CRA-DMP Evaluation Report #1

Appendix B: Surveys for Student Participants and Mentors

Survey sent to the 1995 and 1995 Student participants: Dear 1995 Student Participant, The LEAD Center (Learning through Evaluation, Adaptation, and Dissemination) is conducting a three-year formative evaluation of the Distributed Mentor Project. The purpose of this evaluation is to learn what aspects of the project are successful and also to learn how the project can be improved. The following questionnaire is an important part of this evaluation. It will allow us to learn something about each participant's experience in the program. Your thoughtful response to this questionnaire will enable us to help administrators of the Distributed Mentor Project in future planning. It should be noted that individual responses will be held confidential. When reporting the results of this questionnaire, care will be taken to ensure that no individual's response can be identified. Would you please take some time to fill out the questionnaire and return it as soon as possible to: daffinru@engr.wisc.edu We thank you for your time. If you have any comments or questions, feel free to email me at the above address. Sue Daffinrud The LEAD Center ----------------------------------------------------------------- NOTE: The term "computer science" is used throughout this questionnaire to represent both computer science and engineering. 1. Name~ 2. Permanent address~ 3. Permanent phone~ 4. Local phone~ 5. Email address~ 6. Ethnic identity~ 7. Undergraduate institution~ 8. Class standing when applied for the CRA Distributed Mentor Program (Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, Senior)~ 9. Projected graduation date~ 10. Major(s)~ 11. GPA in major(s)~ 12. GPA overall~ 13. Please rank the following factors which are most important in your choice to study computer science. ___ A teacher encouraged me~ ___ I am good at math and science~ ___ A relative is in computer science~ ___ A friend is in computer science~ ___ Computer science is enjoyable and interesting~ ___ Computer science affords many career opportunities~ ___ I like the idea of being a computer scientist~ ___ Computer science is challenging~ ___ Computer science jobs pay well~ ___ Other (please specify)~ 14. What are your most likely post - graduation (BS) plans (Grad School; Job; Job, then Grad School; Other)?~ a. If you chose "Grad School": 1. What type of degree sought (MS, PhD, or Undecided)?~ 2. What type of position sought?~ b. If you chose "Job", what type of job?~ c. If you chose "Job, then Grad School": 1. What type of job?~ 2. What type of degree sought (MS, PhD, or Undecided)?~ 15. If you are planning to go to graduate school now or in the future, please rank the most important factors in your decision. ___ Influence of family member~ ___ Experience/mentor during my high school years or earlier~ ___ Work experience~ ___ Career goals~ ___ Technical interests~ ___ Advisor/mentor at undergraduate institution~ ___ Extra-curricular activity at undergraduate institution (such as other research project, programming team)~ ___ Distributed Mentor Project experience~ ___ Other factors (please explain)~ 16. If you are not planning to go to graduate school, please rank the most important factors in your decision. ___ Influence of family member~ ___ Career goals incompatible with graduate school~ ___ Distributed Mentor Project experience~ ___ Undergraduate experience~ ___ Other personal/family priorities~ ___ Lack of interest in the field~ ___ Lack of interest in research~ ___ Don't expect to be admitted to school of interest to me~ ___ Financial concerns~ ___ Other (please explain)~ 17. Mother's Occupation~ 18. Father's Occupation~ 19. Prior NSF-sponsored REU or other research experience?~ 20. Part-time work experience (on-campus, off-campus)~ 21. Other campus activities (sports, recreational organizations, service organizations, sorority)~ 22. Residence (dorm, sorority, apartment)~ 23. How would you rate your satisfaction with the following facets of the department at your undergraduate institution using the following scale (1 = not at all satisfied; 2 = not very satisfied; 3 = somewhat satisfied; 4 = satisfied; 5 = very satisfied; N/A = not applicable)? ___ Quality of teaching~ ___ Quality of academic advising~ ___ Degree of interaction with faculty~ ___ Availability of extracurricular activities (program teams, etc)~ ___ Departmental climate~ ___ Overall satisfaction with the department~ 24. Year participated in the mentor program~ 25. Mentor's name~ 26. Mentor's institution~ 27. Type of research activity~ 28. Number of graduate students in mentor's research group~ 29. Source of information about the mentor program~ 30. Type of interaction with mentor after participation in mentor program (email, conference, paper)~ 31. How would you describe your commitment to graduate school in computer science before participating in the mentor program? (1 = not considering it; 2 = considering the possibility; 3 = tentatively committed; 4 = committed; 5 = certain that graduate school in computer science is right for me)~ 32. How would you describe your commitment to graduate school in computer science after participating in the mentor program? (1 = not considering it; 2 = considering the possibility; 3 = tentatively committed; 4 = committed; 5 = certain that graduate school in computer science is right for me)~ 33. Which of the following issues would you have liked to learn about through your experience with the mentor program? ___ Selecting a graduate school~ ___ Research opportunities~ ___ Succeeding in graduate school (e.g. getting a thesis advisor, RA, etc)~ ___ Selecting a thesis/research topic~ ___ Study skills (e.g. reading research papers, familiarity with new computing environments)~ ___ Application to graduate school~ ___ Career opportunities and options~ ___ Fellowship opportunities~ ___ Interviewing advice~ ___ Job application~ ___ Letter of reference~ ___ Resume development~ ___ Balancing family and work~ ___ Crisis intervention~ ___ Departmental politics~ ___ Networking/professional contacts~ ___ Advice re: publishing, presentations at meetings, seminars~ ___ Advice re: minority status, disability, sexual orientation~ ___ Sexual harassment~ ___ Self-image and self-confidence~ ___ Time management (e.g. unstructured nature of research, meeting deadlines, balancing work and personal life)~ ___ Other (please specify)~ 34. For the issues you learned about as a result of your experience in the mentor program, please rate the usefulness of the information you received, using the following scale: (1 = not at all useful; 2 = not very useful; 3 = somewhat useful; 4 = useful; 5 = very useful; N/A = not applicable) ___ Selecting a graduate school~ ___ Research opportunities~ ___ Succeeding in graduate school (e.g. getting a thesis advisor, RA, etc)~ ___ Selecting a thesis/research topic~ ___ Study skills (e.g. reading research papers, familiarity with new computing environments)~ ___ Application to graduate school~ ___ Career opportunities and options~ ___ Fellowship opportunities~ ___ Interviewing advice~ ___ Job application~ ___ Letter of reference~ ___ Resume development~ ___ Balancing family and work~ ___ Crisis intervention~ ___ Departmental politics~ ___ Networking/professional contacts~ ___ Advice re: publishing, presentations at meetings, seminars~ --- Advice re: minority status, disability, sexual orientation~ ___ Sexual harassment~ ___ Self-image and self-confidence~ ___ Time management (e.g. unstructured nature of research, meeting deadlines, balancing work and personal life)~ ___ Other (please specify)~ 35. Please rate the value of the research experience you had in the mentor program. (1 = not at all valuable; 2 = not very valuable; 3 = somewhat valuable; 4 = valuable; 5 = very valuable)~ 36. Please rate the value of the mentor experience. (1 = not at all valuable; 2 = not very valuable; 3 = somewhat valuable; 4 = valuable; 5 = very valuable)~ 37. Please rate the importance of having a female mentor. (1 = not at all important; 2 = not very important; 3 = somewhat important; 4 = important; 5 = very important)~ 38. Did you work with graduate students on the research project?~ 39. If you answered "Yes" to question 38, what was the graduate student(s)' role in interactions with you? (ie: To answer questions, To directly supervise, etc.)~ 40. Rate satisfaction with how the graduate student(s) carried out their role. (1 = not at all satisfied; 2 = not very satisfied; 3 = somewhat satisfied; 4 = satisfied; 5 = very satisfied)~ 41. Did you interact with graduate students outside of the research project?~ 42. Rate your overall satisfaction with interactions with graduate students. (1 = not at all satisfied; 2 = not very satisfied; 3 = somewhat satisfied; 4 = satisfied; 5 = very satisfied)~ 43. How often were you in contact with your mentor over the course of the mentor program?~ 44. What was the major type of contact between you and your mentor (by email, through individual research activity, through group research activity, through social activity, through mentor discussions)?~ 45. Would you have liked more contact with your mentor, less contact with your mentor, or were you satisfied with the amount contact you had with your mentor?~ 46. How do you feel about the match between you and your mentor? (1 = not at all satisfied; 2 = not very satisfied; 3 = somewhat satisfied; 4 = satisfied; 5 = very satisfied)~ 47. Please rate the overall satisfaction with the mentor program (1 = not at all satisfied; 2 = not very satisfied; 3 = somewhat satisfied; 4 = satisfied; 5 = very satisfied)~ Additional Comments: Survey sent to 1994 and 1995 mentors: Dear Faculty Participant in the Distributed Mentor Project, The LEAD Center (Learning through Evaluation, Adaptation, and Dissemination) is conducting a three-year formative evaluation of the Distributed Mentor Project. The purpose of this evaluation is to learn what aspects of the project are successful and also to learn how the project can be improved. An important part of this evaluation includes the following questionnaire which will allow us to learn something about each participant's experience in the program. We want to stress that this questionnaire is NOT intended to check on the performance of the individuals in the project. It should also be noted that individual responses will be held confidential, and when reporting the results of this questionnaire, care will be taken to ensure that no individual's response can be identified. Would you please take some time to fill out the questionnaire and return it as soon as possible to: daffinru@engr.wisc.edu We thank you for your time. If you have any comments or questions, feel free to email me at the above address. Sue Daffinrud The LEAD Center ----------------------------------------------------------------- NOTE: Some questions refer to the student that you had in the project. If you had more than one student, please answer the questions for each student that you had. 1. Name~ 2. Permanent mailing address (if changed since application to DMP)~ 3. Email address (if changed since application to DMP)~ 4. Phone number (if changed since application to DMP)~ 5. Ethnic identity~ 6. Current institution (if changed since application to DMP)~ 7. Faculty rank upon participation (Tenure, etc)~ 8. Academic specialization(s)~ 9. Current extramural funding (NSF, other federal, industry)~ 10. Prior NSF funding~ 11. Source of information about DMP~ 12. Type of interaction with student participant(s) after the mentor program (publication, conference, email, etc) ~ 13. What were the issues that you talked about with students in the mentor program? Check all that apply and add others not listed. ___ Selecting a graduate school~ ___ Research opportunities~ ___ Succeeding in graduate school (getting a thesis advisor, RA, etc) ___ Selecting a thesis/research topic~ ___ Study skills (e.g. reading research papers, familiarity with new computing environment)~ ___ Application to graduate school~ ___ Career opportunities and options~ ___ Fellowship opportunities~ ___ Interviewing advice~ ___ Job application~ ___ Letter of reference~ ___ Resume development~ ___ Balancing family and work~ ___ Crisis intervention~ ___ Departmental politics~ ___ Networking/professional contacts~ ___ Advice re: publishing, presentations at meetings, seminars~ ___ Advice re: minority status, disability or sexual orientation~ ___ Sexual harassment~ ___ Self-image and self-confidence~ ___ Time management (e.g. unstructured nature of research, meeting deadlines, balancing work and personal life)~ ___ Other (please specify)~ 14. Was your student(s)' area of scientific interest in your field?~ 15. Do you think that matching mentors' and students' interests is important?~ 16. How do you feel about the match between you and your student(s)? (1 = not at all satisfied; 2 = not very satisfied; 3 = somewhat satisfied; 4 = satisfied; 5 = very satisfied)~ 17. Rate your satisfaction with your student(s)' technical abilities. (1 = not satisfied at all; 2 = not very satisfied; 3 = somewhat satisfied; 4 = satisfied; 5 = very satisfied)~ 18. How much did you expect your student(s) to contribute to your research project? (1 = none at all; 2 = very little; 3 = somewhat; 4 = a fair amount; 5 = a lot)~ 19. How closely did the student(s) fill your expectations for contributions to research? (1 = much less than expected; 2 = less than expected; 3 = what expected; 4 = more than expected; 5 = much more than expected)~ 20. Please rate your overall satisfaction with the student(s). (1 = not satisfied at all; 2 = not very satisfied; 3 = somewhat satisfied; 4 = satisfied; 5 = very satisfied)~ 21. Has your participation in the mentor project taken away from the progress on your own work? (1 = not at all; 2 = very little; 3 = somewhat; 4 = a fair amount; 5 = too much)~ 22. Was the amount of time you spent with your student what you expected? (1 = much less than expected; 2 = less than expected; 3 = what expected; 4 = more than expected; 5 = much more than expected)~ 23. How do you feel about the amount of time you spent with the student? (1 = didn't feel like spent any time; 2 = didn't feel like spent enough time; 3 = spent the right amount of time; 4 = spent too much time; 5 = spent way too much time)~ 24. Are you satisfied with the level of support and recognition that you are receiving for your participation in the mentor program from the following: (1 = not at all satisfied; 2 = not satisfied; 3 = somewhat satisfied; 4 = satisfied; 5 = very satisfied) within your department? from NSF? from CRA? 25. Please rate the overall satisfaction with the program (1 = not at all satisfied; 2 = not very satisfied; 3 = somewhat satisfied; 4 = satisfied; 5 = very satisfied)~ 26. How effective do you feel as a mentor? (1 = not at all effective; 2 = somewhat effective; 3 = effective; 4 = very effective)~ Additional Comments: