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University of Bradford

IT Services Student Survey 2011

SPA Future Thinking contacts:Dane Krambergar, Research Executive, dane.krambergar@spafuturethinking.com Stuart Wright, Research Manager, stuart.wright@spafuturethinking.com

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BACKGROUND AND METHODOLOGY

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Background and methodology

• In 2009, the IT Services within the University of Bradford wished to conduct an online survey with a sample of their students in order to better understand attitudes towards the services they provide

• An online survey was produced, which covered a number of key performance indicators that could be used as the basis for any tracking research

• In 2011 IT Services wished to repeat the survey in order to gauge how usage and attitudes of services and facilities had changed over time

• The questionnaire was also designed to provide comparable data to findings from the 2009 survey

In total, the survey was sent to a random cross section of 3,000 students. To help incentivise students to take part in the survey, a prize draw was held

offering a £100 Amazon voucher as the prize. 250 students responded to the survey, giving a response rate of c.8% (N.B. The

survey was closed once the target of 250 responses was achieved)

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SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS

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Summary

Usage of computing facilities has changed significantly since the survey was last conducted, with 73% of students using their own laptop computer compared to just 13% in 2009. This movement coincides with a significant reduction in the proportion of students using their own desktop PCs, which is just under a quarter (23%), compared to 72% in 2009. This movement is likely to be due to the increased affordability and convenience of laptops. Portable device popularity is possibly another factor, with 30% of students using other devices such as PDAs and smartphones compared to just 12% in 2009.

The frequency with which students use computing facilities has remained largely stable with the exception of the wireless network which students are using almost twice as frequently as they did in 2009. On average, students report using the network twice a week (1.96) compared to once a week (1.04) in 2009. Usage is significantly higher amongst students that use a PDA/ smartphone device at three times a week (3.11). Students use their university email account and internet access the most frequently at six (5.54) and five times a week respectively. On average, the PC booking system is used the least frequently at 0.40 times a week, followed by the mobile service at 0.79 times a week.

IT support services are used relatively infrequently in comparison. Student IT workshops are used most often with 10% of respondents using this service at least once a week. Whilst IT advice from the learner support centre is not the most frequently used service, it is utilised by the most students but largely on an occasional basis – three quarters of students that use the service are occasional users. In contrast, the mobile service is used the second most frequently by students with 7% using it at least once a week, however only 21% ever use it.

Four in five students are satisfied with the opening hours of the University computing facilities. However, availability of computing facilities has become an issue. Satisfaction with availability has declined significantly to 64% from 78% in 2009 with over a quarter of respondents (26%) being actively dissatisfied. Whilst satisfaction with the reliability of systems has improved modestly since 2009, over one in five students (22%) are still dissatisfied. Past experience has shown that it is not the actual number of computers available but having them where students want them that can impact on these scores.

Summary (I)

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Summary (continued)

Availability of PCs continues to be a major issue with 38% of students citing this as a possible area of improvement compared to 30% in 2009. The increased usage of laptops and other portable devices has impacted heavily on the demand for the wireless network and as a result a significantly higher proportion (21% vs. 12% in 2009) of students cited extending the wireless network as a possible improvement. Positively, however, the proportion of students spontaneously mentioning other areas for improvement has declined, suggesting facilities and services have generally improved since 2009.

Nearly four in five students (79%) agree that they have been able to access general IT resources when they have needed to, despite the fact that over a quarter of students (26%) are dissatisfied with the availability of computing facilities. Encouragingly, availability of specialised equipment and facilities has improved with 61% agreeing that they have been able to access specialised equipment/ facilities when they needed to compared to 54% in 2009.

Summary (II)

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Conclusions

As mobile technology becomes more affordable and increasingly popular, it is apparent that students are rapidly switching to portable alternatives and the University needs to gear facilities and services towards this growing trend. Given the increased number of laptop and mobile device users, the wireless network is in greater demand and students appear keen to see the network coverage extended. Improved wireless connectivity also has the potential to reduce demand for PCs. However, it is recommended that other measures are also put in place to improve PC availability as it is becoming a major concern.

Access to specialised equipment and facilities has slightly improved but there is still clearly room for further improvement. Addressing the issue of availability of computing facilities in general is likely to facilitate this.

Whilst satisfaction with the reliability of systems has risen, it is still an issue that needs addressing – perhaps additional maintenance checks are necessary to ensure the systems in place run as smoothly as possible.

Conclusions

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Significantly higher than 2009 data

Significantly lower than 2009 data

Significantly higher than total

Significantly lower than total

MAIN FINDINGS

SIGNIFICANCE TESTING

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Computing facilities used

Q1. What computing facilities do you use?

%

Total 2011

Base: (All respondents: 250)

2009 %

13

80

38

72

36

12

(138)

Undergraduate: 84%Postgraduate: 56%

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Printing facilities used

Q2. What printing facilities do you use?

%

Base: (All respondents: 250)

Total 2011 2009 %

62

67

32

9

3

(138)

No significant differences vs. 2009

Undergraduate: 71%Postgraduate: 51%

Undergraduate: 63%Postgraduate: 50%

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Frequency of using the following university computing and network facilities during term time (I)

Q3. How often do you use the following University computing and network facilities during term time?

Every day 3-4 times a week 1-2 times a week Every 2 weeks Occasionally Never

2011 Average frequency of use

(per week)

5.54

5.09

1.96

1.84

1.26

1.25

0.79

0.40

Base: (All respondents: 250)

%

2009 Average frequency

5.63

5.00

1.04

1.93

1.35

0.97

N/A

N/A

(138)

12Q3. How often do you use the following University computing and network facilities during term time?

Base: (All respondents)

TOTAL

AGE SEX LEVEL

Under 25 25-34 35-44 45+ Male Female UG PG

University e-mail account 5.54 6.05 5.37 5.35 3.49 5.48 5.61 5.79 5.21

Internet access 5.09 5.87 4.78 3.89 3.39 5.13 5.04 5.40 4.65

The wireless network (Roamnet) 1.96 2.52 1.84 1.31 0.08 2.25 1.68 2.09 1.75

General use PC clusters 1.84 2.13 1.78 1.89 0.27 1.85 1.84 1.97 1.66

Departmental PC clusters 1.26 0.95 1.96 1.53 0.18 1.65 0.87 0.92 1.72

Printers in PC clusters 1.25 1.38 1.21 1.43 0.40 1.20 1.30 1.31 1.17

Mobile service 0.79 1.13 0.60 0.35 0.17 0.86 0.73 1.02 0.51

PC booking system 0.40 0.44 0.39 0.52 0.01 0.38 0.42 0.40 0.40

(250) (123) (75) (31) (21)# (125) (125) (141) (108)

Average frequency of use (per week)

# Caution – low base size

Younger age groups demonstrate a higher frequency of usage of IT services than older students

Frequency of using the following university computing and network facilities during term time (II)

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Frequency of using the following support services provided by University IT services staff

Base: (All respondents: 250)

Q4. How often do you use the following support services provided by University IT services staff?

2009

Every day 3-4 times a week 1-2 times a week Every 2 weeks Occasionally Never

2011

7 N/A

10 9

6 6

6 6

5 6

4 2

No significant differences vs. 2009

% Use at least once a week

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2011 % Very/ fairly

satisfied

Base: (Those answering)

%

Very dissatisfied

%

Very satisfied

%

Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied

81

74

62

67

68

78

69

58

N/A

N/A

N/A

2009% Very/ fairly

satisfied

Satisfaction with the following aspects of University computing facilities

Q5. How satisfied are you with the following aspects of University computing facilities?

Opening hours (219)

Software (218)

Prepay printing service (199)

IT advice and support (191)

Availability of staff (211)

Availability of computing facilities (222)

Printed/ online information (197)

Reliability of systems (227)

Face-to-face IT Advice (160)

IT and Telecoms Advice and support (145)

PC/ Comms Clinic (126)

12

13

20

24

16

11

21

9

36

42

50

(250)

% Don’t know

Base: (All respondents)

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Possible areas of improvement

Base: (All respondents: 250)

Q6. Here is a list of possible improvements. Which would be your first and second choice of things to improve?

%

Total 2011

1st choice of improvement

2nd choice of improvement

2009 (138)

1st choice 2nd choice Combined

20 10 30

13 15 28

4 8 12

16 11 27

9 13 22

7 8 15

4 7 11

6 7 13

3 5 8

1 5 6

1 3 4

7 2 9

16

75

76

54

2011% Definitely/ mostly agree

Base: (Those answering)

%

Definitely/ mostly disagree

%

Mostly/ definitely agree

%

Neither agree nor disagree

2009% Definitely/ mostly agree

The IT resources and services are good enough for my needs (241)

I have been able to access general IT resources when I needed to (243)

I have been able to access specialised equipment, facilities, or rooms when I needed to (203)

Agreement with the following statements

Q7. For each statement below, please indicate the extent of your agreement or disagreement

3

4

19

(250)

% Not Applicable

No significant differences vs. 2009

Base: (All respondents)

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Spontaneous comments about the computing services/ facilities

“I think compared to other universities that I have been to the amount of computers and computer clusters are a

lot less”

“Computer rooms not quiet at all due to large number of

students using them as places of discussion and generally

causing disruptive behaviour”

“When the IT desk goes to lunch, someone should be

there to cover/ give advice/ support”

“I feel that the silent study areas are abused by

students, I think that these should be monitored”

“People using PC's for extended periods to access facebook, You Tube etc. is infuriating when people are trying to

access a PC to legitimately undertake academic work”

“The most important problem I see is the number of PCs, I never find a free one and if I find one it is

always broken”

“I think most people these days have laptops - more provision for them (e.g. Printing from them to

library printers while on the WLAN/LAN) seems like a better

way of spending money than putting in more PCs”

“The system is always down which cause a lot of

problems including completing assignments

and printing them as well”

Q8. Please use this space to make any other relevant comments about the Computing services/ facilities. In particular it would be useful if you could explain your reasons for any dissatisfaction or desired improvement.

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APPENDIX

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Student profile

2011 2009 2011 2009

% % % %

GENDER: TYPE OF STUDENT:

Male 50 44 Undergraduate 56 66

Female 50 56 Postgraduate 43 34

AGE: SCHOOL:

Under 25 49 40 Corporate and Central services 2 -

25-34 30 29 School of Computing, Informatics and Media 6 9

35-44 12 21 School of Engineering, Design and Technology 12 12

45+ 8 10 School of Health Studies 12 24

School of Life Sciences 30 21

DISABILITY: School of Lifelong Education And Development 5 7

Yes 8 9 School of Management 15 8

No 92 90 School of Social and International Studies 19 19

Base: (250) (138) Base: (250) (138)

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TOTAL AGE SEX LEVEL

Under 25 25-34 35-44 45+ Male Female UG PG

Mobile service 0.32 0.39 0.32 0.14 0.17 0.34 0.29 0.33 0.30

Student IT workshops 0.29 0.24 0.40 0.41 0.02 0.38 0.21 0.18 0.44

E-mail support 0.25 0.23 0.29 0.39 0.03 0.35 0.15 0.15 0.39

IT advice (learner support centre) 0.21 0.12 0.38 0.19 0.10 0.27 0.14 0.10 0.34

IT services webpages 0.20 0.11 0.34 0.34 0.03 0.25 0.16 0.11 0.33

Telephone helpdesk (ICT service desk) 0.15 0.10 0.29 0.08 0.03 0.22 0.08 0.08 0.24

(250) (123) (75) (31) (21)# (125) (125) (141) (108)

Average frequency of use (per week)

Frequency of using the following support services provided by university it services staff

Base: (All respondents)

Q4. How often do you use the following support services provided by University IT services staff?

# Caution – low base size

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TOTAL AGE SEX LEVEL

Under 25 25-34 35-44 45+ Male Female UG PG

Opening hours 80 82 78 83 73 78 83 80 81

Software 74 77 71 83 46 75 74 75 74

Prepay printing service 71 74 69 73 60 68 75 72 70

IT advice and support 66 66 66 70 64 68 65 65 68

Availability of staff 65 61 72 68 67 65 66 61 72

Availability of computing facilities 64 62 73 67 38 68 61 62 68

Printed/ online information on using computer services

63 61 71 67 47 59 68 63 65

Reliability of systems 61 58 66 75 50 63 59 57 68

Face-to-face IT advice 58 53 70 50 50 54 63 54 65

IT and telecoms advice and support helpdesk 54 48 65 54 43 52 56 46 64

PC/ Comms Clinic 48 43 63 54 0 49 48 37 65

(250)* (123) (75) (31) (21)# (125) (125) (141) (108)

% Very/ fairly satisfied

# Caution – low base size

Base: (Those answering)

Satisfaction with the following aspects of university computing facilities

Q5. How satisfied are you with the following aspects of University computing facilities?

* Please note that base sizes may vary for each aspect depending on those answering

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TOTAL AGE SEX LEVEL

Under 25 25-34 35-44 45+ Male Female UG PG

I have been able to access general IT resources when I needed to

79 78 80 93 60 81 77 78 81

The IT resources and services are good enough for my needs

73 75 73 70 67 72 75 74 72

I have been able to access specialised equipment, facilities, or rooms when I needed to

62 59 68 64 40 58 65 59 66

(250)* (123) (75) (31) (21)# (125) (125) (141) (108)

% Definitely/ mostly agree

Base: (Those answering)

Agreement with the following statements

Q7. For each statement below, please indicate the extent of your agreement or disagreement

* Please note that base sizes may vary for each aspect depending on those answering

# Caution – low base size

No significant differences