Many universities are incorporating distance education components into their public health degree programs and continuing education offerings. As distant education models become more widely adopted, curriculum planners need guidance in what students find to be most effective in those models. The study reported here extended the traditional method of obtaining student input through course evaluations by conducting a World Wide Web-based comprehensive survey of all students enrolled in a distant education program. Staff of a 30-year old distance graduate education university developed and administered a web-based questionnaire about its students’ use of, satisfaction with, and helpfulness of every University service such as the curriculum model, faculty, academic counseling, library resources, recruiting, web pages, etc. The University’s instructional technology staff wrote a program by which the questionnaire could be written, administered and the results entered into a database entirely via the University’s web site, including restricting access to current students and agreement to the IRB approved consent statement. Over 1500 graduate students, including 150 PhD students in the Health Services Program, were invited to participate in the survey conducted over a one-week period in January 2001. The design and construction of the web-based survey and the challenges encountered will be described. Selected results of the survey, including the opinions of Health Services students, the response rate, and students’ use and assessment of services will be presented. Recommendations will be made about the use of online surveys of distance education students. See www.waldenu.edu
Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this session the participant will be able to: 1. Describe the processes required for conducting a world wide web-based survey of distance education students, 2. Identify features of distance education with which students are most satisfied, find most useful, and most utilize. 3) List advantages and disadvantages of web-based surveys of distant education students.
Keywords: Distance Education, World Wide Web
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: Walden University
I have a significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.
Relationship: Employment