PSOL: Priorities Survey for Online Learners

1. PSOL: Priorities Survey for Online Learners 2010 Results

2. Today’s Agenda Demographics 2010 RCTC PSOL Strengths and Weaknesses MN Online and National Colleges Comparisons Summary Questions PSOL Benchmarks SSI/PSOL Comparisons Next Steps

3. Demographics

4. 2010 PSOL National and MN Online Comparisons • PSOL National Group: 68,760 students from 87 institutions • 17% of participants are from MN Online affiliation • Minnesota Online composite group includes 7,313 students from 25 institutions from spring 2010 Note: 2010 data not yet available.

5. MN Online 2010 Demographics • 25 participating institutions in the spring of 2010 with 7,313 students • Up by 1 institution and 1,773 students over last year • 20 two-year institutions • 5 four-year institutions • Response rates to the survey ranged from 10% to 27% with an average of 18%

6. At this time... Minnesota is the only state to administer the Priorities Survey for Online Learners on a system level. Minnesota Online is being very proactive by making satisfaction assessment a priority for its online learners. These data can be very beneficial for planning purposes, resource allocation and to improve the retention of online learners. The system benefits with a standardized survey administration because data can be more readily shared among and compared across the Minnesota Online schools when using one consistent survey tool. - Julie Bryant, Noel-Levitz

7. 2010 Noel-Levitz MN Online Participant List • Minnesota State University –Mankato • Minnesota State University – Moorhead • Normandale Community College • North Hennepin Community College • Ridgewater College • Riverland College • Rochester Community and Technical College • South Central College • Southwest Minnesota State University • St. Cloud Technical & Community College • Vermilion College • (25 of 54 campuses) • Anoka Technical College • Bemidji State University • Central Lakes College • Century College • Dakota County Tech • Distance Minnesota • Alexandria Technical College • Minnesota State Technical and Community College • Northland College • Northwest Technical College • Inver Hills Community College • Mesabi Range • Metropolitan State University • Minneapolis Community & Technical College • Minnesota State College – Southeast Tech

8. RCTC PSOL Survey Participation Higher is better  Survey participation up 76% PSOL percentage of potential participation 20%, 14%, 9%, 13% and 23%respectively.

9. Observations 2010: RCTC PSOL Demographics 5th year of participation annually since 2006 74% female 52% are 24 and younger; 48% are 25 and older 86% Caucasian 40% primarily online students 68% full time 39% first year, 33% second year, 13% third year 21% goal complete online program, 35% complete campus program, 31% transfer and 13% complete this course

10. RCTC Strengths and Opportunities

11. RCTC Strengths 2010 Strengths = items in the top half of importance and the top 25% of satisfaction scores

12. Mean Difference: Positive and Negative Asterisks indicate the level of statistical significance. • “*” = at the .05 level; • “**” = at the .01 level; • “***” = at the .001 level. This is an indication that these differences did not occur by chance.

13. PSOL National and MN Online Comparisons • Only 1 item from RCTC PSOL scores was higher than the National Average: • Item #16: Appropriate technical assistance is readily available. (RCTC 5.84; National 5.80) • 2 items scored higher than MN Online: • Item #16: Appropriate technical assistance is readily available.*** • Item #26: The bookstore provides timely service to students.** • 6 items scored higher than MN Online without statistical significance (items 11, 17, 24, 26, 29, 32)

14. Items with Biggest Improvement from 2009 to 2010 28. Campus item 2: The online course delivery platform (Desire2Learn or D2L) is reliable. 6.05+0.29 16. Appropriate technical assistance is readily available. 5.84+0.21 24. Tutoring services are readily available for online courses. 5.14+0.19 29. Campus Item 3. The evening, weekend, & daytime support available to me from the Minnesota Online Support Center is helpful.5.49+0.17 17. Assessment and evaluation procedures are clear and reasonable. 5.73+0.14

15. RCTC PSOL Items with Highest Satisfaction

16. Ways to Build on Strengths... Provide positive feedback to the campus. Use high performing areas as models for other departments. Incorporate strengths into your recruiting/marketing messages. Communicate results. Celebrate.

17. RCTC Opportunities 2010 Opportunities = items in the top half of importance and the bottom 25% of satisfaction scores or top 25% of performance gaps (still in top half of importance)

18. PSOL Items with Lowest Satisfaction

19. Survey Captures 3 Scores for Prioritizing 1 2 3 Importance Satisfaction Importance Satisfaction Importance – Satisfaction = Performance Gap

20. Unmet Student Expectations Gaps between importance and satisfaction results  Lower is better  Note: # of items with gaps of 1.2 or greater

21. Ways to Improve . . . Go deeper by conducting focus groups. Prioritize what has most impact. Develop action steps. Act. Periodically check progress. Celebrate improvement. Enhance communications to Stakeholders

22. RCTC vs. MN Online and National

23. Highest Mean Difference Scores vs. MN Online Note: With ** or ***

24. Highest Mean Difference Scores vs. National Average Note: With *** only Note: Red type indicates items of concern vs. MN Online in previous slide.

25. Highest Mean Difference Scores vs. National Average Note: With *** only

26. Summary Question Comparisons

27. Met your expectations? Higher is better 

28. Overall Satisfaction. Higher is better 

29. Enroll here again? Higher is better 

30. PSOL Benchmarks in Order of Importance

31. Benchmark Satisfaction

32. Enrollment Services Benchmarkassesses the processes and services related to enrolling students in the online program, including financial aid, registration, and payment procedures. Higher is better  1 = Not satisfied at all, 7= Very satisfied

33. Enrollment Services Benchmark Breakdown Higher is better 

34. Academic Services Benchmarkassesses the services students utilize to achieve their academic goals. These services include advising, course offerings, technical assistance, online library resources, and tutoring services. Higher is better  1 = Not satisfied at all, 7= Very satisfied

35. Academic Services Benchmark Breakdown Higher is better 

36. Instructional Services Benchmarkmeasures students’ academic experience, the instructional materials, the faculty/student interactions, evaluation procedures, and the quality of the instruction. Higher is better  1 = Not satisfied at all, 7= Very satisfied

37. Instructional Services Benchmark Breakdown Higher is better 

38. Institutional Perceptions Benchmarkassesses how students perceive your institution. Higher is better  1 = Not satisfied at all, 7= Very satisfied

39. Institutional Services Benchmark Breakdown Higher is better 

40. Student Services Benchmarkmeasures the quality of student programs and services, including responses to student requests, online career services, and the bookstore. Higher is better  1 = Not satisfied at all, 7= Very satisfied

41. Student Services Benchmark Breakdown Higher is better 

42. Comparison of Satisfaction Scores on 10 Key Items: SSI/PSOL

44. What happens next with the data is most important

45. Identifying Next Steps

46. Questions to Consider What are you going to do (goals, strategies, actions)? When are you going to do it (timelines, short-term, longer-term)? Who is responsible for doing it (person, team, department)? What resources are needed (budget, staffing, technology, etc.)? How will you know it has been accomplished (dashboardmeasures)?

48. Inform the campus how you responded