1. Measuring Student
Satisfaction with
Online Learning

2. XLENTS.com

3. Upcoming MCCVLC Webinars
• Jan. 19 - Evaluating Performance of
Online Faculty
• Feb. 9 - Student Preparedness for Online
Learning
• Mar. 22 – Evaluating Online Learning
Programs

4. http://studentsatisfaction.wordpress.com/

5. http://studentsatisfaction.wordpress.com/

6. Option 1 - PSOL

7. Other Surveys?
• What about NSSE & CCSSE?
• What about internally developed
college surveys?
• Course evaluation surveys?
–This is not single course-focused

8. Why PSOL?

9. PSOL Basics
There are 72 questions that comprise the PSOL.
Average completion time is 15 minutes.
26 Priorities statements (can add 10)
7 Information sources about school/program
11 Factors to enroll in the program
3 Overall satisfaction questions
14 Demographics questions (can add 1)
NOTE: questions are answered on a 7-point Likert scale, where 7 is high.
9

10. Sources of Information
5.97 - College website
5.82 - Online college catalog
5.24 - Instructor/advisor recommendation
4.95 - Printed catalog & brochures
4.90 - Contact w/current students or grads
4.52 - College representatives
3.74 - Advertisements

11. Factors to Enroll
6.60 - Convenience
6.45 – Work schedule
6.39 – Flex pacing 4 program completion
6.19 – Program requirements
6.11 - Cost
6.06 – Future Employment Opportunities
6.03 – Ability to transfer credits

12. Sample PSOL Statement
1. This institution has a good reputation
Importance Satisfaction
1. Not important at all 1. Not satisfied at all
2. Not very important 2. Not very satisfied
3. Somewhat unimportant 3. Somewhat dissatisfied
4. Neutral 4. Neutral
5. Somewhat important
5. Somewhat satisfied
6. Important
6. Satisfied
7. Very important
7. Very satisfied
N/A does not apply
N/A = not available/used

13. The Importance of Importance

14. Examples of Useful Reports
• Student satisfaction breakdown by online
program area
• Primarily online vs. Primarily on-campus
• Previous online enrollment
• Age breakdown: 24 & under vs. 25 & up
• Comparison to MnOnline consortium
• Comparison to Peer Group of Schools

15. Data Comparisons - 1
15

16. Data Comparisons - 2
16

17. 2006 Data
A.A. Students are Very Satisfied
6.2
6.0
5.8
5.6
5.4
5.2
5.0
4.8
4.6
Reputation Offerings Library Quality
LSC National A.A. Business Other
17

18. 2006 Data
Primarily Online - LSC Students
6.0
5.8
5.6
5.4
5.2
5.0
4.8
Tuition Responds Technical Fin. Aid
LSC National Online On-Campus
18

19. 5-year Trend Data
19

20. 4-year Trend Data
20

21. Strengths/Challenges
• Noel-Levitz identifies strengths and
challenges based on your data.
• I call these “Internal” strengths and
challenges. They might not be a
strength or a challenge when
compared to others.

22. Matrix for Prioritizing Action
Very Important
18
11 32
?
Very Very
Dissatisfied Satisfied
? ?
Very Unimportant
22

23. Noel-Levitz Prioritization Matrix
FY06 Noel-Levitz PSOL -
LSC Primarily Online Students
7.00
Importance
4.00
1.00
1.00 4.00 7.00
Satisfaction
23

24. LSC Prioritization Matrix
FY06 Noel-Levitz PSOL -
LSC Primarily Online Students
7.00
Importance
6.00
5.00
5.00 6.00 7.00
Satisfaction
24

25. Matrix for Prioritizing Action #2
Very Important
29 18
25 6 11 32
20
12 4
Somewhat 10 Very
Satisfied Satisfied
1
30
8
Somewhat Important 25

26. Changes from FY04 to FY05
• Satisfaction with Bookstore Service increased
by 0.44 from 5.28 to 5.72
– Created an online bookstore between surveys.
• Satisfaction with billing and payments
increased by 0.28 from 5.74 to 6.02
– Online bill payment is now available to all students.
• Satisfaction with institutional response to info
requests increased by 0.21 from 5.46 to 5.67
– Virtual Campus Center opened during the year.
26

27. NOTE: SSI is the Noel-Levitz Survey for on-ground learners, PSOL is the Noel-
27
Levitz survey for online learners.

28. NOTE: SSI is the Noel-Levitz Survey for on-ground learners, PSOL is the Noel-
28
Levitz survey for online learners.

29. Peer Group Comparison
• Better than National data
• Better than MnOnline consortium data
• We picked 10-13 schools with similar
missions and circumstances
• Noel-Levitz ran special reports for us
• 2006 (13 schools) and 2008 (10 schools)
and 2009 (11 schools)

30. Largest Differences - Peer Group
FY06 Primarily Online Students - PSOL
7.00
6.50
6.00
5.50
5.00
4.50
4.00
14. Info about 24. Tutoring 18. Convenient 20. Quality of 13. Faculty
financial aid available registration instruction interactions
LSC Peer Group
30

31. Added Questions
• 10 spots for additional statements
• MnSCU uses 5 spots for MnOnline
questions, including reliability of D2L
• LSC uses 5 spots to ask about things of
importance. In 2009 we hit a sweet
spot with student importance.

32. 7.00 D2L Student Ratings
MN Online - Student Ratings for D2L - Reliability
6.50
6.00
5.50
5.00
4.50
4.00
2006 2007 2008 2009
Importance Satisfaction

33. 5 Added Items for LSC in 2009
FY09 Noel-Levitz PSOL (Priorities Survey for Online Learners) LSC Students
Item - Importance high to low Import. Satisf. Gap
32. Layout of courses, as designed by instructors, is easy to
navigate and understand. 6.60 5.83 0.77
33. Instructions to students on how to meet the course
learning objectives are adequate and clearly written. 6.58 5.90 0.68
20. The quality of online instruction is excellent. 6.56 5.68 0.88
28. The online course delivery platform (Desire2Learn or D2L)
is reliable. 6.56 6.04 0.52
34. Grading policies are easy to locate and understand in
courses. 6.56 6.09 0.47
06. Tuition paid is a worthwhile investment. 6.55 5.77 0.78
18. Registration for online courses is convenient. 6.55 6.36 0.19
36. Clear standards are set in courses for instructor
availability and response time. 6.55 5.99 0.56
31. Taking an online course allowed me to stay on track with
my educational goals. 6.54 6.18 0.36
35. Instructional materials have sufficient depth in content to
learn the subject. 6.54 5.91 0.63

34. What’s Missing?
• Student uses of technology
• Computer skills assessment
• Student success rates
• Comparison between online and
on-ground students (using same
survey)

35. LSC Student Technology Survey

36. High-speed Access Growth

37. Student Uses of e-Services
Online Library Services
1 Never used it; didn't know about it. 25.30%
2 Never used it; but was aware of it. 33.70%
3 Have used it a little; will use again. 25.70%
4 2.80% Have used it a little; won’t use it again.
5 5.70% Have used it a lot; planning to continue the same.
6 0.56% Have used it a lot; planning to reduce usage.
0.00% 10.00% 20.00% 30.00% 40.00%

38. Student Uses of e-Services
Online Career Services
1 Never used it; didn't know about it. 49.40%
2 Never used it; but was aware of it. 32.30%
3 7.30% Have used it a little; will use it again.
4 1.60% Have used it a little; won’t use it again.
5 1.90% Have used it a lot; planning to continue the same.
6 0.30% Have used it a lot; planning to reduce usage.
0.00% 10.00% 20.00% 30.00% 40.00% 50.00%

39. LSC Student Technology Survey

40. Second Life
Student Uses of Technology
1 Do not use 82.8%
2 1.0% Rarely use
3 0.1% Occasionally use
4 0.3% Frequently use
5 0.2% Very frequently use
6 12.6% N/A
0.0% 20.0% 40.0% 60.0% 80.0% 100.0%

41. LSC Student Technology Survey

42. Excellence in e-Education
Survey Creation
• Create a Student Technology Survey that:
– measures importance of, satisfaction with,
and usage of online college services.
– is applicable both on-campus and online.
– measures uses of technology and
computer literacy.
– compares survey results with student
success factors.

43. Discussion Time
Measuring Student
Satisfaction with
Online Learning