Instructional Technology
Conference 2007
Title: IT Perspectives of Faculty and Student in Graduate Education
Name: Gary Schneider, Karen Thurmond
Audience Level: all
Audience: faculty, deans, general
Length: 1 hour
Abstract:
We will present the results of a recent study that explored the knowledge and use of information technology among faculty and students in a graduate department of leadership. Comparisons of responses will be provided leading to recommendations for the systemic changes necessary to enhance effective learning.
Description:
The researchers will present results derived from a recent study that explored the knowledge and use of information technology among members of the faculty and student body of a graduate department of leadership. The study explored patterns of IT use by faculty members, and knowledge and preferences of the learner community, vis-a-vis the information provided by the EDUCAUSE Center for Applied Research (ECAR) in its recent annual surveys concerning the knowledge and use of IT among undergraduate populations. Comparisons will be provided regarding student and faculty perspectives, as well as with the ECAR data, leading to recommendations for the systemic changes necessary to enhance effective learning. These recommendations will be the basis for an interactive dialogue concerning the establishment of a successful learning culture. The project involved two graduate student from the department of leadership, higher education concentration, and the faculty and graduate students from all programs in that department. The data we collected from an adapted version of the Educause survey was easily manipulated with the internet based survey system, Survey Monkey. Both students were coopted as members of the department's Technology Committee during the project.
Recommendations were made to that committee. Some of the key findings of the study included:
Most students and faculty members acknowledged ownership of a computer. Students were more likely to own other types of electronic devices that could be used in relationship to coursework.
Faculty and students felt confident about their abilities to use information technology (IT) for word processing, spreadsheets, and presentation software. Students generally expressed more confidence about their abilities to use technology to accomplish various types of tasks.
Both groups reported low usage of IT for creating graphics, creating and editing audio/video, and creating web pages.
Regarding how much IT is preferred in their coursework, over 80% of both groups preferred at least the “moderate” use – and almost 50% of both groups preferred “extensive” use – of IT.
Both faculty and students expressed positive opinions about the impact IT has had on teaching and learning processes. Faculty were not as convinced as the students of its impact on deep forms of learning, but still expressed positive attitudes for the ways in which it had helped their teaching. Faculty particularly noted the ways in which it had improved communication with their students.
Both groups expressed positive experiences in the use of course management systems. Those who had used these systems more gave higher scores to their usage. Perceived skill with technology, however, did not appear to be a significant influence on these results.
Although both faculty and students expressed confidence about their abilities to use IT, they also both expressed a desire for more training in the various applications made available through IT.
There was a different rate of response to the student version of the survey according to major program. Policy decisions based on this research would need to take that response rate into consideration. Also differences in technology use were evident according to major program of the student.
Session Type: Lecture/Presentation - presenter shares information about the session topic with participants.
Contact information/affiliation:
Gary Schneider
Graduate Student
Dept of Leadership
The University of Memphis
McCord Hall 112
Memphis TN 38152
901-678-4503
gschneid@memphis.edu
Karen Thurmond
Graduate Student
Dept of Leadership
The University of Memphis
Wilder Tower Room 500
Memphis TN 38152
901-678-2783
kthurmnd@memphis.edu