Institutional Assessment and Research

IAR Insights - Fall 2022

IAR Insights Volume 12, Fall 2022

In this issue:

Feedback on Remote Learning Experiences at CSUMB - Results from the CSUMB Experience Study 2022

Institutional Assessment and Research administered the CSUMB Experience Survey to all degree-seeking undergraduate students in Spring 2022. 1,893 responses were received for a 32% response rate, which is comparable to the average institutional response rate of 30% received for the 2020 National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE).

This issue of IAR Insights highlights the responses related to the remote learning experience at CSUMB.

What modality would respondents like their programs to be delivered in?

  • Similar percentages of respondents that entered CSUMB as First-Time Freshman (55%) and Upper Division Transfers (54%) preferred the delivery modality of their program to be “A combination of in-person and online”
  • A larger percentage of respondents that entered CSUMB as First-Time Freshman (FTF) preferred the delivery modality of their program to be “Fully in-person” (37%)
  • Larger percentages of respondents that entered CSUMB as Upper Division Transfers preferred the delivery modality of their program to be either “Fully Online with live sessions (instructor guided)” (13%) or “Fully Online without live sessions (self-guided)” (14%)

Graph depicting First-Time Freshman and Upper Division Transfer responses to the question

Data Source: CSUMB Experience Study 2022 - Remote Learning Experience - Part I. Explore More>>

How satisfied were respondents with their remote learning experience?

  • Respondents that entered CSUMB as First-Time Freshman were 19% Dissatisfied, 57% Satisfied, and 24% Neutral about their remote learning experience
  • Upper Division Transfer respondents were 10% Dissatisfied, 74% Satisfied, and 16% Neutral about their remote learning experience
Graph depicting First-Time Freshman and Upper Division Transfer responses to the question

Data Source: CSUMB Experience Study 2022 - Remote Learning Experience - Part I. Explore More>>

How agreeable were respondents with various aspects of their remote learning experience?

  • Across respondents that entered as First-Time Freshman and Upper Division Transfers, similar percentages were in agreement that “I have Access to a Computer” (97% for First-Time Freshman and 94% for Upper Division Transfers) and “I have Access to the Software and Services to Effectively Achieve Course Learning Objectives” (88% for First-Time Freshman and 88% for Upper Division Transfers)
  • First-Time Freshman respondents were in disagreement most with “In a Remote Learning Environment, I am Able to Achieve Course Learning Objectives” (24% Disagree), “I have a Disruption-Free Space to Engage in Remote Learning” (20% Disagree), and “My Instructors are Well Prepared to Deliver Remote Learning” (20% Disagree)
  • Upper Division Transfer respondents were in disagreement most with “I have a Disruption-Free Space to Engage in Remote Learning” (15% Disagree), “My Instructors Are Well Prepared to Deliver Remote Learning” (10% Disagree), and “In a Remote Learning Environment, I Am Able to Achieve Course Learning Objectives” (10% Disagree)
Graph depicting First-Time Freshman and Upper Division Transfer responses to remote learning questions
Graph depicting First-Time Freshman and Upper Division Transfer responses to remote learning questions

Data Source: CSUMB Experience Study 2022 - Remote Learning Experience - Part II. Explore More>>

What did respondents have to say about their remote learning experience?

Survey respondents provided 387 responses to the prompt: “Please share anything else you would like us to know about your remote learning experience.”

Below are a few of the responses as they relate to various aspects of the remote learning experience.

Faculty

"The professors were very willing to help the students and provided as much support as they could." - Business Freshman 

"I feel like teachers didn't care as much in remote learning so it was very important for me to go back to in-person learning. I wasn't learning anything remotely." - ESTP Junior

"Some professors did not adapt well to online learning. In person they were amazing but online they became one of my worst professors." - Biology Senior

"I think that the teachers should be taught how to organize their canvas page because I have had multiple professors who are unaware of the canvas tools which led to many miscommunications and arguments about posted assignments throughout previous pandemic semesters." - VPA Senior

Graph depicting First-Time Freshman and Upper Division Transfer responses to the question

Data Source: CSUMB Experience Study 2022 - Remote Learning Experience - Part II. Explore More>>

Learning Management System

"I think remote learning can be very tough for many, especially me because I prefer in person instruction and I seem to learn better this way but since I've been here at CSUMB the majority of my professors have not provided the resources necessary for the online people attending class. They seem very vague about topics and are not clear with their slides posted on Canvas. Some have been unorganized and are not as helpful as others" - Biology Junior 

"Canvas is a really great way for learning. A great thing about it is that students can see their grades throughout the semester and are aware of their scores!" - Computer Science Junior

"Sometimes professors would copy paste things from previous semesters but not edit or update it to fit the current semester timeline, making it hard to follow deadlines and knowing what assignments were." - Business Junior

"The quality of our remote learning classes directly correlated to the tech experience the professor had and their willingness to learn. The teachers that spent the time to learn the platform and Zoom were able to focus on the content. However, the professors that thought they could copy and paste what they have done in person for however many years didn't know a mute button or how to share screen, spent 90% of the time receiving 1:1 tech support from students. So remote learning was inconsistent at best." - Liberal Studies Senior

Graph depicting First-Time Freshman and Upper Division Transfer responses to the question

Data Source: CSUMB Experience Study 2022 - Remote Learning Experience - Part II. Explore More>>

Technology

"Usually, when I went to lecture/lab there would be about 15 minutes of tech difficulties." - Marine Science Junior 

"Require all teachers to use canvas rather than using Gmail only" - SBS Junior

"Some teachers did an exceptional job teaching remotely, using Zoom breakout rooms, sharing screen, and enabling collaboration." - Marine Science Senior

"Please keep in mind that not everyone has access to a camera or reliable internet service." - Business Senior

Graph depicting First-Time Freshman and Upper Division Transfer responses to the question

Data Source: CSUMB Experience Study 2022 - Remote Learning Experience - Part II. Explore More>>

Flexibility

"I wish all campuses would allow for a remote and in-class option. As a disabled student, it is difficult to physically be in school. I am running out of classes to take online and there's always the worry I won't be able to finish school because I won't physically be able to sit in class and focus from pain." - Psychology Junior 

"Remote learning would reduce my commute time, and costs such as gas and wear and tear on car, and allow me to be flexible with my class and home & full-time work schedule as a mom and wife." - Psychology Junior

"Remote learning is very convenient in some situations, though I have found that there is a disconnect between teacher and students that can be difficult to cross at times." - VPA Junior

"Remote learning helps students keep a balance between their personal, professional, and educational life. Remote learning should continue to be provided at CSUMB, as I was able to benefit from it and kept me on track to graduation." - CHHS Senior

Graph depicting First-Time Freshman and Upper Division Transfer responses to the question

Data Source: CSUMB Experience Study 2022 - Remote Learning Experience - Part II. Explore More>>

Distraction

"It was ok I just have to many distractions at home and wish I had like my own little office set up" - Business Senior

"Remote learning squashed all of my motivation and ability to focus." - ESTP Senior

"It was hard for me to learn in a remote learning environment, which was not for me since I was behind on most of my school work. Personally, I prefer in-person classes where you can see the instructor in person and have zero distractions." - Spanish Freshman

"When it comes to the questions where I disagreed, it relates to my experience with the ethernet that I talked about on the page describing my experience at CSUMB. When it comes to the disruption-free space question, my building's fire alarm goes off too much for me to say that it is. I live on campus in the Strawberry Apartments. When it comes to actual learning, I've always struggled more with online learning compared to in person when it comes to me actually being able to remember what I'm being taught. I think that the professors that I had for online learning were good but there was some moment when I didn't know what I was supposed to do." - Psychology Junior

Graph depicting First-Time Freshman and Upper Division Transfer responses to the question:

 

Data Source: CSUMB Experience Study 2022 - Remote Learning Experience - Part II. Explore More>>

Training

"For one of my remote courses, the instructor doesn't know how to use canvas so I am often left wondering where she puts the assignments. For this class canvas is not organized and makes it hard to understand where things are or if we have things coming up." - SBS Junior

"Some professors need a zoom, canvas, and remote software 101." - Business Junior

"Some of my professors need more training on delivering remote classes over zoom. I had a couple of instructors who would accidentally move all of the class except for me and a couple of others to a breakout room but then was unable to see any messages from us making us miss half the class. Another time they kept hitting the record/stop record button and so the class recording was choppy. They weren't being malicious or anything, they were just a bit undertrained on zoom." - Business Senior

"Overall, I would appreciate if faculty were to undergo zoom or google meets course workshops that can help make the transition from their in-person class to online, easier" - HCOM Senior

Graph depicting First-Time Freshman and Upper Division Transfer responses to the question

Data Source: CSUMB Experience Study 2022 - Remote Learning Experience - Part II. Explore More>>

Where can you find additional interactive reports and information about the CSUMB Experience Study 2022?

CSUMBES 2022 Reports

You can find all of the reports released to date on the CSUMB Experience Study 2022 reports page. Topical reports from the CSUMB Experience Study 2022 will be released throughout the months ahead as the reports are developed.

Quickstart guides and tutorials for using the CSUMB Experience Study Tableau Public reports are available that demonstrate how to navigate, use the filters, get more information through tooltips, sort, and do comparisons of different respondent groups.

More information about the open-ended responses to questions are available via IAR’s Qualitative Survey Reporting Tool (QSRT).

Resources for further exploration

CSUMB resources

Post-secondary research resources

Connect with IAR

Have questions about any of the analyses mentioned in this volume of IAR Insights or any of IAR’s other reports or dashboards?

Register for one of our upcoming Data Exploration Open Labs, which are held weekly.

You may also contact iar@csumb.edu for help with any of our reports or data.