ISD student survey of IT services and
facilities – 2013
Vicki Dale, Steve Rowett, Jim Tyson and Fiona Strawbridge
24th May 2013
Contents
Executive summary ................................................................................................................................. 2
Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 8
What students own and use ................................................................................................................... 8
Existing services ....................................................................................................................................13
Getting help – ISD website and service desks.......................................................................................20
Favourite places to study......................................................................................................................22
Technologies for supporting student learning......................................................................................24
Priorities for new or extended services ................................................................................................30
Actions being undertaken to address student feedback ......................................................................33
Potential limitations of the study .........................................................................................................34
Acknowledgements...............................................................................................................................34
1
Executive summary
Following a similar survey in 2011, an online questionnaire was administered to evaluate students’
perceptions of services offered by the Information Services Division (ISD) at University College
London (UCL). The survey was widely advertised electronically and using posters and flyers, and was
open between 23rd January and 4th February 2013. Of 26,698 potential respondents, 1324 students
took the survey (5%), of which 1016 complete responses were analysed. Respondents were evenly
split across the three main schools and between undergraduate and postgraduate students.
Device ownership
Computer and mobile device ownership
Only 26% of respondents have a desktop computer, of which Windows is the predominant operating
system (23%). This is a reduction from 2011, when 37% of respondents owned desktop computers.
Laptop ownership is ubiquitous at 97%, of which Windows is the predominant operating system
(66%), followed by Apple (32%). This also represents an increase on 2011 figures when 87% of
respondents either owned or planned to buy a laptop. Almost all students (99%) in 2013 have either
a laptop or a desktop computer. Despite the high laptop ownership, 42% of students with laptops
rarely or never bring them onto campus, mainly because their laptop is heavy or bulky, or they are
worried about it being lost or stolen or they have nowhere secure to store it. Twenty three per cent
of students have tablets (mainly iPads, 17%). Again, this is an increase on the 9% of respondents in
2011 that either owned or planned to buy a tablet. E-readers are owned by 18% of respondents,
which also represents an increase on the 8% of respondents who owned or planned to buy an ereader in 2011. The majority of owners of tablets and e-readers in 2013 have few concerns about
bringing them onto campus, though users cited connectivity problems with tablets. E-readers tend
to be more used for personal reading (e.g. novels) rather than textbooks which often do not display
well on e-readers. Ninety-one per cent of students have smartphones, of which Apple and Android
are the major platforms, at 37% and 33% respectively. This is an increase on 2011 figures where 56%
of respondents claimed to have, or planned to buy, a smartphone. Only 1% of students in 2013 do
not possess a mobile phone.
Devices used to access core UCL and external services
Most services are accessed using a laptop or desktop (60% on average), followed by a mobile phone
or iPod Touch (28% on average) with tablets being used least of all (10% on average). The most
accessed services are Live@UCL email (95%), non-UCL email (92%) and Moodle (91%). The least
accessed services are Reddit (13%), followed by Linkedin (33%), Twitter and MyPortfolio (both 37%),
indicating that with the exception of Facebook (87% use), Web 2.0 technologies are still only used by
a minority of students.
Existing services
Importance versus satisfaction
Students’ perceptions of importance and satisfaction with 24 existing core services are shown below,
with an accompanying key to explain the data labels. In 2013, a 4-point Likert scale was used,
2
preventing a direct comparison with 2011 data, collected using a 5-point Likert scale; however, an
approximate comparison was not suggestive of any decrease in satisfaction.
Assist tech
campus
Access to assistive technology on computers across the
campus
Laptop space Spaces where you can work comfortably with your own
laptop or tablet, including wireless and power facilities
Assist tech
SENIT
Access to assistive technology within the SENIT suite
Live@UCL
email
Live@UCL email
Assist tech
training
Training on assistive technologies
Lecturecast
Lecturecast: recordings of lectures with audio, video and
slides/visualiser
B&W printing Black and white printing
Moodle
Moodle
Campus wifi Wireless networking on campus
MyPortfolio
MyPortfolio: an electronic portfolio for recording and
sharing your learning
Cluster PCs Computers in computer workrooms for use for taught
classes, available to students when not booked
Quick access Quick access 'kiosk' computers located around the
PCs
campus
Colour
printing
Colour printing
Residence wifi Wireless networking in halls of residence
Group
spaces
Bookable group study spaces with a whiteboard, PC and
large screen display
Secure
storage
Central secure file storage space (filestore), with backup
copies made automatically
ISD service
desk
The ISD Service Desk (formerly the ISD Helpdesk)
Smartphone
apps
Access to services such as the Library or Moodle via a
smartphone app
ISD website IT support information on the ISD website
(http://www.ucl.ac.uk/isd)
Student-only
PCs
Access to student-only computers that are never booked
for taught classes
IT class
training
IT training in a class
Turnitin
Turnitin: confidentially checking your work for possible
plagiarism
IT online
training
IT training online
UCL software Access to UCL software from your own computer
What students like best, like least and most want to change
Students were also invited to comment on what they like best, like least and most want to change.
The top five things that students like best in 2013 are reported below. The data from 2011 are
included for comparison.
3
Things students like best in 2013
(most liked at top)
1. Wireless internet on campus
2. Support (online, helpdesk, training)
3. Moodle and online learning resources
4. Comprehensive, easy, efficient, fast, free,
reliable, up to date services
5. Computers and cluster rooms
Things students liked best in 2011
(most liked at top)
1. Moodle
2. Wireless internet [on campus]
3. Helpdesk
4. Email
5. Computer workrooms
The top five things that students like least in 2013 are reported below. The data from 2011 are
included for comparison.
Things students like least in 2013
(least liked at top)
1. Not enough free computers or clusters
2. Printers and printing (incl. too few printers,
lack of mobile and colour printing and
printers requiring maintenance)
3. Unreliable, patchy or slow wifi (on campus)
4. Limited or slow IT support (incl. limited out
of hours service)
5. Software limited or out of date
Things students liked least in 2011
(least liked at top)
1. Lack of adequate computers and
workrooms
2. Printing facilities
3. Lack of wireless internet in halls
4. Lack of working space with wifi
5. Inadequate or poor use of Moodle
The top five things that students most want to change in 2013 are reported below. The data from
2011 are included for comparison.
Things students most want to change in 2013
(most want to change at top)
1. More computers (in departments, libraries
and around campus)
2. Improve and extend support including more
IT training
3. More printers
4. Wireless/email/mobile/laptop printing
5. Improve wifi (generally, on campus and at
remote sites)
Things students most wanted to change in 2011
(most want to change at top)
1. More computers
2. More laptop-friendly spaces
3. Wireless printing from laptops
4. Ability to run plagiarism checks
5. Recordings of classes [Lecturecast]
UCLGo
Forty-three per cent of respondents had downloaded the UCL Go! smartphone app. The majority of
students (76%) who had used it rated it as useful or very useful overall. The most useful aspects of
the app included campus maps, timetables and the place finder. In their comments, students
expressed most dissatisfaction with the technical reliability of the system, incorrect timetabling and
PC availability and some elements (timetabling, Moodle and maps) not displaying properly. In terms
of additional features, students stated that they would most like to be able to renew library loans
using the app, and some also commented that they would like to access their email via an app.
4
Lecturecast
Only a third of students had watched Lecturecast recordings (32%); however, this is likely to be a
consequence of the fact that not all lectures are recorded by default, which was a common
complaint. Of those that had used the service, the majority (68%) had also attended most or all of
these classes in person. Students were also asked if, given the option of a live lecture streaming
service, they would prefer to attend lectures online or in person; the majority (77%) would still
prefer to attend most or all of their lectures in person.
Getting help from the ISD website and service desks
Respondents perceived the most useful format for getting support to be a service desk supported by
email, followed by IT support information on the ISD website. The most rated aspects of the service
desk were the overall level of service and quality of the advice provided, while students were least
satisfied with the time taken to respond to a reported problem and the time taken for it to be
solved. The ISD website was rated highest for reminders or resetting of passwords, providing quick
access to core services and ‘how to’ guides, while it performs less well in terms of enabling users to
find out more about ISD services including training or resources, and for downloading software.
Learning spaces
Students were asked to identify their favourite places to study, either alone or in groups. The top 10
places to study, and the top 10 reasons, are shown below.
Top 10 favourite study places (most favourite at top)
1. Science Library (incl. pods)
2. Library or libraries (unspecified)
3. Main Library (incl. Law)
4. Own work space (office or lab)
5. Science Library computers
6. Cruciform Library
7. Cafes
8. UCLU (Wolfson) social study space
9. At home (own room, halls)
10.Social study space (unspecified)
Top 10 reasons (most commonly cited reasons at top)
1. Quiet, private, can concentrate, no distractions
2. Access to computers (including wide monitors and software)
3. Resources (books etc.) available
4. Spaces available, spacious
5. Can do groupwork or talk
6. Cosy, warm, comfortable
7. Nice, pleasant, inviting, decor, airy, good lighting
8. Laptop space and plug sockets
9. Effective learning, good working atmosphere
10.Can eat and/or drink
5
Educational effectiveness of technology use
Basic versus enhanced use of learning technologies
Students were asked to identify how technology was used overall to support learning in their degree
programmes. Categories ranged from administrative to fully-online. Use of technology for teaching
and learning was almost equally split in terms of basic (55%) versus advanced (45%) use. Basic use
constituted 27% of administrative functions (handbooks, timetables and assignments submissions
online) and 28% supplementary materials, e.g. lecture notes online. Advanced use comprised 12%
enhanced activities (optional discussion forums and quizzes), 26% integrated activities (mandatory
discussion forums and quizzes) and 7% fully online activities.
Effectiveness of technology use versus preferred level of use
Students also rated the effectiveness of technology use, as well as how much more or less they
would prefer to use the technology. The results are shown below, with the results from 2011
included for comparison, where available.
Most effectively used in 2013
(most effective at top)
1. Handbooks, resources and documents
provided electronically
2. E-books or electronic readings
3. Quizzes or self-tests to support learning
4. Exams (essays or multiple choice) taken on
a computer
5. Online discussion forums
Most effectively used in 2011
(most effective at top)
1. Handbooks, resources and documents in
Moodle
2. Quizzes or tests in Moodle
3. Audio, video and animation
4. Discussion and debates in Moodle
5. Electronic voting handsets or voting via
mobiles
Preferred level of use in 2013 (most preferred at top)
1. Live streaming of lectures
2. Recordings of lectures using Lecturecast
3. E-books or electronic readings
4. Quizzes or self-tests to support learning
5. Handbooks, resources and documents provided electronically
Examples of effective technology use
When asked to provide examples of good practice in relation to the use of technology in teaching
and learning, the top five included (1) basic Moodle use, (2) electronic readings, (3) videos, (4)
PowerPoint, and (5) electronic voting (with clickers and online). Other examples of good practice
included Lecturecast, online quizzes, animations, discussion forums, teachers using the visualiser or
smartboard for electronic writing/drawing/annotation, Turnitin and social media.
Student suggestions for improving technology use to support learning
Many students commented that no improvements were required; of those that did request
improvements, the five most frequently requested were (1) more Lecturecast and lecture streaming,
(2) more computers, (3) better wifi on campus, (4) more printing facilities and better printing
maintenance, and (5) more information, support and training.
6
Priorities for future development
The top five priorities identified by students in 2013 are shown below, alongside the results from the
2011 survey for comparison.
Priorities for new or extended services in
2013 (highest priority at top)
1. Wireless printing from students’ own
devices on campus
2. Ability to send documents for printing via
email
3. More spaces for laptop use with wifi and
power access
4. More scanners with email functionality
5. Access to file storage via the internet
Priorities for new or extended services in
2011 (highest priority at top)
1. Wireless printing from laptops
2. Ability to run plagiarism checks
3. More laptop-friendly spaces
4. Quiet areas with wifi
5. Access to video recordings of classes
These priorities were largely mirrored in the students’ comments, in which they requested (1)
wireless/laptop/mobile printing, (2) more computers or non-bookable clusters, (3) more printing
facilities and better printer maintenance, (4) more spaces for laptop use and group study, and (5)
Lecturecast for all lectures. Additional suggestions included more scanners (with email functionality)
and further development of the UCL Go! app, including support for Windows phones.
Services that students would have liked to have had prior to enrolling on their course included (1)
access to Moodle and course resources including e-readings, (2) email access and support, (3) advice
on how to connect to the wifi, and (4) more information about core ISD services.
In addition to these stated priorities, the ‘importance versus satisfaction’ chart suggests further
areas for improvement:



Access to core services via a smartphone app
Access to UCL software from users’ own computers and
Wifi in halls of residence.
7
ISD student survey of IT services and
facilities – 2013
Introduction
All UCL students were invited to participate in an online questionnaire entitled “Student Experience
of Information Technology at UCL Survey”, informally referred to as the ‘ISD e-learning survey’. The
questionnaire was similar in design to that conducted two years previously, the results of which
were published in 2011. The questionnaire was designed to gather information about students’
device ownership, their perceptions of ISD services in terms of importance and satisfaction, their
experience of the UCL Go! application, effectiveness of technology use on their programme of study,
attitudes towards Lecturecast and live lecture streaming, most and least liked experiences of UCL’s
IT service provision, and priorities for future development. Basic demographics were also collected
(for example, programme and level of study) to allow for between-group statistical comparisons.
The survey was advertised using A3 posters sent to departmental administrators for posting in
student areas, as well as flyers which were distributed by hand to individual students in learning
spaces and social areas around the UCL campus. The survey was also advertised electronically via
student email lists, the student union e-newsletter, the UCL Facebook page, and the UCL_ELE Twitter
account. The survey was opened Wednesday 23rd January 2013 and was scheduled to close 31st
January; however, it was extended until Monday 4th February 2013, to boost the response rate, with
reminders sent electronically. Incentives were offered; two iPads, three Kindles and five £30
vouchers, to survey participants chosen at random.
Of the 26,698 students who could potentially have responded, 1324 did so (5%). Of the 1324
responses, 1016 completed responses were included in the data analysis. Respondents were fairly
evenly spread across the three UCL Schools (35% SLASH, 31% SLMS and 31% BEAMS); 2% did not
include their programme of study, and 1% constituted students enrolled on ‘other’ inter-disciplinary
programmes). In relation to programme levels, the highest proportion of respondents were
postgraduate students (47%), followed by established undergraduates (year 2 and above, 32%), new
undergraduates (year 1, 18%), and non-credit bearing and other courses (2%). One per cent of
respondents did not specify their level of study.
What students own and use
Note that in relation to devices, percentages may not add up to 100, since respondents could
potentially own more than one brand of each type of device, and/or have a number of concerns
about bringing them into college.
Desktop computers
Figure 1 shows that only 25% of students own a desktop computer. The most common operating
system is Microsoft Windows; 23% of students own a desktop PC running Windows.
8
Figure 1: Desktop computer ownership
Laptop computers
The majority of students own a laptop computer (97%), the most common being Microsoft Windows
(66%) and Apple (32%) devices (Figure 2).
Figure 2: Laptop ownership
A significant proportion of laptop owners (42%) never or rarely bring their laptop onto campus, the
most commonly cited reason being that it is too heavy or bulky (61%). Other concerns are shown in
Figure 3.
9
Figure 3: Concerns about bringing laptops into UCL
In the free text comments (where n>=10), students’ reasons for not bringing their laptop onto
campus included:




Wifi connection problems (n=20)
o I always struggle getting connected to UCL network.
There being nowhere secure to store it and worries about loss or theft (n=19)
o I bring it in, but I worry about it being stolen - it’s annoying to have to take it with me
when I go to the toilet etc. - UCL libraries must get some lockers, this would be very,
very useful for students.
There being alternatives e.g. UCL computers or mobile devices (n=17)
o I also don't bring it because there are alternatives: for group work, students who
own light and well working laptops bring theirs. For my individual study, I use the
computers in the cluster rooms. For checking emails and such information I use my
smartphone.
o Easier to bring my iPad, can do almost the same amount of work with an iPad.
Their laptop being heavy to carry around (n=15)
o I don't want to carry my heavy laptop all day.
Other reported concerns or difficulties included being ashamed of an ‘old’ device (n=9), there being
nowhere to charge their laptop (n=9), commuting (public transport or cycling, n=8), and there not
being enough space to use their laptops (n=6).
Tablets and e-readers
Figure 4 reveals that the majority of students do not own a tablet or e-reader (63%). Of those that
do, 18% have an e-reader (e.g. Kindle), and 17% have an Apple iPad or iPad mini.
10
Figure 4: Tablet or e-reader ownership
There is variation in the extent to which students’ bring their tablet/e-reader into UCL to support
their studies; 37% never or rarely bring their tablet or e-reader onto campus, the most commonly
cited reasons being that it lacks appropriate software (6%) and because of the risk of it being lost or
stolen (6%). Other concerns are shown in Figure 5.
Figure 5: Concerns about bringing tablets or e-readers into UCL
In the free text comments, students’ reasons cited for not bringing their tablet or e-reader onto
campus included:
11





Using e-readers for personal reading only (n=9)
o I bring my Kindle every day but not to support my studies, I read novels on it!
Not being able to view PDFs or textbooks properly (n=4)
o I don't use my e-reader because academic books and text books are usually not well
formatted in Kindle format, so I prefer to just get the original books out the library,
than buy a badly formatted book.
Connectivity problems (n=4)
o My tablet does not allow me to connect to local printers and SharePoint, and
therefore I have to carry both my laptop and tablet.
Using the laptop instead of a tablet or e-reader (n=4)
o I don't need to use it for my studies - my laptop is better.
Not enough spaces to work (n=2)
o I always bring [it] into UCL but there is nowhere I find truly comfortable to work. I
enjoy the study space but it is often very crowded!
Mobile phones
Almost all students own a mobile phone (99%). Smartphones constitute 91% of phone ownership,
including 37% Apple iPhone and 33% Android smartphones (Figure 6). A number of students own a
basic mobile phone (18%) although this is not necessarily their only phone.
Figure 6: Mobile phone ownership
Devices used to access core UCL and external services
Table 1 shows that students predominantly use laptops or desktops, followed by mobile phones, and
tablets least of all, to access core and external services. The most accessed services are email
(Live@UCL followed by non-UCL email). The least accessed services are Reddit, LinkedIn and Twitter,
indicating that Web 2.0 tools (with the exception of Facebook, which is the next most used service
after email) are still only used by a minority of students.
12
I use this service
from a desktop or
laptop (%)
Live@UCL email
A non-UCL email account
e.g. Hotmail, Yahoo
Moodle
Facebook
Audio/video internet
telephony e.g. Skype
Lecturecast
Twitter
MyPortfolio
LinkedIn
Reddit
Average %
95
92
I use this service
from a mobile
phone or iPod
touch (%)
52
59
I use this service
from a tablet (%)
Highest
%
15
18
95
92
91
87
77
35
59
29
14
17
11
91
87
77
40
37
37
33
13
60
2
27
3
10
4
28
3
9
3
4
2
10
40
37
37
33
13
Table 1: Access to core and external services from different devices
13
Existing services
Importance of existing UCL services
Figure 7 shows students’ perceptions of the importance of existing ISD services. The services
perceived as most important, based on the percentage of important/very important ratings, are:

Campus wifi;
14




Black and white printing facilities;
Having access to UCL software from the students’ own computer;
Working space to use own laptop including wifi and power source; and
LIVE@UCL email.
15
Figure 7: Perceived importance of existing services
Satisfaction with existing UCL services
Figure 8 depicts students’ satisfaction with existing services. The services that users are most
satisfied with, according to the percentage of satisfied/very satisfied ratings, are:





LIVE@UCL email;
Moodle;
Campus wifi;
Black and white printing; and
ISD website.
16
Figure 8: Satisfaction with existing services
Satisfaction versus importance
Figure 9 is a scatterplot showing the percentage of respondents who rated importance positively
(important/very important) on one axis, and satisfaction positively (satisfied/very satisfied) on the
17
other, after excluding those who selected ‘Don’t know’. (The horizontal and vertical reference lines
represent the mean values for importance and satisfaction.)
Figure 9: Importance versus satisfaction with existing core services
Assist tech
campus
Access to assistive technology on computers across the
campus
Laptop space Spaces where you can work comfortably with your own
laptop or tablet, including wireless and power facilities
Assist tech
SENIT
Access to assistive technology within the SENIT suite
Live@UCL
email
Live@UCL email
Assist tech
training
Training on assistive technologies
Lecturecast
Lecturecast: recordings of lectures with audio, video and
slides/visualiser
B&W printing Black and white printing
Moodle
Moodle
Campus wifi Wireless networking on campus
MyPortfolio
MyPortfolio: an electronic portfolio for recording and
sharing your learning
Cluster PCs Computers in computer workrooms for use for taught
classes, available to students when not booked
Quick access Quick access 'kiosk' computers located around the
PCs
campus
Colour
printing
Colour printing
Residence wifi Wireless networking in halls of residence
Group
spaces
Bookable group study spaces with a whiteboard, PC and
large screen display
Secure
storage
Central secure file storage space (filestore), with backup
copies made automatically
ISD service
desk
The ISD Service Desk (formerly the ISD Helpdesk)
Smartphone
apps
Access to services such as the Library or Moodle via a
smartphone app
ISD website IT support information on the ISD website
(http://www.ucl.ac.uk/isd)
Student-only
PCs
Access to student-only computers that are never booked
for taught classes
IT class
training
IT training in a class
Turnitin
Turnitin: confidentially checking your work for possible
plagiarism
IT online
training
IT training online
UCL software Access to UCL software from your own computer
Areas that are priorities for development, on the basis of higher importance and lower satisfaction,
are:
 Central secure file storage
 Spaces to use laptops with power and network facilities
 Access to core services via a smartphone app
18



Access to student-only PCs that are never booked for teaching
Access to UCL software from users’ own computers and
Wifi in halls of residence.
UCLGo! application
Forty three per cent of students had downloaded the UCLGo! app; 56% had not downloaded it and
1% were not sure if they had downloaded it or not. Figure 10 shows that the majority (76%) of users
who had used it rated it as useful or very useful overall. Based on the percentage useful/very useful
ratings, the top three features of the app (apart from its overall usefulness) are campus maps,
timetables and the place finder, while the least useful features were news feeds, the staff directory
and web links.
Figure 10: Perceived usefulness of UCL Go! app and its features
In the text comments (where n>=10), students expressed dissatisfaction with:



The technical reliability of the system (n=27)
o The stability of the app on android needs to be MUCH better, it crashes about half of
the time I use it. This doesn't stop me from using the app, but I know people who
take pictures of their timetable for the week instead of using the app because of its
instability.
Incorrect timetabling or PC availability (n=16)
o Although I find PC availability very useful, it is often inaccurate, indicating there are
free computers in a cluster room when in fact there aren't.
o Sometimes personal timetables are not very accurate – there are discrepancies
between the app and the timetable available online.
Timetable not displaying properly (n=15)
o Not everything appears on my personal timetable that would appear when accessing
from a PC e.g. tutorials and practical sessions.
19



Not being able to stay logged in (in Moodle, n=14)
o Having to log into Moodle every time is very annoying and seems pointless as you
have already had to log into the app and it is only available on smartphones that
most people have codes to get into.
Moodle not displaying properly (n=13)
o The Moodle interface isn't well optimised on Android and iPhone devices.
Limitations to the map and place finder features of the app (n=11)
o Fix the map; it either loses its resolution so you can't zoom in or it causes the app to
crash.
o The campus maps and place finder are not useful when trying to find a specific room
for example: G26 in the South Wing.
Despite these limitations, there was also positive feedback from students (n=11), such as:
o Everything the app intends to do is extremely useful.
The most frequent suggestion for future development was the ability to renew books using the app
(n=16). Other miscellaneous suggestions included access to email from within the app (n=3), the
location of all rooms on campus (n=3), and access to Lecturecast via the app (n=2).
Lecturecast
Thirty two per cent of respondents had used Lecturecast to watch recordings of lectures online. Of
those that had used this service, the majority (68%) had also attended most (33%) or all (34%) of
these lectures in person. Only 11% did not attend any lectures in person, and 21% attended some of
them.
Participants were also advised that UCL are considering a service to offer lectures to be streamed
live, but with additional facilities to allow them to vote on questions put to them, ask questions of
the lecturer, or take part in class discussions. The majority (77%) would still prefer to attend most
(53%) or all (24%) of their lectures in person. Only seven per cent of respondents would watch all
their lectures online, and 16% would watch most of their lectures online.
What students like best
Respondents were asked to state the three things that they like best about UCL’s IT provision. These
are listed in Table 2. Some of the individual text entries encompassed two or more aspects. Wifi on
campus, support and Moodle were the most popular.
20
Service
Wireless internet on campus
Support (online, helpdesk, training)
Moodle and online learning resources
Comprehensive, easy, efficient, fast,
free, reliable, up to date services
Computers and cluster rooms
Email (Live@UCL)
Printing
n=
254
228
208
166
104
97
80
Service
Library services including e-journals
Lecturecast
Software including anti-virus
Accessibility and availability
(of hardware, information and support)
Remote access (WTS)
UCL Go! app
n=
74
55
54
52
38
32
Table 2: Aspects of UCL's IT provision that students like best (categories where n<20 omitted for brevity)
What students like least
Respondents were invited to state up to three things that they like least about UCL’s IT provision.
These are listed in Table 3. The lack of open-access computers was overwhelmingly the least liked
aspect, followed by printing services.
Service
Not enough free computers or clusters
Printers and printing (incl. too few
printers, lack of mobile and colour
printing and printers requiring
maintenance)
Unreliable, patchy or slow wifi (on
campus)
Limited or slow IT support (incl. limited
out of hours service)
Software limited or out of date
Password changes and requirements
Faulty or broken equipment (including
printers)
ISD website (lack of information about
services or facilities hard to find)
Poor or no wifi in halls of residence
n=
241
158
Service
Email (Live@UCL and predecessors)
Lack of laptop and social/group study
spaces
n=
32
31
75
Lecturecast – not used enough
31
67
Remote access
29
54
49
45
Old or slow computers
Inadequate file storage
Scanners and scanning
29
28
26
39
Printing and photocopying charges
25
34
Difficulty configuring wifi or email
22
Table 3: Aspects of UCL's IT provision that students like least (categories where n<20 omitted for brevity)
What students would like to change
Respondents were invited to state up to three things that they would most like to change about
UCL’s IT provision. These are listed in Table 4.
21
Service
More computers (in departments,
libraries and around campus)
Improve and extend support including
more IT training
n=
180
n=
31
49
Service
Less frequent and easier password
changes
Printing – easier or better (in general,
including duplex and centralised printing
and swipe card printing)
More information about available
services, including improved ISD website
Printing and photocopying – cheaper or
more free credit
Help lecturers to use e-learning more
extensively and effectively
Newer and quicker computers
More printers
73
Wireless/email/mobile/laptop printing
71
Improve wifi (generally, on campus and
at remote sites)
More Lecturecast and live streaming of
lectures
Software – more, up to date, and freely
available for download
More laptop and social/group study
spaces
Wifi in halls of residence
Improve remote computing
61
48
Integrated systems / single sign-on
25
47
Increased file storage
22
39
37
More scanning facilities
Develop UCL Go! app
22
20
87
31
30
26
26
25
Table 4: Aspects of UCL's IT provision that students would most like to change (categories where n<20 omitted for
brevity)
Getting help – ISD website and service desks
Importance of ISD support formats
Figure 11 shows preferences for different support formats, ordered by the percentage of
important/very important ratings. The most important format for ISD support is a service desk
supported by email. The least important format is printed computer support information.
Figure 11: Perceived importance of ISD support services
22
ISD Service Desk
Figure 12 shows participants’ ratings of different aspects of the ISD service desk support, ordered by
the percentage of good/very good ratings. The majority of users consider the service desk to be at
least ‘okay’, with the exception of the response time to get the problem solved, and the time taken
to speak to someone about the problem.
Figure 12: Ratings of aspects of ISD service desk
ISD website
Figure 13 shows that the majority of users considered aspects of the ISD website to be at ‘okay’,
‘good’ or ‘very good’. Based on the percentage of good/very good ratings, the most valued services
include reminders/resetting of passwords and providing quick access to core services. The lowest
rated service offered by the website was downloading software followed by finding training courses
or resources.
Figure 13: Ratings of ISD website services
23
In the text comments (where n>=10), students expressed dissatisfaction with:



Password changes being too frequent and difficult (n=25)
o Would prefer not to have to change my password so frequently and the strict
requirements for it. It is such a convoluted process that I end up writing my password
down when I finally choose an acceptable one. Not very secure...
Disorganised / not easy to navigate (n=21)
o I believe the website would benefit from a rearrangement. All necessary and useful
information is present on the site but much of it can be difficult to find, i.e. Live@UCL
mobile configuration guides, reducing Myriad profile storage space. Making this
information more accessible will enable the students to become more self-sufficient.
Guides out of date or not helpful (particularly for mobile access to services) (n=10)
o Sometimes changes are made but students are not informed and you have to figure
out why the wireless doesn't work anymore (apparently because some port number
has changed or something). Every document on the ISD website should have a date
of when it was last updated on it and changes should be highlighted.
However, 13 respondents made positive comments about the website, one example being:

Really useful - have used numerous times. The how-to guides are brilliant and save me a
lot of time.
Possible new or extended ISD support services
Of the potential new or extended services listed, the most popular was laptop troubleshooting
support (55%), followed by a wireless set up service (54%), a drop-in IT advisor centre (38%), help
with mobile devices (36%) and an out-of-hours service desk (35%).
Of only 34 comments relating to new or extended ISD support services, the most common were
laptop repair and troubleshooting (n=5) and out of hours support (n=4). Miscellaneous unique
requests included internet safety advice, computer buying advice, software installation support and
extended opening hours of accessibility services from 9 to 5.
Favourite places to study
Some students stated that there was nowhere suitable on campus to study (n=22). Examples
included:
I don't have a favourite place; I think places on campus to study (e.g. library) are just
too crowded, even looking for books on the shelves of the library can be a hassle
because you have to stand too close to people studying.
Currently, there is no suitable space. The ideal space would have power points at
every desk, easy access to bathrooms (which are few and far between at UCL and
often in an unusable state) and a coffee/snack bar.
24
Table 5 shows students’ favourite places to study (where n>=10).
Favourite places to study
Libraries (n=445)
Top spaces
 Science library (n=144)
 Library or libraries (unspecified, n=129)
 Main library (incl. Law, n=111)
 Cruciform library (n=32)
 Archaeology library (n=18)
 Senate House/British library (n=10)
Computer clusters (n=80)
 Science library computers (n=34)
 Cluster (unspecified, n=12)
Own space (my desk, room, flat,
 Work (office, lab, n=39)
halls, office or lab; n=70)
 Home (my room, halls, n=24)
Social study spaces (n=67)
 UCLU (Wolfson study space, n=25)
 Social study space (unspecified, n=21)
 Cruciform pilot room (n=11)
 Group study room (incl. Science library pods, n=11)
Common rooms (n=43)
 Common room (unspecified, n=22)
Cafes, bars and refectories (n=41)  Cafes (Print Room, Bloomsbury, George Farha, etc. (n=31)
Other spaces (n=97)
 Empty or quiet classrooms (n=12)
 Foster Court rooms (n=11)
 Chandler House (n=10)
Table 5: Students' favourite places to study, either alone or with friends (where n>=10)
The top reasons cited for favourite places to study, where n>10, included



















quiet, private, can concentrate, no distractions (n=268)
access to computers (including wide monitors and software, n=99)
resources (books etc.) available (n=95)
spaces available, spacious (n=76)
can do groupwork or talk (n=71)
cosy, warm, comfortable (n=67)
nice, pleasant, inviting, decor, airy, good lighting (n=64)
laptop space and plug sockets (n=55)
effective learning, good working atmosphere (n=55)
can eat and/or drink (n=34)
convenient, accessible (n=33)
relaxed, friendly, enjoyable, social (n=32)
furniture (tables and seating, n=28)
neither too quiet nor too noisy (n=19)
wifi (n=17)
access to printer and or scanner (n=17)
help and support available (n=11)
close to restrooms, shops or cafes (n=11)
flexible space (for individual or group study, n=10)
25
Technologies for supporting student learning
Types of technology use
Figure 14 reveals that the largest use of technology in students’ programme of study is
supplementary (28%), followed by administrative (27%), integrated (26%), enhanced (12%) and fully
online (7%).
Figure 14: Predominant type of technology use in students' programme of study
Administrative = handbooks, reading lists, timetables and assignment submission
Supplementary = core and supplementary learning resources (e.g. lecture slides) but no requirement to use them)
Enhanced = includes a range of activities (e.g. discussion forums and/or quizzes) but no requirement to use them
Integrated = includes a range of activities (e.g. discussion forums and/or quizzes) and students are expected or required to
complete them
Fully online = all or nearly all study takes place online and students are required to complete activities
Effectiveness of technology use
Figure 15 shows students’ perceptions of how effectively different technologies are used to support
teaching and learning. One the basis of the percentage of effective/very effective use, the five most
effectively used technologies included:





Handbooks, resources and documents provided electronically;
E-books or electronic readings;
Quizzes or self-tests to support learning;
Exams (essay or multiple choice) taken on a computer; and
Online discussion forums.
26
Figure 15: Effectiveness of use of different learning technologies
Preference for less or more types of technology use
Figure 16 shows students’ preference for more or less use of various technologies. On the basis of
the percentage that students would like more/much more of, the five technologies that students
want to see most of are:





Live streaming of lectures;
Recordings of lectures using Lecturecast;
E-books or electronic readings;
Quizzes or self-tests to support their learning; and
Handbooks, resources and documents provided electronically.
27
Figure 16: Preference for use (less versus more) of technologies
Effectiveness versus preference for amount of use of different technologies
Figure 17 shows that electronic readings/e-books, quizzes and Lecturecast recordings are the most
effectively used technologies that students want more of. On average, students want more or the
same level of use of all technologies.
28
Figure 17: Preferred amount of use versus effectiveness of technology use (after excluding ‘Not used’/‘Not sure’
responses)
Blogs
Blogs, journals or electronic diaries
Media sharing
sites
Photo or video sharing websites
Clickers
Electronic voting with 'Clickers' in classes
MyPortfolio
Creating and sharing work with MyPortfolio
Consuming
media
Consuming audio, video, and animation
Online forums
Online discussion forums
E-books
E-books or electronic readings
Producing
media
Producing audio, video and animation
Free
resources
Freely available resources like YouTube and the
Khan Academy
Quizzes
Quizzes or self-tests to support your learning
Handbooks
Handbooks, resources and documents provided
electronically
Simulations
Simulations or educational games
Exams on
computer
Exams (essay or multiple choice) taken on a
computer
Social
networking
Social networking tools like Facebook or LinkedIn
Lecturecast
recordings
Recordings of lectures using LectureCast
Webinars
Virtual classrooms or webinars
Live
streamed
lectures
Live streaming of lectures
Wikis
Wikis or collaborative document creation
Examples of effective technology use
When asked to provide one example of how lecturers have used technology to effectively support
learning, the following were cited (where n>=10):

Basic Moodle use (uploaded lecture slides and notes and website links, n=138) for
preparation and revision
o The stuff used by the teacher during lectures is available before the class so the
students can get ready for the lesson.
o Access to course notes and PowerPoint presentations online helpful, to avoid writing
frantically in lectures and to be able to follow/understand better.
29










E-readings (on Moodle, n=95)
o Essential readings are saved as PDFs to Moodle - this is useful as it means you don't
have to fight over a single library book and you can access them even if you are not
at uni.
Videos including YouTube for visualisation, vicarious learning and laboratory preparation
(n=95)
o Showed us videos of Mars rover landing on Mars, this helped us to realise what
surface of mars is actually like without having to imagine.
o Videos showing lab demonstrations were put onto Moodle before we entered the
lab. This helped me to understand exactly what was required of us in the lab, and
helped me to prepare as fully as I could by reading more about the techniques we
were going to use. It also saved time because the lecturers did not have to
demonstrate the practical in front of all of us in the lab.
PowerPoint for visual presentation in class (n=88)
o PowerPoint presentations. They are useful because they are the most effective way
of displaying clear, large images.
E-voting (n=64); includes clickers (n=48), online polling, format unspecified (n=13) and
PollEverywhere (n=3)
o The use of clickers is very helpful because it engages everyone to take part and we
can automatically evaluate and get feedback on our answers. In addition, the votes
are anonymous, which helps people in voting.
Lecturecast for consolidation and revision (n=63)
o Using Lecturecast. This has really helped to go over the parts of the lecture which I
didn't fully understand / didn't have time to write down so quickly. It helps me to
consolidate smaller parts of the lecture, as I can pause whenever I wish to do so.
Online quizzes (including Peerwise) and computer-based assessments (n=44)
o I found online practice quizzes very good and particularly useful, as it is a great way
to consolidate knowledge and it gives a precise idea of what you're expected to know
for the actual test.
Animations for visualising concepts (n=19)
o Animations are great to visualise complex processes e.g. DNA synthesis, protein
folding, Krebs cycle.
Discussion forums (in Moodle) (n=17)
o Moodle forums used to guide class discussion and encourage further engagement
with the topic after a seminar.
Electronic writing/drawing/annotation using visualiser or smartboard (n=13)
o Writing on board electronically, exactly what was on the board is then available on
Moodle. Very useful.
Turnitin for online course submission, marking and feedback (n=13)
o The use of Turnitin with feedback returned online on the essay has been incredibly
beneficial, because I can actually read the comments (no dodgy hand writing) and
the feedback provided is of a higher quality than would be in written form
30

Social media (n=11); includes wiki (n=3), virtual conferencing (n=3), Facebook (n=3 and
blogs/MyPortfolio (n=3)
o One of my supervisors has set up a Facebook page for networking with academics in
my field.
o In a practical project we used MyPortfolio, it was useful because we could share,
compare and comment in each other work, arriving to more general findings
according to everybody data and receive feedback.
o Google Documents was used to make a big collaboration project between 15
students. It was easy to share each other’s works as well as comment and
collaborate in general.
Other examples of good practice included e-tutorials (n=9), simulations and games (n=7), software
demonstrations (e.g. MatLab, n=4) flipped lectures (c=3) and open educational resources such as the
Khan Academy (n=3).
Students’ suggestions for improving technology use to support learning
In relation to suggestions and comments for improving the use of technology to support student
learning a UCL, the most common response (n=120) was that no improvements were needed. This
was evidenced in the following quote:
I think UCL does a very good job of supporting technology for its students,
especially considering the size of the student body. It must be very difficult to
support so many needs! I have been very happy with everything I have
encountered thus far.
Other participants requested the following improvements (n>=10):







More Lecturecast and lecture streaming (n=89)
o The most important of the ones that were mentioned are probably the live streaming
and Lecturecast one. These would be an immensely important addition. In case
someone is sick, he/she can still 'be' at the lecture and thus not miss any classes.
More computers (n=38)
o Quite simply: the provision of computers is woefully inadequate, even with
designated postgraduate 'clusters'.
Better wifi (on campus, n=27)
o Some areas of UCL campus have poor wi-fi signal.
More printing facilities and better printer maintenance (n=26)
o MORE PRINTERS PLEASE. Printing is very difficult - it takes up so much of my time to
find one and queue to print - seems like a huge waste of valuable time on campus.
More information, support and training (n=26)
o Have more IT support staff available especially in the cluster rooms.
More course materials on Moodle (n=16)
o Lecturers should put more resources on Moodle.
Wireless or mobile printing (n=15)
o The ability to send documents to print from our laptops over the internet would be
very useful. I have been stuck having to stick my documents on a USB drive, go to a
31





cluster room, and print from one of the cluster computers - which can be very time
consuming.
More e-books/journals and online reading lists (n=14)
o I would like [my department] to create an electronic bulletin board where all the
week's reading lists could be published - at present, they stick post it notes on a cork
board.
o The use of e-books or handbooks, which are also published in e-book format would
be great. Now I have to carry several kilos of books with me all the time.
More laptop and group study spaces (with computers)
o More study pods with computer and a big screen and whiteboard.
o Have more spaces to sit and work quietly with laptop.
Newer and faster computers (n=12)
o It would be great if computer which performs faster and bigger display can be
provided for use of student in campus. I studied in America before and in comparison
the computers they provide is much better.
Wifi in halls (n=11)
o Provide wireless internet connection in college residence house so that students can
connect to internet on their smartphone/tablets in their rooms.
Increased technology use in learning and teaching generally (n=10)
o Training ought to be given to the lecturers and professors - they are the ones who
will take the lead on how much technology is used. I, for one, would be happy to see
more tech in the classroom.
Additional miscellaneous suggestions include laptop or iPad loans (n=7), greater use of online
discussion forums and other online collaboration tools (n=7), better remote computing (n=7),
Lecturecast improvements (n=7), opening up Moodle courses to other students (n=5), quiet
computer areas (n=4) and more quizzes (on Moodle) for revision (n=3).
Priorities for new or extended services
Based on the percentage of useful/very useful ratings, Figure 18 shows that the top three priorities
for future development are wireless printing from students’ own devices, the ability to send
documents for printing from home or on campus, and having more scanners with the ability to email
a copy of the scanned document.
32
Figure 18: Perceived usefulness of new or extended services, to identify priorities for development
The students’ enthusiasm for new and/or extended services is well illustrated by the following
quote:
All these ideas seem amazing, they'd really make a difference. I particularly like the
laptop borrow one, wireless printing, the first few I’ve listed as "very important" are
brilliant and I'm going to look into this UCL Go! app. If even half of these ideas are
implemented and publicised I can imagine it would be hugely useful and appreciated by
everyone. More spaces to use your own laptop is also a good one since the library can
get pretty packed and most people really don't want the books, it's the space to study
that they seek!
33
Specifically, students requested:







Wireless/laptop/mobile printing (n=35)
o Getting documents printed by email, or wireless printing on campus, would be so
amazingly useful that I'd go beyond "very" [useful] if I could.
More computers or non-bookable clusters (n=28)
o The most important service to me would be more computers available for studentonly use. Or if staff did not insist people not in their classes left the room, even when
there are many available PCs. It's a waste of resources.
More printing facilities and better printer maintenance including a map of printers and their
live status (n=26)
o Having a live map of printers available + their status (on/off, out of ink/paper etc.)
would be very useful - just like the IT cluster map.
More spaces for laptop use and group study (n=13)
o There is a desperate need for study space which allows quiet, uninterrupted work.
o More rooms like the pilot room in the cruciform would be very useful, as it is a good
space to go and work in, where you are allowed to talk and discuss things, rather
than being made to work in silence.
Lecturecast for all lectures (n=12)
o I think Lecturecast is a good concept already, maybe try and improve it, or at least
have all lectures available to watch online.
More scanners (with email function, n=11)
o Email scanners are incredibly useful: SOAS Library has recently upgraded all its
photocopiers to ones with this capability, and I use the scan function almost
exclusively instead of photocopying.
UCL Go! app development, including support for Windows phones (n=10)
o UCL Go! Doesn't work on my Android phone which is very frustrating, as people seem
to find it useful.
Other miscellaneous requests included live streaming of lectures (n=9), laptop or iPad loans (n=9),
increased, online storage like Dropbox (n=9) and improvements to Lecturecast (n=4).
Services students would like to have had prior to starting their course
With regards to services or information that students would have liked before starting their course,
the overwhelming response was that students did not need anything other than that already
provided (n=128). However additional services or information that students would have liked
included:




Access to Moodle and course resources including reading material (n=19)
Email access and support (n=11)
Advice on how to connect to the wifi (n=11)
More information about core ISD services (n=10)
Other miscellaneous requests included more information about computers and printers including
location (n=8), software information and access (n=8), information about UCL Go! app (n=6), help
logging in (n=5) and timetable access (n=5).
34
Actions being undertaken to address student feedback
In relation to the requests from students for development of new and additional services, and areas
of least satisfaction, a number of improvements are already underway, and further work is planned
during 2013. Examples of short-term improvements are listed below.









Lack of computers – a laptop loan scheme is being introduced during summer 2013, to
provide additional computing facilities, for students without laptops or who prefer not to
bring their laptop onto campus. Up to 100 additional open access PCs will also be installed
where there is space available.
Outdated computers – a significant investment is being made to upgrade a number of
available PCs.
Printing and scanning facilities – the Print@UCL initiative is currently being piloted within
ISD before being rolled out across the campus; this is a new print/scan service allowing
students to print wirelessly from their own devices using multifunctional devices which have
the option of colour and duplex printing and scanning. In addition, print jobs may be
collected from any printing device, giving students more immediate access to print facilities.
Wifi in halls of residence – another significant investment being made in 2013 is the
installation of wireless internet access in halls of residence.
Lecturecast (increased use and quality) – development of the Lecturecast service is being
undertaken in relation to the Lecturecast service review. Efforts are underway to engage
academics as part of a Lecturecast user community, and consultations with academics and elearning consultants at other universities are ongoing with regards to optimising the quality
of the service. During 2013, additional investment is being made into device replacement,
disk space capacity planning and scoping of the live streaming facility.
Spaces for laptop and group study – various ‘quick win’ initiatives have been implemented
over the past year, and a comprehensive programme of upgrades to learning and teaching
spaces in terms of updated computing facilities and furniture is being carried out over
summer 2013. A student room booking system will also be piloted over summer 2013, to
allow students to reserve seminar rooms and library pods for group work. In the longer
term, the new Student Centre, expected to be functional by 2016/17 will also provide new
social learning spaces for individual and group study.
Encouraging staff to use learning technologies more – the E-Learning Champions initiative,
led by E-Learning Environments, seeks to enthuse and empower academic staff to use
e-learning more in their teaching, and to inspire colleagues to do the same. Other initiatives
are planned which will help to expand the use of e-learning throughout UCL. In terms of
helping staff to become more confident in using classroom technologies, an innovative
classroom is planned for summer 2013 to offer an experimental learning and teaching space
for training academics.
ISD support and training – the ISD website is being overhauled and redesigned over the next
year to give easier access, via a more navigable interface, to relevant and up to date
information.
System integration and single sign-on – Moodle/Portico/CMIS integration is being
improved.
35
Potential limitations of the study
In terms of reliability of the data, potentially anyone who was not a UCL student could have
completed the survey, since access to the survey was not password-protected. To try to reduce this
possibility, all incomplete responses were excluded from the study.
With regards to response bias, it is possible that students who responded to the survey were those
with greater access to computers and mobile devices, or who had a greater interest in UCL’s IT
service provision than other students. This was unavoidable and all attempts were made to engage
UCL students to participate in the survey.
Acknowledgements
ISD would like to thank all the study participants who took the time to complete the questionnaires,
and to compile thoughtful text responses, all of which will be used to influence decisions regarding
the development of existing and new ISD services to support learning and teaching.
36