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Survey Results

In January 2003, TELR deployed a survey to a subset of OSU faculty (about 1200 people) about what they wanted to see in a Course Management System at the university.

1. 374 Respondents:

276 (74%) used WebCT;
93 (25%) have not used WebCT;
5 (1%) don’t know if they have used WebCT

Focus group volunteers: 107

2. Experience levels with technology:

Rated themselves as “very experienced” doing the following:

95% to 92%: Use e-mail; create documents with word processor; attach files to e-mail
83%: Browse for files on hard drive;
71%: Load programs on desktop machine
61% to 60%: Make PowerPoint presentations; Learn new software on their own;
55%: Use discipline-specific software in their field
34%: Resize images for use on the web
32%: Create web pages with a web page authoring tool
18%: Use a programming language
16%: Create web pages using HTML code

Rated themselves as having “some experience” doing the following:

38%: use a programming language
37% create web pages with a web page authoring tool
34% resize images for use on the web
33% create web pages with HTML code
33%: learn new software on my own
29% make powerpoint presentations
29%: use discipline specific software in my field
23%: load programs on desktop machines

The items that got the highest number of respondents saying that they have no experience were:

50% create web pages with HTML code
44% use a programming language
32%: resize images for use on the web.
31% create web pages with a web page authoring tool

3. Importance of technology tools:

We asked, “Imagine you were asked to teach a class using technology. Please rank the importance of each of these items to the overall success of your class and your students’ learning with 1 being “not important” and 5 being “must have.”

“Must have” or “Very Important”:

86% Online syllabi and other documents
73% Online announcements
70% Online access to library resources and readings
64% Online grade book
57% Electronic submission of homework
55% Interactive assessments (e.g., practice quizzes, quizzing and testing)
45% Access to video and audio recordings
44% Online discussions
41% Presentation gallery for student work
37% Laboratory exercises and research work
37% Group projects workspace
35% Electronic office hours
26% E-journaling
17% Video conferencing

4. Discipline specific software most often mentioned was SPSS. Others often mentioned in response to the question, “please list any discipline-specific software programs you use in your field of study,” were Matlab, SAS, Minitab, AutoCAD, Cadkey, Mathematica, ArcGIS, and Microsoft Office programs (Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Project).

5. The question, “What do you like about WebCT?” drew both specific and general answers. In general, users like:

  • Having a central location for course information
  • Easy communication with students
  • Students’ ability to check on grades
  • Ease of use
  • Positive student feedback

More specifically, users like WebCT’s:

  • Bulletin board
  • Grade book
  • Online course material (syllabus, handouts, etc.)
  • Quizzes.

6. The question, “What do you dislike about WebCT?” drew answers that focused on development problems, system reliability, and lack of advanced features.

Development problems:

  • Cumbersome design
  • Lack of support and training
  • Steep learning curve

System reliability:

  • System crashes
  • Slow system
  • Email problems
  • Grade book problems

Lack of advanced features:

  • File upload difficult
  • Inflexibility
  • No spell check

7. Other comments on selection of a CMS at Ohio State:

  • Users want OSU to ramp up its distance education offerings
  • Different departments have special needs
  • Departments have varying degrees of support
  • Users want a state-wide solution
  • Users want a very well tested system
  • Users don’t want OIT to make a unilateral decision
  • Respondents want a single login
  • Users want a system that converts all material from WebCT well
  • System should have flexible scheduling
  • System must integrate with other university systems, especially the registrar’s office
  • System must have adequate capacity
  • A number of respondents mentioned video conferencing as a goal
  • Respondent want a system that is easy to learn, flexible, and user-friendly
  • Some users were very unhappy with WebCT
  • Some users want OIT to keep WebCT
  • Some users want more support
  • Some users like the current support system