Fall 2020 Learning Experience Survey Results
Total Number of Responses - 1,007
Student Responses - 261
Parent Responses - 746
Student Questions
What school do you attend?
High School - 42.1% (110)
Middle School - 32.6% (85)
Dormont Elementary - 11.5% (30)
Myrtle Elementary - 7.3% (19)
Aiken Elementary - 6.5% (17)
What grade are you currently in?
Third - 7.3% (19)
Fourth - 7.7% (20)
Fifth - 9.6% (25)
Sixth - 14.9% (39)
Seventh - 9.2% (24)
Eighth - 9.2% (24)
Ninth - 11.5% (30)
Tenth - 10% (26)
Eleventh - 9.2% (24)
Twelfth - 11.5% (30)
How are you attending school this year?
Option #1 - 59.8% (156)
Option #2 - 36.4% (95)
Option #3 - 3.8% (10)
Questions for Option #1 Students
I can easily access my school work while I am at home.
I can easily participate in my live online classes.
I can easily turn in my completed assignments.
My teacher, or another adult at school, checks in with me regularly to see how I am doing.
My teachers provide valuable feedback on my work.
I am learning new things at school.
I know what I need to be successful in my classes.
I know how to get the help I need to complete my school work.
On days when I am learning at home, I feel that my teachers are providing a good balance of online instruction and independent learning or work.
I am worried about getting sick at school.
Everyone at my school is following the health and safety guidelines (washing hands, wearing face coverings, maintaining distancing, etc.)
In the past week, I've spent ___ hours per day on school work?
I complete:
All of my assignments - 72.4% (113)
Most of my assignments - 24.4% (38)
Some of my assignments - 3.2% (5)
None of my assignments - 0
I have not had any assignments to complete - 0
My teacher gives me feedback on:
All of my assignments - 19.9% (31)
Most of my assignments - 29.5% (46)
Some of my assignments - 47.4% (74)
None of my assignments - 3.2% (5)
I have not had any assignments to complete - 0
Please select one of the following:
Questions for Option #2 Students
So far this year, my teachers have:
Taught live lessons online - 98.9% (94)
Recorded lessons so that I can watch them later - 32.6% (31)
Assigned me online schoolwork to complete - 89.5% (85)
Provided me paper packets to complete - 27.4% (26)
None of the above - 0
I learn best when my teacher(s):
Teach live lessons online - 76.8% (73)
Record lessons so that I can watch them later - 27.4% (26)
Assign me online schoolwork to complete - 45.3% (43)
Provide me paper packets to complete - 16.8% (16)
None of the above - 6.3% (6)
In the past week, I’ve spent _ hours per day on schoolwork:
I complete:
All of my assignments - 65.3% (62)
Most of my assignments - 26.3% (25)
Some of my assignments - 8.4% (8)
None of my assignments - 0
I have not had any assignments to complete - 0
My teacher(s) gives me feedback on:
All of my assignments - 23.2% (22)
Most of my assignments - 34.7% (33)
Some of my assignments - 35.8% (34)
None of my assignments - 6.3% (6)
I have not had any assignments to complete - 0
Which of the following best describes your experience so far this year:
I have learned alot this year - 43.2% (41)
I have learned some this year - 48.4% (46)
I haven’t learned anything this year - 8.4% (8)
Please select one of the following that best describes which learning format you prefer:
I prefer learning at school - 28.4% (27)
I prefer learning online or at home - 43.2% (41)
I prefer learning at school sometimes and learning online sometimes - 14.7% (14)
I have no preference - 13.7$ (13)
Please select one of the following:
Questions for Option #3 Students
Please share what you like about the Keystone Oaks Cyber Academy:
I can do it at my own pace
I can start when I want or need to
None
I can do the work on my own time and I can take tests twice if need be
I like the social studies book and I like the science.
I like the social studies because it is educational and fun. I like the ELA too. It is interesting.
the flexible schedule
I'm home with my family. I find it easier to concentrate
i like that i can do it at home and like classmates cant distract me when im doing work.
Please share anything that you dislike about the Keystone Oaks Cyber Academy:
Nothing
It’s a bit harder to comprehend what they are teaching
None
Some answers are questionable and some questions feel too personal
I do not like the quick check or test questions. I think they are very hard and confusing.
I don’t the math. It is too hard to understand sometimes. I liked go math.
the amount of work you get in each class each day
Sometimes difficult. Some tests are long. Some test have more than one right answer.
that it can be really hard.
What, if any, changes would you make to the Keystone Oaks Cyber Academy.
Nothing
None
None
The only thing I would do is update the Periodic Table for chemistry as 4 elements have changed
I would make the questions easier for everybody to understand.
I would switch the math to go math.
i wouldn’t make any changea atm
Lessons more separated. Calendar works better
i wouldn't make any
Please select one of the following:
Questions for students with a District Chromebook
I can access my Chromebook at school without any difficulties.
I can access my Chromebook at home without any difficulties.
I have been able to access any apps or websites needed to complete assignments.
I know where to get assistance if my Chromebook is not working properly.
Personal Device Questions
My personal device is compatible with the apps, programs, and/or websites that are needed to complete assignments.
My personal device works well for daily school work.
Questions for Parents/Guardians
What school does your child attend?
Keystone Oaks High School - 26.1% (201)
Keystone Oaks Middle School - 22.7% (175)
Dormont Elementary - 22.2% (171)
Aiken Elementary - 15.6% (120)
Myrtle Elementary - 13.4% (103)
What grade is your child currently in?
Kindergarten - 9.4% (72)
1st Grade - 9.4% (72)
2nd Grade - 11.3% (87)
3rd Grade - 6.4% (49)
4th Grade - 5.7% (44)
5th Grade - 8.7% (67)
6th Grade - 8.3% (64)
7th Grade - 7.3% (56)
8th Grade - 7.5% (58)
9th Grade - 8.3% (64)
10th Grade - 5.3% (41)
11th Grade - 6.5% (50)
12th Grade - 6% (46)
How is your student attending school this year?
Option #1 - 67.7% (521)
Option #2 - 29.1% (224)
Option #3 - 3.2% (25)
For Parents/Guardians with Students in Option #1
My child can easily access school work while at home:
My child can easily participate in live online classes:
My child can easily turn in completed assignments:
My child’s teachers, or another adult at school, check in with my child regularly to see how he/she is doing.
My child’s teachers provide valuable feedback on his/her work.
My child is learning new things at school.
My child is interested in what he/she is learning at school.
I know what my childs needs to be successful in his/her classes.
I know how to get my child the help he/she needs to complete schoolwork:
When my child is learning at home, he/she can log in to their online classes independently.
When my child is learning at home, he/she can complete most of the work independently.
On days when my child is learning at home, his/her teachers are providing a good balance of online instruction and independent learning or work.
In the past week, my child has spent _ hours per day on school work:
In the past week, I have spent _ hours per day assisting my child with school work.
The amount of time my child spends on a computer for school work each day is:
Not enough time for my child’s age and grade level - 5.4% (30)
Appropriate for my child’s age and grade level - 64.9% (359)
Excessive for my child’s age and grade level - 29.7% (164)
My child completes:
All of his/her assignments - 62.6% (346)
Most of his/her assignments - 26.9% (149)
Some of his/her assignments - 7.6% (42)
None of his/her assignments - 0
I am unsure if my child is completing his/her assignments - 2.7% (15)
My child’s teacher give my son/daughter feedback on:
All of his/her assignments - 19.9% (110)
Most of his/her assignments- 27.5% (152)
Some of his/her assignments - 26.8% (148)
None of his/her assignments - 3.6% (20)
I am unsure if my child’s teacher is providing feedback on his/her assignments - 22.2% (123)
The instruction that has been provided through the first month of school has:
Not met my expectations - 20.1% (111)
Met my expectations - 59.5% (331)
Exceeded my expectations - 17% (94)
I am worried about my child getting sick at school.
Please select one of the following:
For Parents/Guardians with Option #2 Students
So far this year, my child’s teacher(s) have:
Taught live lessons online - 99% (191)
Recorded lessons so that they can be watched later - 26.9% (52)
Assigned my child online school work to complete - 86% (166)
Provided my child paper packets to complete - 47.2% (91)
None of the above - 0.5% (1)
My child learns best when his/her teacher(s):
Teach live lessons online - 89.1% (172)
Record lessons so that they can be watched later - 23.3% (43)
Assign my child online school work to complete - 52.3% (101)
Provide my child paper packets to complete - 35.8% (69)
None of the above - 0.5% (1)
In the past week, my child has spent _ hours per day on school work:
My child completes:
All of his/her assignments - 68.4% (132)
Most of his/her assignments - 24.9% (48)
Some of his/her assignments - 6.7% (13)
My child’s teacher(s) provides feedback on:
All of his/her assignments - 26.9% (52)
Most of his/her assignments - 38.3% (74)
Some of his/her assignments - 29.5% (57)
None of his/her assignments - 5.2% (10)
Which of the following best describes your experience so far this year:
My child has learned a lot this year - 47.2% (91)
My child has learned some this year - 50.8% (98)
My child hasn’t learned anything this year - 2.1% (4)
Please select one of the following that best describes which learning format you prefer:
I prefer when my child learns at school - 43.5% (84)
I prefer when my child learns online or at home - 41.5% (80)
I prefer when my child learns at school sometimes and online sometimes - 5.2% (10)
I have no preference - 9.8% (19)
When my child is learning at home, he/she can log in to their online classes independently:
When my child is learning at home, he/she can complete most of the work independently.
In the past week, I have spent _ hours per day assisting my child with school work:
The instruction that has been provided through the first month of school has:
Not met my expectations - 10.9% (21)
Met my expectations - 50.8% (98)
Exceeded my expectations - 38.3% (74)
Please select one of the following:
Questions for Option #3 Parents/Guardians
Relative to the Cyber Academy Program, how would you rate your satisfaction with the Keystone Oaks Cyber Academy?
Start Up / Launching of the Program
Technology
Very Satisfied - 25% (6)
Satisfied - 75% (18)
Very Dissatisfied - 0
Pearson Platform
Edgenuity Platform
What do you like about the Keystone Oaks Cyber Academy?
Flexibility
The flexibility
Not much
Short hours. Ability to modify lessons to fit my student's learning style
The freedom to work at our own pace/ schedule.
It allows my children to learn at home with an extra layer of safety from Covid since they are further limiting their exposure.
Provides engaging videos, all materials are accessible online, can work on lessons anywhere there is service.
The flexibility and the calendar that helps us stay on track for each class. The feedback from “school -cyber” teachers. The assessment for each lesson.
Challenging content. Interesting topics for third graders. My child can focus without disruption and can dive more into topics/subjects that she feels compelled to do so.
Longer time span to complete schoolwork during the day so less pressure
The ability to work at our own pace and schedule. The website is easy to use.
The content of the curriculum is great. It’s very advanced for each grade and thoroughly challenging.
The idea of it.
The ability to work at our own pace and in our own timeframe. The website is easy to use.
I like being able to teach my child at a time that is convenient for us.
Very challenging work for fifth grade. Great topics and content. Love the depth that social studies and science explore.
I like the convenience of learning at whatever time of the day. As I have 3 kids so for me to read to her I need to start and stop often.
It allows my children to learn at home with an extra layer of safety from Covid since they are further limiting their exposure.
The flexibility.
The flexibility to work on assignments at your own speed and in your own timeframe.
What do you dislike about the Keystone Oaks Cyber Academy?
My children are having a hard time adjusting to this type of learning platform. The feedback from the specific teachers assigned to them is, at best, very limited. At worst, non-existent. For a few of the subjects, the material learned at home does not correlate to the material being learned in the classrooms.
Learning experience
Not much
I still have no materials or books. Calendar and due dates change idiscrimnately. Langauge arts and Math are "easier than kindergarten", according to my student who is bored. I've had to add supp,a mental material just to keep him engaged. Parents received no instruction or information before the first day of school. Description of cyber academy was very misleading, implying that we would have a teacher not essentially homeschooling our children.
It can be challenging to be in front of a computer screen for so long.
Not having the traditional "here's your sight words/spelling for the the week," not having enough parent prep time, and feeling like we're not learning what in person students are learning.
In the beginning, the lack of communication. Now, there’s just too much to get done in one day. Adding the lesson guides in AFTER we completed the work really threw us off.
Some links haven’t worked, we’ve had to print out all of the worksheets since the books aren’t available yet.
It requires a lot of parental/coach involvement - it is more like a preset curriculum to follow than a cyber school instructing my student. I am doing most of the instruction with a few supplemental videos. I thought there would be more interactive activities and video that were instructing the student. There was no initial training or preparation for the coach. The lesson guides were not initially included and it was not clear what to do. We have not received the materials that go with the platform and so have to print so much or make our own worksheets to be completed.
Too much screen time. Ideally, we would love to have the kids attend Dormont Elementary- in person - public school. But, despite the amount of time on a screen, We feel this option works best for our family considering the current circumstances with the pandemic.
Certain subject have content that seem too advanced for this stage in a third grade school year. Mathematics seems to be far beyond what third grade mathematics at Dormont Elementary would be working on.
Feel removed from any/all school experience
The test/quiz/review questions are very difficult. We have to sit with him on attempt two to help watch for misleading questions and help break down the question into understandable thought processes for him. Several questions have been outside of what was taught in the lesson and at times we feel a few answers are not correct or extremely subjective. This becomes more frustrating when on a test we cannot even see what we got wrong to review with them later. Then there is no give in the grading, there is no curve, so if they have a bad test or day it is really affecting their grade. This makes us have to sit with them more to try and help them out but subject matter can be difficult for us to pick up on the fly and help. I'm not opposed to it being difficult as my main goal is for them to learn, but they cannot even get honors credit for it? Our student is not comfortable e-mailing the teachers when he is confused, I think it is from the lack of student-teacher engagement that is part of cyber school. So all questions are coming to us as the parents and we are getting frustrated trying to figure it all out so that we can help him.
I find frustration with not knowing how to navigate the system. Although it is easy once I fiddle through it. I feel that some of the content for certain subjects can be too advanced and not what my kids have been exposed to through their previous Keystone Oaks career.
This doesn’t reflect on KOSD. The Pearson/Edgenuity platform was exceedingly confusing. They provided no tutorial which led to parental confusion and children confused and in tears. There was little to no deliverable assignments for my kids to finish. It was impossible to know what work needed to be finished day-to-day. The best thing about Pearson/Edgenuity we experienced was switching to option 2. I’ll submit another form with feedback on that. KOSD administration and staff have been excellent in executing.
The test/quiz/review questions are difficult and seem beyond a 6th grade level. We have to sit with them on attempt two to help watch for misleading questions and help break down the question into understandable thought processes for them. Several questions have been outside of what was taught in the lesson and at times we feel a few answers are not correct. This becomes more frustrating when on a test we cannot even see what we got wrong to review with them later. Then there is no give in the grading, there is no curve, so if they have a bad test or day it is really affecting their grade. This makes us have to sit with them more to try and help them out but if the best I can do on an ELA or Art quiz is 70, it seems a bit too difficult for a 6th grader. I'm not opposed to it being difficult as my main goal is for them to learn, but they cannot even get honors credit for it? Finally we had no end of frustration on the electives. We were hoping to engage our student with interesting electives, even if we had to pay. However the MS was unable to work with us at all, after sever weeks she was assigned three electives that were all specifically what she was not interested in. I don't think it was too much to ask for her to take a language but I guess it was.
The technical difficulties can be frustrating and we still haven't received supplies.
Have troubles with the tests for fifth grade. Specifically ELA- seems very hard to navigate what type of answer is expected. We have come across multiple situations where the “correct” answer was an inferred, collective comprehension answer yet there is a very clearly obvious text evidence answer. If my child selects the text evidence answer, which is how she has been taught this far in her KO career, it is marked incorrect.
Some things are not loading easily on my laptop
The amount of work set aside per lesson. The lack of explanation on most quizzes and tests. Requirements that haven't been taught.
I was hoping more would be interactive activities and instructions videos which is more engaging for the younger kids. Reading out of the text and printing pages of worksheets can be a source of frustration for us.
District Chromebook Questions for Parents/Guardians
My son/daughter can access his/her Chromebook at school without any difficulties.
My son/daughter can access his/her Chromebook at home without any difficulties.
My son/daughter has been able to access any apps or websites needed to complete assignments.
I know where to get assistance if my child's Chromebook is not working properly.
Personal Device Questions for Parents/Guardians
My child's personal device is compatible with the apps, programs, and/or websites that are needed for him/her to complete assignments.
My student's personal device works well for daily school work.