By COLE REIF
Great Bend Post
Barton Community College staff recently shared results from a Ruffalo Noel Levitz survey filled out by both online students and on-campus students. The survey provides analytics to the college to gauge the students’ satisfaction with multiple areas of their college experience.
More than 200 online students
took the survey, and 74% responded that they were satisfied or very satisfied
with Barton. Barton Director of Institutional Effectiveness Todd Mobray said one
of the top challenges for online students is getting timely responses from
instructors.
"This told us online students want communication," said Mobray. "You can't really respond quick enough for an online student. I saw one comment that said 'I can't believe it took 12 hours to get an answer when I emailed my instructor.' They have a very tight window for feedback."
Barton was above many of the national averages including responses regarding
academic services, enrollment, institutional perceptions, instructional and
student services.
"Amazingly, it's the best set of comments I've ever seen," said Mobray. "I think there were two or three specific negative comments. There were a couple where they said they loved their experience but wanted to give constructive criticism. About 95% of them were positive. The comments were really good."
Of the online students, 81% indicated they would enroll with Barton again if
they had to do it all over because of flexible pacing to complete programs,
transferring credits, work schedule, convenience and cost.