June 2002 — Features
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Build It and They Will Not Necessarily Come
The participants were also asked to comment on the session. Three participants named technology as part of the session that should be improved. Two participants suggest-ed there should be a live demonstration of the Web site in a computer lab. These comments were consistent with the generally low rate of Web site use observed by the site administrator. On the other hand, two participants said they planned to access the Web site when they returned to work to apply what they had learned.
At the final meeting of the coordinating committee for 1999-2000, the evaluators asked committee mem-bers to complete a written evaluation of the project. The coordinating committee included the four program facilitators. The evaluators conducted personal interviews with these facilitators covering general aspects of the program. The facilitators twice mentioned problems with technology. One facilitator said technology was a resource that could have made communication easier, while another facilitator said "constant training" could have helped them better use the technology.
The evaluators mailed a questionnaire to all mentors and entry-year administrators in the program. One section of the questionnaire focused on the training provided to participants during the project's first year. Four-point ratings were sought in six areas, three of which concerned technology: use of the computer, use of the program Web site and use of e-mail. The objectives, procedures and results of the training were evaluated in each of these areas. Of the six areas that were evaluated, the areas relating to technology received the lowest three ratings. Among these, the highest ratings were given to training on the use of the computer, the second highest ratings were consistently given to training on the use of e-mail, and the lowest ratings were consistently given to training on the use of the program Web site.
From the information reported above, the evaluators drew several conclusions relating to the Web site. Electronic communication was found to be one of the two aspects of the program needing significant improvement. As noted earlier, findings from the first year led to the development of a training session in December 2000 to deal with technology issues. Concerning this meeting, evaluations showed the technology training piece that was so strongly requested in the first year was notable in that more than half of those who participated in the questionnaire did not respond to questions dealing with the notebook computer and use of the Internet. Everyone who responded gave the sessions a three or better rating (on a five-point scale).
A questionnaire evaluating the EYP was sent to program leaders and participants. Technology was one of the major areas evaluated. Respondents were asked to identify what aspects of the technology should continue unchanged, discontinued or changed. Responses related to technology were coded by the evaluators and labeled as positive (continued) or negative (im-proved or changed).
