Survey by Colin Cameron, Dept. of Economics, U.C.-Davis
(accameron@ucdavis.edu and http://www.econ.ucdavis.edu/~cameron

84 students in Economics 151A were surveyed in class on October 6, 1998.
This was second class of the quarter so over 90% of class were present and did survey.
The students are upper division undergraduates (juniors and seniors).
47% economics majors, 23% managerial and agricultural economics, 30% other majors.

2. On average how much time do you spend on the internet?
(80 responses)
14   More than one hour per day
15   One hour per day
20   Half an hour per day
31 . Less than half an hour per day

3. What is the most common way you access the internet?
(80 responses)
46  Own computer
  7. Friends computer
  1  Apartment / dorm computer
25  University lab
  2  Other

4. What is the second most common way you access the internet?
(78 responses)
  9  Own computer
37  Friends computer
  4  Apartment / dorm computer
26  University lab
  2  Other

5. How fast is the internet connection when you connect from computers other than the university lab?
(83 responses)
  1   Less than 14400 bps
12   14400 bps
31   More than 14400 bps
20   Don't know but it's slow
19   Don't know but it's fast enough

6. How easy is it to get on to a university lab computer during term time?
(82 responses)
10   Easy
34   Somewhat difficult
24   Difficult
  7   Virtually Impossible
  7 . Not applicable

7. If a ten page handout (in pdf format) essential for a class was placed on a class web-site where would you download it and print it out?
(82 responses)
28   Own computer
  6   Friends computer
  0   Apartment / dorm computer
45  University lab
  3  Other

8. If a one page handout (in html) essential for a class was placed on a class website how soon after you were told it was posted could you conveniently read it on the internet and print it out?
(81 responses)
34   Same day
24   Next day
19   Within two days
  4   More than two days

9. How many classes at U.C.-Davis have you had to date where the professor and/or teaching assistant assumes that you have easy access to the internet?
(81 responses)
  6   Zero classes
  7   One class
12   Two classes
56   More than two classes

10. How reasonable is it for a professor and/or teaching assistant to assume that at least 90 percent of the class has easy access to the internet?
(82 responses)
22   It is already expected
48   Reasonable
12   Unreasonable
 

PLEASE CIRCLE ONE RESPONSE PER QUESTION

1. How often due you connect to the internet for email or world wide web etc.?

a. More than once a day b. Once a day c. Every other day d. Once a week e. Less than once a week

2. On average how much time do you spend on the internet?

a. More than one hour per day b. One hour per day c. Half an hour per day d. Less than half an hour per day

3. What is the most common way you access the internet?

a. Own computer b. Friends computer c. Apartment / dorm computer d. University lab e. Other

4. What is the second most common way you access the internet?

a. Own computer b. Friends computer c. Apartment / dorm computer d. University lab e. Other

5. How fast is the internet connection when you connect from computers other than the university lab?

a. Less than 14400 bps b. 14400 bps c. More than 14400 bps

d. Don't know but it's slow e. Don't know but it's fast enough

6. How easy is it to get on to a university lab computer during term time?

a. Easy b. Somewhat difficult c. Difficult d. Virtually Impossible

7. If a ten page handout (in pdf format) essential for a class was placed on a class web-site where would you download it and print it out?

a. Own computer b. Friends computer c. Apartment / dorm computer d. University lab e. Other

8. If a one page handout (in html) essential for a class was placed on a class website how soon after you were told it was posted could you conveniently read it on the internet and print it out?

a. Same day b. Next day c. Within two days d. More than two days

9. How many classes at U.C.-Davis have you had to date where the professor and/or teaching assistant assumes that you have easy access to the internet?

a. 0 b. 1 c. 2 d. More than 2

10. How reasonable is it for a professor and/or teaching assistant to assume that at least 90 percent of the class has easy access to the internet?

a. It is already expected b. Reasonable c. Unreasonable

Most students surveyed access the web daily or every other day, with this access being primarily from home computer rather than university lab computers.  The university lab computers are difficult to access, though for larger documents in pdf format students would switch to using the university labs.  Most of these students had already taken several courses that presumed easy internet access, and most feel that it is reasonable for an instructor to presume such access.

A brief summary of the survey results follows.
 -  65% connect to the internet at least every other day
-  17% spend more than an hour a day on the internet
-  The most common way to connect to the internet is home computer for 57% and university lab for 31%.
-  The second most common way to connect to the internet is friend's computer for 46% and university lab for 31%.
-  Students have little idea of their connection speed to the internet.
-  12% find it easy to get on to a university lab computer in term time, 42% somewhat difficult, 30% difficult, 8% virtually impossible and 8% don't know.
-  55% would choose a university lab computer for printing out a ten-page handout in pdf format.
-  72% could conveniently print out the same day or the next day a one-page html handout essential for class.
-  84 % have already had two or more classes where the professor and/or teaching assistant assume easy web access.
-  85% feel it is reasonable to assume or it is already expected that at least 90 percent of the class has easy internet access.

My conclusion is that web access is being presumed without any official university policy to this effect, and that students are comfortable with this.  At the same time instructors should be aware that students generally lack the speedy convenient web access we have in our offices, and do not have convenient access to the university lab computers.  Obvious courtesies include minimizing the use of large files that will take considerable time to download and giving a couple of days' notice of web postings or e-mailings.