Fall 2003 Distance Education Survey (Student Comments)

Question 16: What suggestions would you make for future online courses?

• See above

• Lesson plans provided with leading questions and topics.

• Offer more!

• Offer more courses!

• This was my first online course and I think things went smoothly.

• Limit number of postings per student

• The layout is fine. However when sending a survey ensure that it is free of errors. (Example: # 7)

• I would like to see more courses like this offered in the future. As an education major I am intrigued about the possibility of teaching online some day.

• None a this time.

• I would suggest that the number and size of discussion groups be maintained. I would also consider adjusting the length of assignments.

• By the end of the course the layout worked very well. The beginning of the course seemed more labor intensive.

• Qualify the type of postings acceptable in the general discussion boards.

• cut cost on the books

• Refer to above comment

• Try making things cheaper. Most people can't afford all of the stuff required for class.

• none

• none

• fix problems with simnet prepare students more for problems they might encounter

• I would encourage others to take them just be prepared to

• I would rather spend less time on the workbook and have more lessons/testing. The workbook was very simple but time consuming.

• Make the final NOT comprehensive.

• Maybe have a set time that you had to be logged in.

• none

• None

• clear instructions

• nothing

• none

• Make it easier to understand at the beginning of the class.

• Meet every other week as a class.

• Try to find a book over the same material. We are not always around a computer when we have the chance to study.

• Make sure any of the programs we have to install and use are good...check the program out for awhile before deciding to use it...make sure a bunch of problems do not come up...SimNet was a big problem! Have understandable professors...they should understand computer problems...program problems.

• Being able to share books with classmates.

• None

• Do not include a mandatory workbook.

• All classes should be online courses

• none

• Don't take them for granted keep up with your work.

• none

• none

• less complicated

• DO NOT USE SIMNET EXPERT.

• have a class that meats once a week to get help

• less exercises

• To cover smaller amounts of material at the same intervals the tests are at now.

• I enjoyed the online class does not need any adjustments

• Send more emails reminding students of what needs to be done.

• less busy work

• Less bookwork

• none

• make sure the system is always running

• nothing

• none

• None

• None

• None.

• The professors should be more available to help the students.

• Have a 24 hour instructors to help us at all times

• none

• I have no suggestions.

• none

• none

• none

• none

• Get better software....

• less work

• No suggestions communication was great and deadlines were set at a comfortable date

• not sure

• none

• Extended deadlines

• not have dummies like me take the course

• More testing of the software before putting out for public consumption.

• None

• Cheaper textbook.

• none

• meet more

• For the instructors to be reasonable and understanding with deadline problems.

• Don't use the Simnet software.

• None

• Can't think of any off hand. This course which began with many quirks eventually ran seamlessly and effortlessly. Nice job!

• none

• I suggest that the lessons be shortened. Taking two hours to go through the lesson and then 10 minutes for the test does not equal out and makes me want to not do the lesson.

• n/a

• Keep them like this one. In this particular class we didn't have any online tests and I do like taking online tests in my other WebCT courses.

• none come to mind

• I would just like to suggest that posting information a day or two in advance will be helpful in the future.

• Have Tests Online!

• n/a

• Don't have students go to class when teacher is not going to be there.

• just don’t get caught behind ....make sure you keep up each week

• Maybe have one day where the teacher lectures and the other to watch videos.

• n/a

• None

• more updates and postings

• None

• Study Guides for Tests.

• none

• It should be required that teachers check WebCT every day

• That an icon will pop up stating that your submission was sent

• all together I enjoyed it

• have 3 papers a instead of the quizzes so a paper and a midterm and a final that are longer than 3 pages for the student to fully express the ideas by doing independent research

• None.

• N/A

• none at this time

• N/A

• N/A

• double check technology - to be sure it works and works well - no lags delays freezes etc.

• Sorry I haven't any suggestions.

• Make every thing do at the end of the course

• none

• do not charge extra for online class or don't charge as much

• None at the moment.

• Update the WebCT interface b/c there are many functions not available such as the ability to put text in bold underline it and so on.

• n/a

• None. The set-up is great.

• I don't know of any improvements.

• Make more of them.

• don’t have the students buy the MLA book for 30 dollars because we never had to absolutely use it...everything we needed to know was in the worksheets that we were reading outside of class

• More student teacher interaction. Meetings to discuss things due in person every once and a while.

• nothing

• None

• n/a

• None. I think it is great.

• Not much there was a lot of work in my class but if you do it there's a good chance to do well and learn a little at the same time.

• That all of them are like this one. Easy to understand helpful and fully explained.

• I really haven't thought about it. My experience with the course was fine.

• none

• I think more classes should be added to WebCT.

• None.

• None

• Make lessons shorter in length. Some of the lessons for the LIBR class were quite long and hard to finish.

• I have none

• I have taken several online courses and I have never had a professor that never responded to e-mails or calls.

• nothing

• None.

• NA

• So much busy work is not necessary.

• none

• Easier grading and less work.

• none

• To post the grade more often and sooner.

• Have more on-line classes. It's only a few.

• Make more courses available online.

• less assignments

• By all means allow access to LIBR 1101 students to work on assignments while in the LIBRARY instead of coming to the library to do assignments and writing them onto paper then going to an alternate location to type up the assignment and send it in. Put WORD on some library computers for LIBR 1101 students to access if you require the assignments to be conducted in the library!

• reminders of tests

• ? This is my first one so I haven't experienced enough to make a valid suggestion.

• None that I can think of.

• Provide more of them!

• Stay on top of your work and just let the teacher know if you are having any problems. I was totally stressed for a long time because my computer was acting up and by the time I get home from work the library where I live is closing up so I was unable to use their computers. I was trying to use the one at work but then once people noticed what I was doing I had to stop because I was being watched.

• Nothing.

• The instructors should have to meet with class members throughout the course so materials graded can be given back.

• Teachers need to specifically be able to return to students their worksheets so the can see their mistakes and not just assume they did something wrong and not know what it was

• Let it all be online and the questions not so time consuming. You have to remember that people are choosing this class because it’s online and that means that they can do it all at home.

• None really its kind of what I expected it to be.

• Just have tests and not all these projects and worksheets.

• not to have them

• Provide better explanations for course work.

• Not sure

• none

• make the worksheets easier and shorter...I would rather do 5 different small worksheets then do one big worksheet

• more course information

• Have more courses on line

• nothing

• none

• hum...nothing

• none

• Refer to Question 15

• Maybe incorporate recorded video tapes into lectures for classes that pertain.

• I am not sure if I could do another type of course online.

• Require that professors have one assignment graded and posted for the student's viewing before the next assignment is due. I did not know how I was doing with me assignments before the next one was due so I did not know what kind of mistakes I needed to be concerned about for the next assignment.

• Have more than just one mandatory meeting at the beginning of the semester.

• Fire Ms. Pittman.

• N/A

• n/a

• different Mla handbook

• I liked that this course had reminders for when assignments were due. The notes on WebCT that said "assignment due within 48 hours." Those reminders were really helpful.

• set time

• Deadlines at least have a 48 hour period to complete.

• Some kind of reminder.

• To realize that an online course takes as much time to complete as in-class course

• None.

• Less busy work or questions asked several times in different terms.

• I would like to see grades turned around quicker.

• For this course I suggest that you stress that not all work can be done online.

• the grades faster

• N/A

• I like the way they are now.

• Nothing at this point.

• No so much group work!

• Teachers that are more experienced with online learning

• Make sure everyone has a good grasp of what is expected at the very beginning of the class.

• less group work more individual work

• PLEASE DO NOT STOP GSAMS/ONLINE COURSES!

• Continue GSAMS please

• Less group work

• testing ignore please

• All postings should have a due date clearly attached.

• I wish all departments used on-line courses for graduate student (for the courses we take out of field)

• Bring back GSAMS

• N/A

• I think that you have covered just about everything. I find these classes to be supportive in every way.

• More on-line courses.

• not sure this was a good experience

• none

• none

• None at this time.

• N/A

• Not sure at this time.

• All online.

• Let students decide on chat times rather than assigning.

• When courses are mostly on-line students shouldn't have to pay all the fees that are charged for on-campus courses.

• Everyone should take notes from Dr. Bennett. She ran the best online course I have taken.

• none

• That instructors be careful not to add to assignments

• no GSAMS

• Have more.

• Keep using them in conjunction w/ face to face classes. I find it more convenient to meet in Newnan.

• Not requiring people from different areas of the state to work together.

• Keep to the syllabus and don't try to add extra assignments that seem good at the time

• MORE CLASSES including those in subjects other than media and technology.

• More of them!

• Make sure the instructors are familiar with using WebCT Its frustrating to get an instructor who has no idea how to use WebCT or create features such as a grade book. Dr W. Had everything lain out and our grades up all through the course it was very helpful.

• Keep closer tabs on if the group is really doing what they should be doing and what they claim they are doing.

• Offer more!

• continue with online learning

• The course was well run and easy to follow. Maybe we could use some face to face

• Please offer more of them for those of us who work until 5:00 and live more than 30 miles away. :)

• Offer more of them in the education department.

• none

• Have ALL the classes available on-line.

• My only suggestion is that we have more of them.

• N/A - Professors should continue to be available for assistance as needed.

• I don't have any.