Technology Survey: Challenging Assumptions about Access
There has been a long held belief that Poly students have technology at home (with Internet access). With the change in our demographics and the increased student numbers who are receiving Free and Reduced Lunch (52%
of students as of last April ), we thought there might be MORE students than we realized without computers or computer access at home. With the information/technology explosion, we needed to know HOW many students have technology at home, whether or not they have Internet access, which type of computer/tablet/smartphone they have access to, do they check grades (how often), how many family members share the computer(s), which platform is used, and do they have a working printer at home.
Our WASC group (Assessment and Accountability) wanted to know the answers to these questions. Many teachers
assume students have technology at home. We needed to confirm or deny these assumptions. Therefore, we created a survey for each student to answer. We sent the survey out to English classes. We had 1,901 students complete the survey.
According to our survey, 91% of those surveyed have a working computer at home. We broke this down even further and asked the students to differentiate between the different devices they have (they may have more than one type of device): 56% of students have desktops, 65% have laptops, 14%have netbooks, and 47% have iPads/tablets. In addition to this, 75% of students reported that they have a smartphone with Internet access.
Approximately 75% of our students have Internet Access (varying from High Speed to dial up to Smart Riverside). 87% of the students stated that they were able to use the home computer for school work as well as 70% reported having a working printer. 84% of our students reported that they check their grades in Aeries (11% check once a month, 25% check twice a week, and 29% reported that they check daily, the remaining respondents declined to state how often). With the change in demographics, some staff have been assuming that more students than we had thought did NOT have technology at home. However, assuming the students answered honestly, the numbers/results from the survey show they do have working technology at home and can access the Internet.
of students as of last April ), we thought there might be MORE students than we realized without computers or computer access at home. With the information/technology explosion, we needed to know HOW many students have technology at home, whether or not they have Internet access, which type of computer/tablet/smartphone they have access to, do they check grades (how often), how many family members share the computer(s), which platform is used, and do they have a working printer at home.
Our WASC group (Assessment and Accountability) wanted to know the answers to these questions. Many teachers
assume students have technology at home. We needed to confirm or deny these assumptions. Therefore, we created a survey for each student to answer. We sent the survey out to English classes. We had 1,901 students complete the survey.
According to our survey, 91% of those surveyed have a working computer at home. We broke this down even further and asked the students to differentiate between the different devices they have (they may have more than one type of device): 56% of students have desktops, 65% have laptops, 14%have netbooks, and 47% have iPads/tablets. In addition to this, 75% of students reported that they have a smartphone with Internet access.
Approximately 75% of our students have Internet Access (varying from High Speed to dial up to Smart Riverside). 87% of the students stated that they were able to use the home computer for school work as well as 70% reported having a working printer. 84% of our students reported that they check their grades in Aeries (11% check once a month, 25% check twice a week, and 29% reported that they check daily, the remaining respondents declined to state how often). With the change in demographics, some staff have been assuming that more students than we had thought did NOT have technology at home. However, assuming the students answered honestly, the numbers/results from the survey show they do have working technology at home and can access the Internet.