Illinois Online Courses Survey – FAKE DATA
College: Liberal Arts & Sciences
Course: FAKE 123
Data ‘At A Glance’
39.0%
Response Rate
4.31 out of 5
Average Course Quality
2.24 out of 5
Average Course Difficulty
9 out of 10
Students are likely to recommend this course to a friend
9 out of 10
Students will likely register for another Illinois Online course
Top 5 reasons why students took this course online
Course Scores
Three scores are reportd that describe: a) questions related to the overall quality of the class (Course Quality Score), b) questions related to course activities (Course Activities Score), and c) overall difficulty of the course (Overall Difficulty). The questions and methods used to calculate each score are reported in the Metadata.
| Report | Course Quality Score | Course Activities Score | Course Difficulty | Enrollment | Response Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FAKE 123 | 3.73*** | 3.64 | 2.24*** | 105 | 39.0% |
| Note: | |||||
|
One sample t-tests were used to evaluate if an individual course mean is statistically different from the grand mean. * p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01, *** p < 0.001 |
Survey Results for FAKE 123
Which of the following requirement(s) did this course satisfy?
Total Number of Responses: 82
| Response | N | Percent | N | Percent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A general education requirement | 47 | 61.8% | 574 | 33.6% |
| An elective requirement | 19 | 25.0% | 274 | 16.0% |
| A major course requirement | 5 | 6.6% | 635 | 37.1% |
| A minor course requirement | 2 | 2.6% | 190 | 11.1% |
| None of the above | 9 | 11.8% | 170 | 9.9% |
| Note: | ||||
| Respondents may have indicated more than one requirement, so percentages add to more than 100%. |
If this course had not been offered online this semester at Illinois, how likely is it that you would have registered for a similar course at another institution?
Total Number of Responses: 72
| Likelihood | n | Percent | n | Percent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I definitely would have | 5 | 6.9% | 212 | 13.6% |
| Very likely | 17 | 23.6% | 333 | 21.4% |
| Moderately likely | 15 | 20.8% | 339 | 21.7% |
| Slightly likely | 19 | 26.4% | 261 | 16.7% |
| I definitely would not have | 16 | 22.2% | 414 | 26.6% |
Where were you living while this course was in session?
Total Number of Responses: 76
| Residence | n | Percent | n | Percent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Outside the US | 9 | 11.8% | 170 | 10% |
| In the US but not in Champaign-Urbana | 40 | 52.6% | 966 | 56.9% |
| Off campus in Champaign-Urbana | 16 | 21.1% | 184 | 10.8% |
| On campus | 11 | 14.5% | 379 | 22.3% |
How did meeting in a virtual classroom (instead of a physical classroom) affect your ability to learn the course material? Being in a virtual classroom made it…
Total Number of Responses: 77
| Affect | n | Percent | n | Percent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Much easier to learn the material | 6 | 7.8% | 207 | 12.1% |
| Moderately easier | 17 | 22.1% | 402 | 23.6% |
| Made no difference | 41 | 53.2% | 603 | 35.3% |
| Moderately more difficult | 10 | 13% | 421 | 24.7% |
| Much more difficult to learn the material | 3 | 3.9% | 73 | 4.3% |
Compared to other courses you have taken at the University of Illinois, how effective was this course in helping you understand the topics presented?
Total Number of Responses: 77
| Effectiveness | n | Percent | n | Percent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| This course was much more effective than other courses | 6 | 7.8% | 162 | 9.5% |
| This course was somewhat more effective than other courses | 26 | 33.8% | 446 | 26.2% |
| This course was the same as other courses | 38 | 49.4% | 718 | 42.2% |
| Other courses have been somewhat more effective | 4 | 5.2% | 283 | 16.6% |
| Other courses have been much more effective | 3 | 3.9% | 92 | 5.4% |
Compared to most face-to-face courses you have taken at the University, how available was your instructor to you?
Total Number of Responses: 75
| Availability | n | Percent | n | Percent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Much more available than in most face-to-face courses | 13 | 17.3% | 218 | 13.2% |
| Moderately more available | 20 | 26.7% | 295 | 17.8% |
| About the same as in face-to-face courses | 32 | 42.7% | 740 | 44.7% |
| Moderately less available | 9 | 12% | 281 | 17% |
| Much less available than in most face-to-face courses | 1 | 1.3% | 120 | 7.3% |
Compared to most face-to-face courses you have taken at the University, how available were your fellow classmates to you?
Total Number of Responses: 75
| Availability | n | Percent | n | Percent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Much better than in most face-to-face courses | 5 | 6.7% | 93 | 5.6% |
| Moderately better | 11 | 14.7% | 238 | 14.5% |
| About the same as in face-to-face courses | 36 | 48% | 738 | 44.8% |
| Moderately worse | 17 | 22.7% | 410 | 24.9% |
| Much worse than in most face-to-face courses | 6 | 8% | 168 | 10.2% |
Why did you decide to take this course online instead of face-to-face? (Check all that apply).
Total Number of Responses: 335
| Response | N | Percent | N | Percent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I learn better working at my own pace | 28 | 36.8% | 458 | 27.2% |
| I have limited time due to other obligations (work, family, etc.) | 33 | 43.4% | 721 | 42.7% |
| This course worked with my class schedule | 22 | 28.9% | 521 | 30.9% |
| I have a specific interest in the topic covered | 16 | 21.1% | 325 | 19.3% |
| Taking the course online or face-to-face made no difference to me | 12 | 15.8% | 226 | 13.4% |
| Delivery of course content is more effective online | 5 | 6.6% | 175 | 10.4% |
| The length of the course was shorter than face-to-face | 22 | 28.9% | 398 | 23.6% |
| I thought the class would be easy | 19 | 25.0% | 318 | 18.9% |
| I wanted to try an online course | 14 | 18.4% | 293 | 17.4% |
| The course was affordable | 7 | 9.2% | 156 | 9.2% |
| The course was offered at the right time of year for me | 32 | 42.1% | 708 | 42.0% |
| The course was offered only online | 6 | 7.9% | 301 | 17.8% |
| I enjoy online courses | 24 | 31.6% | 508 | 30.1% |
| I didn’t have to go to a physical classroom | 30 | 39.5% | 652 | 38.6% |
| I heard the course was good | 25 | 32.9% | 344 | 20.4% |
| The course lightened my workload for later semesters | 38 | 50.0% | 805 | 47.7% |
| I didn’t know it was an online course when I registered | 0 | 0.0% | 10 | 0.6% |
| Some other reason | 2 | 2.6% | 61 | 3.6% |
| I did not have a choice | 0 | 0.0% | 59 | 3.5% |
| Note: | ||||
| Respondents may have indicated more than one reason, so percentages add to more than 100%. |
Rate the mean usefulness of each of the following class activities.
Total Number of Responses: 76
| Activity | Mean | SD | Mean | SD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quizzes Tests | 3.739 | 1.024 | 3.600 | 1.121 |
| Individual Projects Assignments | 3.716 | 0.944 | 3.642 | 1.057 |
| Readings | 3.711 | 1.081 | 3.455 | 1.201 |
| Lectures | 3.667 | 1.046 | 3.791 | 1.133 |
| Discussion Forums | 3.618 | 1.006 | 3.419 | 1.248 |
| Group Projects Assignments | 3.269 | 1.173 | 3.373 | 1.200 |
Note: the greater an item’s mean, the greater its level of perceived usefulness (range 1-5).
How difficult was it to find what you needed during the course?
Total Number of Responses: 76
| Difficulty | n | Percent | n | Percent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Extremely difficult | 0 | 0% | 22 | 1.3% |
| Very difficult | 0 | 0% | 48 | 2.9% |
| Moderately difficult | 13 | 17.1% | 326 | 19.4% |
| Slightly difficult | 21 | 27.6% | 510 | 30.3% |
| Not at all difficult | 42 | 55.3% | 775 | 46.1% |
How often did you experience technical problems with the lectures in the course?
Total Number of Responses: 76
| Problems | n | Percent | n | Percent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Every time I watched a lecture | 0 | 0% | 8 | 0.5% |
| Most of the time | 0 | 0% | 23 | 1.4% |
| About half of the time | 2 | 2.6% | 90 | 5.3% |
| Rarely | 13 | 17.1% | 348 | 20.7% |
| Never | 61 | 80.3% | 1214 | 72.1% |
To what extent did you get adequate tech support for this course when you needed it?
Total Number of Responses: 31
| Support | n | Percent | n | Percent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Always got adequate support | 14 | 45.2% | 192 | 31.5% |
| Often got adequate support | 12 | 38.7% | 180 | 29.5% |
| Sometimes got adequate support | 2 | 6.5% | 135 | 22.1% |
| Rarely got adequate support | 1 | 3.2% | 59 | 9.7% |
| Never got adequate support | 2 | 6.5% | 44 | 7.2% |
How important was memorization for success in this course?
Total Number of Responses: 76
| Importance | n | Percent | n | Percent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| That’s all we did | 0 | 0% | 66 | 3.9% |
| Very much | 18 | 23.7% | 479 | 28.4% |
| Moderately | 36 | 47.4% | 614 | 36.5% |
| A little | 13 | 17.1% | 343 | 20.4% |
| Not at all | 9 | 11.8% | 182 | 10.8% |
How much do you think the material you learned in this course will have practical applications in your life outside of this course?
Total Number of Responses: 76
| Applications | n | Percent | n | Percent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| To the greatest extent | 15 | 19.7% | 161 | 9.6% |
| Very much | 25 | 32.9% | 598 | 35.5% |
| Moderately | 21 | 27.6% | 539 | 32% |
| A little | 13 | 17.1% | 299 | 17.8% |
| Not at all | 2 | 2.6% | 87 | 5.2% |
Overall, how difficult was this course?
Total Number of Responses: 76
| Difficulty | n | Percent | n | Percent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Extremely difficult | 0 | 0% | 48 | 2.9% |
| Very difficult | 0 | 0% | 168 | 10% |
| Moderately difficult | 30 | 39.5% | 803 | 47.7% |
| Slightly difficult | 34 | 44.7% | 499 | 29.6% |
| Not at all difficult | 12 | 15.8% | 165 | 9.8% |
How engaging did you find this course?
Total Number of Responses: 77
| Engaging | n | Percent | n | Percent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Extremely engaging | 13 | 16.9% | 175 | 10.4% |
| Very engaging | 29 | 37.7% | 562 | 33.4% |
| Moderately engaging | 28 | 36.4% | 637 | 37.9% |
| Slightly engaging | 7 | 9.1% | 236 | 14% |
| Not at all engaging | 0 | 0% | 72 | 4.3% |
Based upon your experiences in this course, how likely are you to enroll in another Illinois Online course?
Total Number of Responses: 77
| Likelihood | n | Percent | n | Percent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I definitely will | 22 | 28.6% | 342 | 20.3% |
| Very likely | 27 | 35.1% | 539 | 32% |
| Moderately likely | 20 | 26% | 521 | 30.9% |
| Slightly likely | 8 | 10.4% | 204 | 12.1% |
| I definitely will not | 0 | 0% | 78 | 4.6% |
How likely are you to recommend this particular course to a friend?
Total Number of Responses: 77
| Likelihood | n | Percent | n | Percent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I definitely will | 22 | 28.6% | 302 | 17.9% |
| Very likely | 21 | 27.3% | 499 | 29.6% |
| Moderately likely | 28 | 36.4% | 504 | 29.9% |
| Slightly likely | 5 | 6.5% | 239 | 14.2% |
| I definitely will not | 1 | 1.3% | 140 | 8.3% |
Metadata
Questions Used to Determined the Overall Course Scores
Using factor analysis, two indices were created to examine the statistical differences among online courses: Course Quality Index and Course Component Index. There were no variables within the survey that could be reliably used to calculate a diffculty scale (OverallDifficulty), so a single question was used to assess overall course difficulty.
The Course Quality Index is comprised of six survey questions. The overall mean score (\(\mu\)) for the Course Quality Index was 3.73 (\(\sigma\) = 0.71). The Course Component Index is comprised of four survey questions. The overall mean score (\(\mu\)) for the usefulness of assessment tools was 3.64 (\(\sigma\) = 0.83). The overall mean score (\(\mu\)) for course difficulty was 2.24 (\(\sigma\) = 0.71).
One sample t-tests were used to evaluate if an individual course mean is statistically different from the grand mean. (\(* p < 0.05, ** p< 0.01, *** p<0.001\))
Course Quality Score Questions
| Variable | Question Text | Responses |
|---|---|---|
| OverallQuality | Please rate the overall quality of this course. | 1=‘Very Poor’ to 5=‘Excellent’ |
| CourseEffectiveness | Compared to other courses you have taken at the University of Illinois, how effective was this course in helping you understand the topics presented? | 1=‘Other much more effective’ to 5=‘This course was much more effective than others’ |
| HowEngaging | How engaging did you find this course? | 1=‘Not at all engaging’ to 5=‘Extremely engaging’ |
| PracticalLifeApplications | How much do you think the material you learned in this course will have practical applications in your life outside of this course? | 1=‘Not at all’ to 5=‘To the greatest extent’ |
| LikelihoodAnother | Based upon your experiences in this course, how likely are you to enroll in another for-Illinois Online college course? | 1=‘I definitely will not’ to 5=‘I definitely will’ |
| RecommendCourse | How likely are you to recommend this particular course to a friend? | 1=‘I definitely will not’ to 5=‘I definitely will’ |
Course Activities Score Questions
In general, how useful was each activity for helping you learn the course material? (Q10_1-Q10_6).| Variable | Question Text | Responses |
|---|---|---|
| Usefulness_Lectures | Lectures | 1=‘Not useful at all’ to 5=‘Extremely useful’ |
| Usefulness_IndProj | Individual projects and assignments | 1=‘Not useful at all’ to 5=‘Extremely useful’ |
| Usefulness_Readings | Readings | 1=‘Not useful at all’ to 5=‘Extremely useful’ |
| Usefulness_QuizzesTests | Quizzes and tests | 1=‘Not useful at all’ to 5=‘Extremely useful’ |
| Usefulness_GroupProjects | Group projects and assignments | 1=‘Not useful at all’ to 5=‘Extremely useful’ |
| Usefulness_Discussion | Discussion forums | 1=‘Not useful at all’ to 5=‘Extremely useful’ |
Overall Difficulty Question
| Variable | Question Text | Responses |
|---|---|---|
| OverallDifficulty | Overall, how difficult was this course? | 1=‘Not at all difficult’ to 5=‘Extremely difficult’ |
Grand Means and t-Tests
To perform the t-tests, the mean value on the Course Quality Scores, Course Activities Score, and Courese Difficulty Score were calculated for each individual course. Next, the mean of the individual course means (i.e. the grand mean) for each measure were calculated, and tested for whether the difference between an individual course and the grand mean was statistically signifcant. This accounts for the difference between the mean used in the t-tests and those reported in the overall results.
We do not calculate t-Tests for courses with fewer than 5 respondents.
Report Metadata
| Report Title: | Illinois Online Courses Survey |
|---|---|
| Project Sponsor: | Michel Bellini |
| Survey Administrator: | Kit Santa Ana |
| Report Authors: | Liqun Zeng & Maria Fox |
| Software Used: | SPSS v.24, SurveyGizmo, R v.3.3.2 |
| Survey Instrument: | Link to Survey Instrument |
| Contact: | If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Maryalice Wu |
PDF Version
To view a PDF version of this report, click here.