insideCatlin: 2010 Laptop Survey - Upper School Parents

In 2003 and 2008, Catlin Gabel distributed this survey to parents in order to better understand the effectiveness of the laptop program. Today, we seek to collect comparative data to determine progress since then. �The laptop program� refers to the educational experience of using laptops at Catlin Gabel, as well as the support, hardware, and software to keep the program up and running. This survey will take 15 minutes or fewer to complete. Thanks for taking the time to provide your input. It is critical to assessing our laptop program and will give us the opportunity to improve upon what we do. Your responses to this survey are kept anonymous and confidential. We will publish summary results in the spring.

Items marked with * are required.

Please fill out one for each child you have in the Upper School. We ask that you not question your child before answering; the students will fill out surveys as well.
What effect does the laptop program have on the following aspects of your student's academic work?
1.	Personal organization of his/her academic life (transition from home to school, planning, storing work, etc.) Strongly positive Positive Neutral Negative Strongly negative Comments
2.	Thinking and work skills (reading comprehension, focused attention, analysis) Strongly positive Positive Neutral Negative Strongly negative Comments
3.	Writing skills Strongly positive Positive Neutral Negative Strongly negative Comments
4.	Support for his/her learning style (please specify which aspect of his/her learning style) Strongly positive Positive Neutral Negative Strongly negative Comments
5.	Concentration and attention in class Strongly positive Positive Neutral Negative Strongly negative Comments
6.	Efficient use of time Strongly positive Positive Neutral Negative Strongly negative Comments
7.	Overall access to computing technology at home. Strongly positive Positive Neutral Negative Strongly negative Comments
8.	I consider the weight of the laptop in addition to the books and supplies my child carries to be ... No problem Very small problem Small problem Moderate problem Big problem Don't know Comments
9.	Please comment on the quality of your experience working with IT to order the laptop computer, get it repaired, and install upgrades. Very positive Positive Neutral Negative Very negative Comments
10.	Please rate the choices of computer models available to your child. Sufficient for the program Insufficient for the program Comments
11.	Please rate the effectiveness of the annual Technology Fair in introducing families to the uses of laptop computers in the upper school and the computer models available for purchase. Please suggest improvements in the comments field. Very effective Effective Neutral Ineffective Very ineffective Comments
12.	I am aware of how my child uses her/his laptop at home (e.g., sites visited, people communicated with). Very much so Somewhat A little bit Not at all Comments
13.	I set parameters for when/how my child may use the laptop computer at home. Very much so Somewhat A little bit Not at all Comments
14.	Please rate the effectiveness of parent education events that the school has offered on topics such as gaming, social networks, and the new school website. Very effective Effective Neutral Ineffective Very ineffective Comments
15.	What parent education topics would you like to see the school address in the next year?
16.	Please rate the overall importance of the laptop program to the education of your child. Very Unimportant Unimportant Neutral Important Very Important Comments
17.	Please rate the overall effectiveness of the laptop program in meeting its goals as you perceive them. Very effective Effective Neutral Ineffective Very ineffective Comments
18.	Please rate the financial cost of the program compared to its effectiveness. Much too costly for what it's worth A little too costly for what it's worth Fair value for what it's worth A good deal for what it's worth An excellent value for what it's worth Comments
Some final questions ...
19.	What is your child's gender? Female Male
20.	What is your child's year in school? 9th Grade 10th Grade 11th Grade 12th Grade
21.	Relative to other students in your child's class, how would you rate your child's computer skills? One of the top 10% in the school Above average About average Below average
22.	Is this your child's first computer? Yes. My child had no computer access in the home before the laptop program. Yes. My child had access to a shared computer in the home before the program. No. My child already had a desktop computer before the laptop. No. My child already had a laptop computer before the laptop.
23.	What do you think has been the most valuable component of having your child participate in the laptop program?
24.	Please add any final suggestions for how the laptop program could be improved.