BOCES Distance Learning Program Quality Access Support

Receive Site Responses Section A Distance Learning Student Response Profile and Totals Host Site Responses Receive Site Responses 12 Students gave no answer. BOCES Distance Learning Program Quality Access Support

BOCES Distance Learning Program Quality Access Support Section B 1. My class in DL had a variety of learning activities and was beneficial. Agree / Strongly Agree Disagree / Strongly Disagree Uncertain Overall Responses Host Site Responses Receive Site Responses BOCES Distance Learning Program Quality Access Support

BOCES Distance Learning Program Quality Access Support Section B 2. The teacher gave the same amount of attention to host site and remote site(s). Agree / Strongly Agree Disagree / Strongly Disagree Uncertain Overall Responses Host Site Responses Receive Site Responses BOCES Distance Learning Program Quality Access Support

Disagree / Strongly Disagree Section B 3. I was able to get extra help from the teacher when necessary. Agree / Strongly Agree Disagree / Strongly Disagree Uncertain Overall Responses Not Applicable Host Site Responses Receive Site Responses BOCES Distance Learning Program Quality Access Support

BOCES Distance Learning Program Quality Access Support Section B 4. I feel I learned as much in a DL class as I would have in a regular classroom. Agree / Strongly Agree Disagree / Strongly Disagree Uncertain Overall Responses Host Site Responses Receive Site Responses BOCES Distance Learning Program Quality Access Support

BOCES Distance Learning Program Quality Access Support Section B 5. Class materials such as tests, homework, assignments, etc. arrived on time. Agree / Strongly Agree Disagree / Strongly Disagree Uncertain Overall Responses Host Site Responses Receive Site Responses BOCES Distance Learning Program Quality Access Support

BOCES Distance Learning Program Quality Access Support Section B 6. I felt comfortable using room equipment (Elmo, VCR, copier/fax, etc.) when necessary. Agree / Strongly Agree Disagree / Strongly Disagree Uncertain Overall Responses Not Applicable Host Site Responses Receive Site Responses BOCES Distance Learning Program Quality Access Support

BOCES Distance Learning Program Quality Access Support Section B 7. I was able to clearly hear and understand teachers/aides/students at other sites. Agree / Strongly Agree Disagree / Strongly Disagree Uncertain Overall Responses Host Site Responses Receive Site Responses BOCES Distance Learning Program Quality Access Support

Disagree / Strongly Disagree Section B 8. If I had to make up a missed class, it was easy to do so. Agree / Strongly Agree Disagree / Strongly Disagree Uncertain Overall Responses Not Applicable Host Site Responses Receive Site Responses BOCES Distance Learning Program Quality Access Support

Disagree / Strongly Disagree Section B 9. Given the opportunity, I would take another DL course. Agree / Strongly Agree Disagree / Strongly Disagree Uncertain Overall Responses Host Site Responses Receive Site Responses BOCES Distance Learning Program Quality Access Support

Disagree / Strongly Disagree Section B 10. I would recommend others take a distance learning course. Agree / Strongly Agree Disagree / Strongly Disagree Uncertain Overall Responses Host Site Responses Receive Site Responses BOCES Distance Learning Program Quality Access Support

BOCES Distance Learning Program Quality Access Support Section C Student Comments BOCES Distance Learning Program Quality Access Support

BOCES Distance Learning Program Quality Access Support Section C Student Comments 1. I took Distance Learning because: ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ I wanted to take anthropology and it just happened to be a distance learning class. - I wanted to learn about Marine Science and was interested in the distance learning environment. – I wanted to take a calculus class before I went to college and my schedule wouldn’t allow me to fit the one calculus class offered at Mechanicville. I wanted to take an SAT course to help prepare and it just happened to be a DL course. - I actually didn’t realize it was a distance learning course until the first day, but it was an interesting experience. I wanted to challenge myself by taking an AP course. I also like the interaction with the other students. - I took distance learning because I needed art history for my chosen major in college. - The class was a college class that I could earn credit for and it helped me decide if I wanted to pursue a career in criminology. I had to pick up a science and didn’t have room on my schedule at my home school. AP History was only offered through Distance Learning. - I had to take French because I've already taken 3 years and wanted to continue and it was no longer offered in my school. - I wanted to learn in class that has a different setting and also to meet other people from different schools. BOCES Distance Learning Program Quality Access Support

BOCES Distance Learning Program Quality Access Support Section C Student Comments Students most frequently said they took Distance Learning because: They wanted that particular subject. It was recommended that they take the course. They wanted AP or college credit. The subject was only offered in DL. They needed the particular course. They wanted something different. They were interested in meeting new students. BOCES Distance Learning Program Quality Access Support

BOCES Distance Learning Program Quality Access Support Section C Student Comments 2. What did you like about Distance Learning? _____________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ I liked learning about the equipment and sharing experiences. The class was very insightful and beneficial. - Meeting new people, the new experiences of learning, the trip to the holocaust survivor, blackboard website. - It was great to meet students from other schools, our classroom is great and it ran just as smoothly as any other class! My teacher was also amazing. It was an interesting experience compared to a traditional learning environment. - I liked the material we covered and the environment. The teacher from St. Johnsville, Mrs. Collerido, and the information was beneficial. I also liked blackboard.neric.org, and the field trip. It gave me an opportunity to learn about things that I normally wouldn't be able to in my school. - I like how we learn from an actual college professor and learn things you don’t in high school. It was different but it was just as effective as a learning environment. The teacher was amazing and we got to interact with other schools. - I liked that even though we weren't in the same room, our teacher never forgot about us. BOCES Distance Learning Program Quality Access Support

BOCES Distance Learning Program Quality Access Support Section C Student Comments Most frequently noted as liked by DL students: Meeting and interacting with different students, teachers and schools. Interesting and comfortable learning environment. The subject or course material. The opportunity to take a class not otherwise offered. A new experience working with the advanced technology. The teacher or teaching assistant. BOCES Distance Learning Program Quality Access Support

BOCES Distance Learning Program Quality Access Support Section C Student Comments 3. What didn’t you like about Distance Learning? __________________________________________________________. ___________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ The TV's and microphones are really old. - The sound that was made from cell phone interference. - Sometimes the TV and microphones didn’t work. Computers didn’t let us open up certain sites. – When the microphones or volume of the other schools was too loud it could be very distracting. - We need new laptops and new technology, I had a tough time with technology and I know how to use technology but with the lack of modern equipment it was hard to do so. Not being able to communicate with the teacher or get extra help when required. - It felt as if the teacher was only teaching to his own school and he would give us work days and we are not able to work on the projects. - We didn’t have as much access to our teacher as the host site. The amount of talking in the classrooms. - The classes started at different times making the class short, problems with the computer and days that don’t match up. - The other class talked 24/7 and when you asked them to stop they wouldn’t or would give you attitude. It is not easy to get extra help. There are issues with handing work in and unequal attention to each class. BOCES Distance Learning Program Quality Access Support

Most frequently noted as disliked by DL students: Section C Student Comments Most frequently noted as disliked by DL students: Technical problems with audio or poor student/microphone/camera positioning. Lack of interaction with or lack of attention from teacher or other students. Disruptive students or lack of discipline. Lack of extra help or lack of one-on-one with the teacher. Not dealing effectively with bell schedule or school calendar differences. BOCES Distance Learning Program Quality Access Support

BOCES Distance Learning Program Quality Access Support Section C Student Comments 4. What changes would you suggest for the Distance Learning classes? New microphones so it's easier to communicate with the other students. - Equipment upgrades for all distance learning classes. - Have all schools up to date with the newest technology. Having more teacher visits. - I think that we should be able to meet them in person. Be taken more seriously, no favoritism, and the schools should be treated more fairly. Some other way to exchange homework other than the fax machine. Possibly an easier way to get one on one extra help from the teacher to a remote site. More organization between the schools, unified tools available to both districts. Students be more respectful of the DL teacher when he or she isn’t there to reprimand them. Have the work and things e-mailed or something. Work on the matching the bell schedules better. ____________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ BOCES Distance Learning Program Quality Access Support

BOCES Distance Learning Program Quality Access Support Section C Student Comments Most frequently suggested changes: Technical improvements and better student/microphone/camera positioning. Visits by teachers to remote classes and or combined class field trips. More balanced attention to classes and better interaction. Deal more effectively with bell schedule and school calendar differences. More discipline to deal with disruptive and disrespectful students. Note: Comments indicating that a student did not feel any changes were necessary were the second most frequent. “I wouldn’t change anything about it.” “None. I liked it how it was.” BOCES Distance Learning Program Quality Access Support

BOCES Distance Learning Program Quality Access Support Section C Student Comments 5. What surprised you about Distance Learning? ______________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ Interaction with students from another school was interesting. - How easy it was to hear other kids. - How it was like a normal class. How much I enjoyed the class and it’s benefits. - It's not that different from the regular classes. - How easy I adjusted. - I didn’t think it would be as high tech as it was. How awesome the staff is at Gloversville and Glens Falls. - It just feels like a normal classroom. - It was easy to follow along even though the teacher wasn’t in the classroom. - It is pretty easy to get everything done with very little confusion. How involved everyone is. – I thought it would be weird having other students on the screens, and be "distracting" because it wasn’t like the normal teaching environment but surprisingly it felt natural. Being on camera and having a field trip to see a holocaust survivor. - The attention that the teacher was able to give each student. - How easy it was to keep in touch with the teacher.- I thought it was going to be awkward being on camera with a bunch of people I didn’t know but it really wasn’t. - My teacher was nicer when the TV's were on. When they were off she was like a drill sergeant. You had to compensate for the teacher not being there. BOCES Distance Learning Program Quality Access Support

BOCES Distance Learning Program Quality Access Support Section C Student Comments Most frequently noted as surprising about distance learning: That it is unexpectedly easy to become comfortable with the system. Interaction with remote teachers and students was easy. The environment is comfortable and enjoyable. It worked so well. Little or nothing surprised me. An appreciation for the advanced technology. It was harder or in someway less than what was expected. BOCES Distance Learning Program Quality Access Support

BOCES Distance Learning Program Quality Access Support Section C Student Comments 6. Did you feel the teacher made an effort to compensate for any limitations in the DL system? Host Sites Receive Sites I didn’t feel there were any limitations. Yes, the teacher did make effort(s) to compensate for limitations in the DL system. No, the teacher did not make an effort to compensate for limitations in the DL system. BOCES Distance Learning Program Quality Access Support

BOCES Distance Learning Program Quality Access Support Section C Student Comments (If you answered “No”) Please describe what you wish your teacher could have done. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ I wish our teacher had returned our emails and come to our school. He did not seem to make an effort to fix problems when we had them. My teacher never returned any of my messages. I wish out teacher had not gone off topic so much. Our teacher should have worked with the students in all the classes more. I would have liked our teacher to pay more attention to our questions. We could never get hold of our teacher, I wish we could have. I wish our teacher could have offered us more time. BOCES Distance Learning Program Quality Access Support

Students wished that the teacher would: Section C Students that feel the teacher did not make an effort to compensate Students wished that the teacher would: Not ignore their remote students or pay less attention to the receive sites. Visit the remote students at least once. Been more organized with assignments and notes. Only 6% of the responses indicated that the students felt their teacher did not make an effort to compensate for limitations with the system. BOCES Distance Learning Program Quality Access Support

BOCES Distance Learning Program Quality Access Support Section C Student Comments (If you answered “Yes”) Please describe the efforts the teacher made to compensate. ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ When we couldn’t see something because things didn’t work online, she put them on the main screen. When possible Mr. Hammond traveled to the other sites and was always understanding of lapses in communication. Mrs. Wasserstrom was awesome. - Our teacher traveled away from home site to visit other schools and stayed on for after school help. The teacher would call the other school if a student wished to talk privately. The teacher made sure that every student at all sites got to ask questions and receive answers. The teacher sometimes could not recognize that I had a question, but the DL aide was able to get the teacher's attention in order for me to ask my question. She tried to speak in French more and explain in English, she came up with new games to help us learn, she made PowerPoint's when she hasn’t before and she was very forceful keeping people under control. BOCES Distance Learning Program Quality Access Support

Most Frequently Recognized DL Teacher Efforts Section C Students that feel the teacher did make an effort to compensate: Most Frequently Recognized DL Teacher Efforts Visited receive sites and promoted interaction between schools. Made e-mail, Web, BlackBoard and/or phone contact available. Used the technology to its best advantage. Provided extra help and review sessions. Made efforts to resolve technical issues. BOCES Distance Learning Program Quality Access Support