Sayre Alumni Laptop Survey

Alumni Survey Questions

I. Laptops and the college experience  When you applied to college, how important were the following to you? (Not at all important, Somewhat important, Very important) o Network and internet access in each dorm room o Wireless access everywhere on campus o Laptops allowed in classrooms for note-taking o Technology used extensively in the academic program (lectures on podcasts, online discussions, project work, etc.)  Did your use of laptops at in high school help to make the transition to computer use in college easier? (Not at all easier, Somewhat easier, Much easier)  How do you use computers in college? (I brought a laptop with me, I brought a desktop computer with me, I use computers provided by the school)  Does your school have a required one-to-one laptop program? (Yes, No)  Do you currently use a laptop at school? (Yes, No)  If so, what operating system platform do you use? (Linux, Mac, Windows, Other)  Does your school support more than one operating system platform? (Yes, No)  If not, what operating system does your school support?(Linux, Mac, Windows, Other)

II. Rate your own skills  How well do you use the following research resources? (Never used, Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced, Don’t know) o Internet search engines (Google, Yahoo, etc.) o Online reference databases (EBSCO, SIRS, etc.) o Evaluating websites for the quality of information they provide  How frequently do you use the following skills and/or applications in school? (Never or rarely, One or more times a month, One or more times a week, Daily or almost every day) o Note-taking o Word processing o Spreadsheets o Web page creation o Graphic presentations (e.g., Powerpoint) o Photo editing (resizing, changing contrast, etc.) o Movie making (with iMovie, Windows Movie Maker, etc.) o Creating sound files o Accessing required class materials online or on the school's network o Email with fellow students and/or faculty about classes o Online discussions o Instant messaging for the purposes of a class o Accessing class lectures or other resources via podcasts o Using online social networks (like MySpace or Facebook) for academic classes o Using software or online resources to enhance the classroom experience (simulations, graphic representation of concepts, virtual environments, etc.)  When you first arrived at school as a freshman, how familiar were you with the following? (I had never done this, Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced, Don’t know) o I could add a new printer and troubleshoot printer problems. o I could connect to a wireless network. o I could check to see if I had access to the school network and the internet. o I knew exactly where files are stored on my laptop. o I could install software. o I could create folders and organize files inside of folders. o I could recognize different file types and convert from one type to another if necessary.

III. Staying in touch  I currently use the school website for the following purposes: (Never or rarely, One or more times a month, One or more times a week, Daily or almost every day) o Logging in to the Alumni section o Checking for interesting school news o Checking sports schedules and/or scores o Checking the school calendar for events o Other  If you have any suggestions for improving how our school prepares students to use technology in college, please share them.