Evaluating online and on-campus maths courses

This semester, the first year Analyse 1 course that is taught by Sacha Friedli is offered both in-person and online for the first time. EPFL would like to monitor this course closely, to see if both online and in-class students are equally supported and perform at similar levels. Therefore, we would like to know who selects online or in-class course activities, why students select the online class, and how all students experience the course.

The data we collect

To answer these questions, we need to collect some demographic information, information on students’ previous experience in maths, and information on their learning and or planning skills. We also would like to monitor students’ study behaviour on a weekly basis, know how many hours they spend studying for Analyse 1, if they feel well supported by the teaching staff, etc. Lastly, we want to collect their performance data: the exercises corrigés and the exam scores. In the table below you can see what data we want to collect and how and when we want to do so. 

Your participation

Participation in his study is voluntary and open to all students who have enrolled in the EPFL Analyse 1 course taught by Sacha Friedli. The teacher and TA’s will not be notified whether you participate or not, or if you have withdrawn from participation. The teacher and TA’s will also not have access to your data we collect for this study.

Your total extra effort to participate in this study is expected to be 40-60 minutes over the whole semester, with 15 minutes at the start of the semester (introduction, consent, questionnaire), 3 minutes every week filling in the weekly questionnaire, and another 5 minutes at the end of the semester filling in the last questionnaire. 

If you participate in this project you will have to monitor your study behaviour every week and share information on the time you spend on different study activities. Previous research has shown that undertaking such reflective activities may help you in planning your study activities throughout the semester. 

If you participate for at least 10 weeks, you will receive 50 SFR, and a luxurious Christmas basket will be raffled off among those students who have completed all weekly questionnaires during the fall semester. 

If you are enrolled in Maths-101 (c) or Maths-101 (ol) you will receive an invitation for this evaluation study by email.

Risks and data protection

By participating in the project you will not be exposed to any particular risks. We collect data using REDCAP. Any answers you provide on the questionnaires will not be shared with the teacher of the course, and the data will be anonymised before downloading the files for analysis. We generate random ID numbers to replace your identifiable data, and thus all analyses, reporting and publication will be anonymous. The identification table linking your random IDs to your person will be removed three months after the end of data collection.

All data processed as part of the study will be stored and backed up securely and anonymously in accordance with the Federal Data Protection Act (RS 235.1). Only Annechien Helsdingen will have access to the identification table and will be subject to a strict obligation to privacy.

An anonymous dataset will be published along with publications.  Because this data is anonymised, it will not identify you as an individual.

Your personal data may be re-used in follow-up scientific research projects at EPFL that have similar objectives and research questions related to the quality of education. These research projects will be carried out by EPFL researchers. These researchers have to comply with the same standards and requirements as those required for the present project, in particular with regard to the period of retention.

You can always contact us to receive information about the further use of your personal data by sending an email to the following address: [email protected].

Your rights

We are carrying out this project in accordance with the requirements of Swiss law.

When participating in this project, you you have the following rights: 

• Right to withdraw your consent:  If you withdraw, we will not collect any further personal data about you, but we will retain and use the personal data already collected (at the time of your withdrawal). However, if you specifically request it, we will delete all your personal data.
• Right to be informed: you may at any time request further information about the project, about the use of your personal data, and about any future project that uses your personal data; 
• Right of access: you have the right to know what personal data we hold about you;
• Right to object: in certain circumstances you can also object to the processing of personal data at any time;
• Right to modify or delete: your personal data may be modified or deleted, unless otherwise provided by law;
• Right to portability: in certain circumstances, you can ask us to provide you with your personal data in a suitable format for transfer to another data controller;
• Right to lodge a complaint: if you consider that we have made improper use of your personal data, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Swiss Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner or with the supervisory authority in your country or residence.

Contact person(s)

If you have any doubts, concerns or emergencies during or after the study, you can contact one of the following people at any time:

Annechien Helsdingen, [email protected]