blackboard: a comparison of faculty and student perspectives patricia a. suess, ph.d. jyoti pande,...

Blackboard: A Comparison of Faculty and Student

PerspectivesPatricia A. Suess, Ph.D.

Jyoti Pande, Ph.D.

Abby Deshane

Dorrine Bergjans

Irina Shirer

St. Louis Community College

A Comparison of Faculty and Student Perspectives

2

Objectives of the Session

• To share our findings of two surveys of Blackboard use, specially as a tool of teaching and learning

• To share implications and lessons learned for faculty, trainers and IT professionals

• Share best practices within this group


3

St. Louis Community College Profile

St. Louis Community College is the largest community college district in Missouri and one of the largest in the United States.

Fall 2007 -- 24,567 college credit students. Continuing education enrollments bring the total number of students served to approximately 65,000 per semester. Faculty: 420 full-time, 1,227 part-time.

STLCC offers 11 college-transfer options and more than 90 career programs in the areas of art and design, business, civil and community service, engineering and technology, health and office professions; we also offer continuing education, developmental, and business/industrial training programs.

Following a visit in January 2008 by the Higher Learning Commission, the college was granted continued accreditation until the year 2018.


4

St. Louis Community College Profile

• STLCC provides access to our programs with four main campuses strategically located throughout the St. Louis Metropolitan area, from the very north in Ferguson at the Florissant Valley location, to the city's central corridor at Forest Park, to the southwest area of the county at the Meramec campus, to the bourgeoning West County area at our new Wildwood campus which opened in August 2007.

• The college also operates three education centers throughout the service area and offers courses and programs at numerous area high schools, community centers, libraries, churches, hospitals and museums.

http://www.stlcc.edu/FV/

http://www.stlcc.edu/FP/

http://www.stlcc.edu/MC/

http://www.stlcc.edu/WW/

http://www.stlcc.edu/Campuses/Education_Centers/


5

St. Louis Community College Profile: Locations

FV MC

FP WW


6

Background and Survey Implementation

• The College Instructional Delivery and Technology Advisory Group (CIDTAG), a district-wide group of faculty, technical staff and instructional designers was formed in December 2006; sponsored by the Vice-Chancellor of Technology.

• The College adopted Blackboard in the year 2000 and a survey of end-user needs and recommendations for future services was necessary.

• Surveys were conducted using the survey tool “Student Voice” licensed by the college.


7

Survey Implementation

• In Fall 2007 separate surveys were administered to all STLCC full-time and part-time faculty and students.

• Faculty survey was sent via college email and student survey was inserted in all Blackboard courses.

• There were 324 faculty respondents (19.7% return) and 1,752 student respondents (7.1% return*).


8

Demographics Comparison

Student Survey Faculty Survey

Response Rates

Response Rate by Location

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

FV FP MC WW

Campus/Location

% E

nro

llm

en

t

Response Rate by Location

0%20%40%60%80%

100%

FV FP MC WW

Campus/Location

% E

mp

loy

me

nt


9



Distribution of RespondentsAcross Locations

Q4: I teach at the following locations:

0%10%20%30%40%50%

FV FP MC WW

Campus/Location

% R

es

po

nd

en

ts

Q1: Where do you attend classes?

0%10%20%30%40%50%

FV FP MC WW

Campus/Location

% R

es

po

nd

en

ts


10



Classification of Respondents

Q2: Which best describes you?

0%

20%40%

60%

Full-time Student Part-Time Student

Student Classfication (FT = 12 or more credit hours)

% R

es

po

nd

en

ts

Q2: I am employed as a:

0%

20%

40%

60%

Full-time Faculty Part-time Faculty

Faculty Classfication

% R

es

po

nd

en

ts


11

Faculty Demographics

Q1: I have been teaching at SLCC for:

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%

Less

than

one

year

1 to

2 ye

ars

3 to

5 ye

ars

Over 5

years

Years of Employment

% R

esp

on

den

ts


12

Faculty DemographicsQ3: My appointment is in the following

department:

0%5%

10%15%20%25%30%35%

Accou

nting

/Bus

iness

/Eco

n.

Art/Arc

hitec

ture

/Des

ign

Comm./E

nglis

h/For

eign L

ang.

Educa

tion/C

hild

Care

Funer

al Ser

vices

Health

Care/

Diagno

stics

/The

rapy

Hospit

ality/

Culina

ry A

rts

Human

ities/H

RM/S

oc./P

sych

IS/IT

Law/C

rim.Ju

stice

/Poli

.Sci.

/Hist

.

Math

/Scie

nce/

Engine

ering

/Tec

h.

Nursin

g

Physic

al Edu

catio

nOth

er

Program/Department

% R

es

po

nd

en

ts


13

Faculty Demographics

Q5: I have been a Blackboard user for:

0%

20%

40%

60%

Years of Blackboard Use

% R

esp

on

den

ts


14

Student Demographics

Q3: Which of the following is your primary educational goal at SLCC?

0%10%20%30%40%

AA + tr

ansfe

r

AA + w

ork

Certifica

te +

wor

k

Course

s + tr

ansfe

r

Course

s + w

ork

Perso

nal in

tere

st

Educational Goal

% R

esp

on

den

ts


15

Student DemographicsQ4: What is your major area of study?

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

Accou

nting

/Bus

iness

/Eco

n.

Art/Arc

hitec

ture

/Des

ign

Comm./E

nglis

h/For

eign

Lang

.

Educa

tion/

Child

Care

Funer

al S

ervic

es

Gener

al Ed/

Gen

eral

Tran

sfer

Health

Care/

Diagno

stics

/The

...

Hospit

ality/

Culina

ry A

rts

Human

ities/H

RM/S

oc./P

sych

IS/IT

Law/C

rim.Ju

stice

/Pol

i.Sci.

/Hist

.

Math

/Scie

nce/

Engine

ering

/T...

Nursin

g

Other

Program/Area of Study

% R

es

po

nd

en

ts


16

Blackboard Comparison

Student Survey Faculty SurveyType of Course

Q9: Which type(s) of class(es) have you taken that use(s) Blackboard?

0%20%40%60%80%

100%

Type of Class

% R

es

po

nd

en

ts

Q6: I use Blackboard to teach the following type(s) of course:

0%20%40%60%80%

100%

Type of Class

% R

es

po

nd

en

ts


17

Blackboard Uses

Faculty Survey

Q7: I use Blackboard content areas to post:

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Syllab

i

Lectu

re n

otes

Publis

her's

mate

rials

Assig

nment

s

Exter

nal li

nks

Oth

er - A

nnou

ncem

ents

Oth

er - Q

uizze

s/Tests

Oth

er - H

andou

ts

Oth

er - G

rade

s

Oth

er - M

isc.

Content Areas

% R

esp

on

den

ts


18

Blackboard UsesQ8: I use Blackboard to communicate with my students

via:

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

E-mail

Annou

ncem

ents

Calend

ar

Staff

Info

rmat

ion

Digita

l dro

pbox

I do

not u

se th

ese

tools

Communication Tools

% R

esp

on

den

ts

Faculty Survey


19

Blackboard UsesQ9: I use Blackboard to increase collaborative learning

via:

0%

20%

40%

60%

Discus

sion

board

Gro

ups

Jour

nals

Virtua

l Chat

Oth

er

I do

not u

se th

ese

tools

Collaborative Learning Tools

% R

es

po

nd

en

ts

Faculty Survey


20

Blackboard UsesQ10: I use Blackboard to assess and communicate

student progress via:

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

Tests

and

quizz

es

Surve

ys

Assign

men

ts

Gradin

gOth

er

I do

not u

se th

ese

tools

Assessment Tools

% R

es

po

nd

en

ts

Faculty Survey


21

Blackboard Uses

Student Survey

Q11: For which of the following reasons do you use Blackboard?

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Downl

oad d

ocum

ents

Send

e-m

ail

Discus

sion

board

Take a

test/

quiz

Check

gra

des

Gro

up w

ork

Virtua

l cha

t

Jour

nal

Oth

er - A

nnou

ncem

ents

Oth

er - A

ssig

nment

s

Oth

er - M

isc.

Tasks

% R

esp

on

den

ts


22

Tools Other than Blackboard

Faculty Survey

Q11: I currently use these additional teaching/course design tools:

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

Other Tools Used

% R

es

po

nd

en

ts

Q12: I would be most interested in learning about:

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

Other Tools of Interest

% R

es

po

nd

en

ts


23

Blackboard Tools Satisfaction

Faculty Survey

Q14: I would like to see the following tools/services included or improved:

0%

20%

40%

60%

Improvements Desired

% R

es

po

nd

en

ts

Q13: I would rate my overall satisfaction with the tools available in Blackboard as:

0%

20%

40%

60%

Level of Satisfaction

% R

es

po

nd

en

ts


24

Blackboard Training

Faculty Survey

Q16: I have used the following types of Blackboard training:

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%

Type of Training

% R

es

po

nd

en

ts

Q19: I prefer Blackboard training via:

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

Classr

oom

Online

tuto

rials

One-o

n-on

e

Other

Training Preferences

% R

es

po

nd

en

ts


25



Issues with Blackboard

Q12: Which of the following types of problems have you had when using Blackboard?

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

Problems

% R

es

po

nd

en

ts

Q15: The issues I would like to see addressed are:

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

Problems

% R

es

po

nd

en

ts


26



Assistance with Blackboard

Q13: Whom do you contact when you have Blackboard problems?

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%

Contact

% R

es

po

nd

en

ts

Q18: When I need assistance with Blackboard issues, I turn to:

0%

10%20%

30%40%

50%60%

70%

Contact

% R

es

po

nd

en

ts


27

Student Blackboard UseQ10: How did you learn to use Blackboard?

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%

My i

nstru

ctor

Classm

ate

Traini

ng on

cam

pus

Onli

ne tu

toria

ls

Bb Help

Desk

Oth

er - S

elf

Oth

er - A

dmin.

/Adm

ission

s

Oth

er - P

rior S

choo

l

Oth

er - F

amily

/Frie

nd

Oth

er - M

isc.

Training Contacts

% R

es

po

nd

en

ts


28

Student Benefits of Blackboard Use

Q14: Using Blackboard for my coursework...Makes it easier for me to communicate with my instructor.

0%

20%

40%

60%

Strong

ly Agr

ee

Agree

Neutra

l

Disagr

ee

Strong

ly Disa

gree

N/A

Level of Agreement

% R

esp

on

den

ts


29


Q15: Using Blackboard for my coursework...Makes me more likely to communicate with other students taking this course.

0%

20%

40%

60%

Strong

ly Agr

ee

Agree

Neutra

l

Disagr

ee

Strong

ly Disa

gree

N/A

Level of Agreement

% R

esp

on

den

ts


30


Q16: Using Blackboard for my coursework...Makes me more likely to work in online groups.

0%

20%

40%

60%

Strong

ly Agr

ee

Agree

Neutra

l

Disagr

ee

Strong

ly Disa

gree

N/A

Level of Agreement

% R

esp

on

den

ts


31


Q17: Using Blackboard for my coursework...Makes me more likely to work in face-to-face groups.

0%

20%

40%

60%

Strong

ly Agr

ee

Agree

Neutra

l

Disagr

ee

Strong

ly Disa

gree

N/A

Level of Agreement

% R

esp

on

den

ts


32


Q18: Using Blackboard for my coursework...Makes me more likely to spend additional time studying.

0%

20%

40%

60%

Strong

ly Agr

ee

Agree

Neutra

l

Disagr

ee

Strong

ly Disa

gree

N/A

Level of Agreement

% R

esp

on

den

ts


33


Q19: Using Blackboard for my coursework…Helps me succeed in my coursework.

0%

20%

40%

60%

Strong

ly Agr

ee

Agree

Neutra

l

Disagr

ee

Strong

ly Disa

gree N/A

Level of Agreement

% R

es

po

nd

en

ts


34


Q20: Being able to access course grades via Blackboard helps me stay focused on my coursework.

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

Strong

ly Agr

ee

Agree

Neutra

l

Disagr

ee

Strong

ly Disa

gree N/A

Level of Agreement

% R

es

po

nd

en

ts


35


Q21: The online discussions in Blackboard make me think more about the course topics.

0%

20%

40%

60%

Strong

ly Agr

ee

Agree

Neutra

l

Disagr

ee

Strong

ly Disa

gree N/A

Level of Agreement

% R

es

po

nd

en

ts

Student comments• “Overall, I like using Blackboard and think it is very convenient. The

only problem I have had is that it kicked off when I was partially through a test and I had to call to have the help desk reset it.”

• “I feel that not enough Instructors utilize Blackboard. I feel it should be mandatory for all classes. Also the Instructors who do utilize it (not all of them) trickle off and stop posting things on it as the semester goes.”

• “I would strongly encourage all faculty to utilize Blackboard as a means of communicating with their students…”

• “I think it’s ridiculous to rely on technology to turn in your homework.”

Student comments• “I feel motivated to work on class projects after checking my grades.

This is a great tool.”

• “A Psych instructor used video & audio lectures that were MP3 downloadable…When she did this, my average increased dramatically! I noticed that that class average increased as well.”

• “…I was hesitant to use it at first…it seemed like an extra step, more work than was necessary. After logging in a couple of times, I couldn’t imagine NOT using the program.”

• “I enjoy corresponding with instructor (sic) and other students on Blackboard. I tend to speak out more when corresponding via Blackboard…”

Faculty Comments• “Although many faculty whine about the adequacy of Blackboard, I

think it has proven its worth to us time and time again. It has standardized the production of our online and hybrid courses.”

• “I can’t imagine teaching w/o Blackboard…I have used (it) for surveys and exams, which the students really enjoyed, they told me.”

• “I love Blackboard and think it helps make students responsible and involved in their learning.”

• “I love using Blackboard, but it often cumbersome and time consuming. The Gradebook issues may cause me to stop using it completely.”

• “We do not have adequate assistance in designing online courses.”• “My only complaint is the way the Gradebook figures weighted

grades.”

Questions??Comments??

Presented by SLCC:Pat Suess, PhD

Jyoti Pande, PhDAbby Deshane

Dorrine Bergjans

In conclusion…

Thanks for attending our session.

Enjoy the rest of your conference.


41

Student Demographics

Q5: Which type(s) of computer(s) do you use at home?

0%20%40%60%80%

100%

Win

dows X

P pc

Win

dows V

ista

pcM

acNon

e

Other

- Li

nux

Other

- W

indo

w...

Other

- Unk

nown

Type of Computer

% R

esp

on

den

ts


42

Student SLCC Computer UseQ6: At which of the following locations do you

use a college computer to do your coursework?

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

% R

esp

on

den

ts


43

Student Own Computer UseQ7: At which of the following locations do you use

your own computer to do your coursework?

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

% R

es

po

nd

en

ts


44

Student Internet Connection

Q8: When you connect to the Internet off campus, which of the following Internet

connections do you use?

0%20%40%60%80%

Dial-u

p ...

DSL/Cab

le

Wor

k LA

N

Wire

less

Don't k

now

N/A

Type of Internet Connection

% R

es

po

nd

en

ts


45

St. Louis Community College Profile: Education Centers

blackboard: a comparison of faculty and student perspectives patricia a. suess, ph.d. jyoti pande,...

Documents

comparison of faculty

faculty survey

louis community college

student survey

parttime faculty

faculty respondents

college email

student perspectives