1. Issues & Priorities of Online Students What Do They Want? Deborah W. Proctor, Ph.D. eCurriculum Director for Academic Innovations/Minnesota Online Minnesota State Colleges & Universities Saint Paul, MN - Deborah.proctor@so.mnscu.edu

2. And do we really want to know?

3. Session Objectives Awareness: Minnesota Online’s Noel Levitz PSOL Gain knowledge: National & composite data Discuss: Rewards & barriers related to student satisfaction surveys Express: Ideas & viewpoints related to student priorities and satisfaction Receive: Resources

4. Fall 2006 Enrollment 38,468 1,966 courses and 170 programs

6. 32 institutions –25 two-year –7 four-year www.mnscu.edu

7. Who Wants to Survey Online Students’ Satisfaction?

8. Who is in?

9. Project Leader Noel Levitz PSOL Pilot Can we trust you? Assurances were important –Ground rules for the pilot survey were developed

10. Bird’s Eye View

11. Hey, we got data!

12. Making Sense of the Data

13. Noel Levitz PSOL 2006 National Data www.noellevitz.com

14. Challenge: What is system and what is local?

15. 77% Minnesota Online Students 76%24%  46% were under 24  54% were 25 or older  Over half were first or second year students  47% were % enrolled primarily online  Almost half employed full time

16. Minnesota Online vs. National Lower satisfaction benchmarks in several areas ***

17. Minnesota Online & National Issues? What do customers want?What do customers want? –Knowledgeable and available staff –Friendly people –Good Value –Convenience What do students want? –Same? Different? –Data suggested….

18. MnOnline 3/2007 Order of Importance To: Students 1.Enrollment Services 2. Instructional Services 3. (tie) Institutional Perceptions 3. (tie) Academic Services 5. Student Services

19. Matrix for prioritizing action Very Important Very Satisfied Very Unimportant Very Dissatisfied Copyright 2004 Noel-Levitz

20. Noel Levitz:National Challenges (2005-2006) The quality of online instruction is excellent. Faculty are responsive to student needs. Tuition paid is a worthwhile investment. Faculty provide timely feedback about student progress. There are sufficient offerings within my program of study. Ditto….

22. Where do they get information and what makes them decide to enroll ?

23. Important Sources Sources of Information Minnesota Online 2007 National Online Learners 2006 Web site11 Catalog (online)22 Recommendation from instructor or program advisor 33 Catalog and brochures (printed) 46 Contact with current students and/or recent graduates of the program 55 College representatives64 Advertisements77

24. Enrollment factorsMinnesota Online 2007 National Online Learners 2006 Convenience 11 Work schedule 22 Flexible pacing for completing the program 33 Program requirements 44 Cost 5 tie7 Future employment opportunities 5 tie6 Ability to transfer credits 78 Financial assistance available 89 Reputation of institution 95 Distance from campus 10 Recommendation from employer 11 Enrollment factors

25. We surveyed, now what? So What?

26. 1. Minnesota Online Value 2. Quality Improvement 3. Best practices 4. Seamlessness Focus Areas

27. Will keep walking this path 2008

28. Session Outcomes? Awareness: Minnesota Online’s Noel Levitz PSOL Gain knowledge: National & composite data Discuss: Rewards & barriers related to student satisfaction surveys Express: Ideas & viewpoints related to student priorities and satisfaction Receive: Resources

29. Questions?

30. Resources Web resources for information online student satisfaction research: 2006 NL PSOL Report –https://www.noellevitz.com/NR/rdonlyres/8F7A812B- C791-452D-AFAC- 54C536BBEB70/0/06ONLINE_report.pdf Sample Survey –https://www.noellevitz.com/NR/rdonlyres/20B4F650- A256-4903-A332- EE714A1FABE4/0/PSOL_survey.pdf