted by the pandemic and my husband is suspected to be infected with the virus so I am now caring for all 4 of our children on my own while still working full time. I'm struggling to meet assignment deadlines right now and fear that I will fail my courses this semester. I have been maintaining 4.0 semester GPAs upon returning to school prior to the pandemic and am very dedicated to my education.
Lack of motivation, difficulty focusing, or COVID-related anxiety (12%) What was the most challenging thing in your alternate delivery courses? (n=849 responses) I no longer had the physical motivation to finish assignments on time because there were no more face- to-face meetings. Overcoming anxiety and depression due to isolation Being at home and trying to study and using new technology to take exams made me anxious. Struggling to keep my mind at ease about all the changes that were occurring (losing my job, moving off campus, looking for new work, etc.) Not having an anxiety attack with all the COVID19 news and updates. Finishing this semester before I get sick IF I were to catch the virus. Thoughts of if I get sick would I be able to complete everything.
Poor communication from faculty (11%) What was the most challenging thing in your alternate delivery courses? (n=849 responses) Professors slow to grade and give feedback, so you don t have an appropriate gauge on how well you re doing along the way. Insufficient instruction provided in ways I learn best (NOT verbally). Not all professors respond to emails promptly, probably because of the high volume they're receiving. Doing group projects when some members are in different time zones I do not feel like I am getting everything I need, I cannot ask video lectures questions and not all teachers email back right away so it is hard to keep going on in the lecture if you do not understand. A week before finals, one of my professors hasn't decided if we are going to have a final or not. He says that he will decide soon. Leaving students in limbo like this makes it difficult for us to manage our time and it adds unnecessary stress. Disappointed.
What was the thing that worked best for you in an alternate delivery class? (n=715 responses) Flexibility on tests, quizzes, assignments, due dates, can work ahead or at own pace (34%) Having small specific assignments rather than just one large presentation. Teachers being flexible about dates and times. Setting a date for all quizzes to be due was helpful rather than different dates for every little thing. That s difficult right now with how my work/life structure has changed. The ability to complete assignments on my own schedule while dealing with family and other challenges. I appreciated professors altering the syllabus and the guidelines to certain assignments to account for the added stress of the situation.
What was the thing that worked best for you in an alternate delivery class? Live lectures on Zoom, Google, BB collaborate, keeping class time (16%) Zoom class meetings are awesome. The online quizzes and tests through blackboard worked well. Everything is good besides my lowered motivation. I enjoy synchronous meetings through zoom. They make me fell like I'm a part of a community, which is something I deeply treasure about college life. My professors handled the switch very well, and their time and effort to make their classes compatible with distance delivery has made the class a lot easier for me. They deserve a raise. My trigonometry and Alaska Native Perspectives classes were still hosted at the same time via zoom. As such, at least one medium was able to maintain some aspects of traditional learning, including the facial and verbal aspects.
What could UAA have done better to help you be successful this semester? Nothing, things were fine (32%) Professors be more flexible, patient, offer more options like extra credit (15%) Bigger refund on parking, fees, lab fees, or refund semester, retake course for free (8%) Not sure (8%)
