23
85
3. In a typical week during (this term, semester or quarter) approximately how many
times did you participate in each of the following activities?
As the research question examines the use of technology by faculty, items under
the first instruction (i.e., technology used by faculty for instruction), were identified to be
relevant for examining research question two. Where items indicated similar activities,
the most common practices of faculty members were selected. Eleven items addressing
the different technologies were selected out of sixteen for this present study.
To examine research question three (what are the technology skill levels of
faculty at Ohio University) items under (b) Technology Sophistication from the
Flashlight Faculty Inventory were examined. Ten items out of twenty were identified to
represent each of the skill level indicated. For example, where two items relate to the
same skill (i.e., program a computer using a programming language such as Fortran, C,
C++, or a database such as Foxpro or Oracle etc., and program a computer using a
database language such as Foxpro or Oracle, etc.) items were combined into one
statement (e.g., program a computer using a programming language; Fortran, C, C++, or
a database language; Foxpro or Oracle).
The academic and demographic information in the study were selected in an
attempt to minimize requests to obtain personal information which may be considered
intrusive. Dillman (2000) reports that many survey questions ask for information that
some people do not reveal to others; for example, questions regarding annual income,
past sexual behavior, methods of disciplining children, or use of drugs may deter
respondents from answering or completing the survey and thereby reduce response rate.
23
86
The questionnaire used in this study were mailed along with a cover letter
(Appendix D) that stated the purpose of the study and a consent letter (Appendix E) to
inform participants about the questions, anticipated benefits of the study, participant
confidentiality, research contact information, participants rights to withdraw during the
study, a section for participant’s signature to that all known risks were explained, a
statement indicating that no compensation is available from Ohio University and its
employers for any injury resulting from participation and finally, consent for participants
to be contacted for a follow-up interview at a later date.
The research questions were addressed according to the following parts of the
questionnaire (Appendix A): Part II Educational Strategies was used to examine research
question one. Part III, Experience with Technology: (A) Technology Use was used to
examine research question two. Part III, Experience with Technology, (B) Technology
Sophistication was used to examine research question three. To answer research question
four, interviews were conducted per randomly selected Group I faculty members who had
consented to be interviewed.
An interview is a purposeful conversation directed by a researcher to obtain
descriptive data in the subjects’ own words (Bogdan & Biklen, 2003). This method of
data collection was to enable the researcher to develop insights on how subjects interpret
their practices regarding using technology. According to Bogdan and Biklen (2003)
interviews may be used as the dominant strategy for data collection or may be employed
in conjunction with participant observation, document analysis, or other techniques. This
present study used qualitative interview in conjunction with the data obtained from the
24
87
survey to examine how faculty at Ohio University used technology during the 2002-2003
academic year.
Research question four (Appendix C) required more exploration to understand
and explain the changing roles of faculty in regard to technology use, and therefore the
choice of a qualitative approach was ideal (Creswell, 1998). Unstructured qualitative
interviewing techniques were employed to encourage faculty to talk in their fields of
specialization and then probed more deeply following leads based on the topics and
issues which the respondents initiated.
The Setting
Ohio University was established in 1804 and was the first university in the
Northwest Territory. It is located in the Appalachian foothills of southeastern Ohio, and
is the oldest public institution of higher learning in the state of Ohio. The institution has
been cited for academic quality and value in many publications including the America's
100 Best College Buys, Princeton Review's Best Colleges, and Peterson's Guide to
Competitive Colleges. In 2002, U.S. News and World Report ranked Ohio University
45th in the nation for academic quality. The John Templeton Foundation also recognizes
Ohio University as one of the top character-building institutions in the country. The
University is fully accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools,
and by a number of professional accrediting agencies (Quick Facts about Ohio
University, 2003)
Since 1946, the university has served as the major educational and cultural
institution in southeastern Ohio. It has regional branch campuses at Chillicothe, Ironton,
Lancaster, St. Clairsville, and Zanesville. Currently, these campuses enroll over 8,000
24
88
students. The Athens campus alone serves over 19,000 students. The full-time, part-
time, and continuing education enrollment for Ohio University totals more than 28,000
students (Quick Facts about Ohio University, 2003). As of April 2003, the university had
712 Group I Tenure Track Faculty (Human Resources Technology and Information
Services, 2003).
Technology Initiatives at Ohio University
Ohio University is classified as doctoral/research-extensive institution by the
Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. In the United States only 151
(3.8 percent) of 3,941 schools assessed by Carnegie Foundation are designated as
doctoral/research-extensive universities (Ohio University Fact Book, 2003). Ohio
University acknowledges technology as an intrinsic means in fulfilling its research and
educational mission as witnessed in increased growth in technology-related initiatives on
the Athens and regional campuses.
A noteworthy example of this was the project Enhancing Learning through
Technology: A Blueprint for Innovative Change made possible in 1997 through a
$922,000 Technology Initiative grant from the Ohio Board of Regents and over $2
million in matching funds committed by the university (Strategic Technology Plan, Ohio
University, 1999). This award supported innovative uses of technology for teaching and
learning in the following ways: established and enhanced computer networking
infrastructure including, connections to all residence halls; provided support for faculty to
develop and deliver innovative uses of technology for instruction through Technology
Initiative Packages (TIPs); developed the Center for Innovations in Technology for
Learning (CITL) for university-wide support, coordination, and dissemination of TIPs
24
89
and other technologically innovative projects intended to enhance learning; and
established an on-campus liaison to the Ohio Supercomputer Center (Facts at your
fingertips, 2003).
Ohio University presently has computing facilities to serve both the Athens and
regional campuses. These facilities include central systems, microcomputers (both
Windows and Macintosh) and workstations, and may serve either a particular College’s
or Department’s needs or remain available for use by all students and faculty. The
university provides access to “host” central computer systems that serve many students
and faculty simultaneously and instantly. Such systems provide on-line access to a
variety of information sources; (e.g., “ALICE” provides access to the on-line library
catalog), “OAK” provides Internet access, (including Web page publishing and E-mail
for all students and employees), and “OUVAXA” supports instruction by operating
LISTSERV-style E-mail discussions for any course offered (Ohio University Computing
facilities, 2003).
Other Educational technology initiatives undertaken over the years at Ohio
University include:
1. Degree Completion:
a) Course Applicability System (CAS) Project: The CAS project provides transfer
students, faculty, and staff World Wide Web-based access to information on course
acceptability, equivalency, and applicability among colleges and universities.
b) Independent Study Online: Ohio University’s Independent and Distance learning
Programs have been providing learning opportunities at times and places of convenience
to students for more than 75 years. The Ohio University Office of Independent Study
26
90
offers Web-based courses which take advantage of the speed, flexibility, and interactivity
of the Internet and World Wide Web. Other course-delivery options include print, audio
and videotape, and compact disks. This office also provides information on academic
programs and opportunities for electronic enrollment in courses (Ohio University
Independent and Distance learning Programs, 2003).
c) Graduate Studies at a Distance:
This program provides educational
opportunities to many prospective graduate students who work full-time or are bound by
family and other outside obligations, in locations throughout Ohio and beyond. The
Division of Lifelong Learning in cooperation with the Office of Graduate Studies and the
academic colleges use alternative formats to offer distance learning for masters-level
coursework. These formats include use of the Internet to offer courses to students online,
the utilization of video-conferencing capabilities to provide interactive experiences for
students and faculty, and on-site group meetings either at local facilities or on the Athens
or its regional campuses. An example of such a program is the MBA Without
Boundaries, a project-based master’s degree program offered by the College of Business
to business people around the world (Lifelong Learning Programs, 2003).
2. Workforce Development
a) Online Professional Development and Continuing Education:
Today’s
workforce needs to be educated beyond academic boundaries to adapt to trends in
changing technologies, expanding bodies of information, and consumer demands. The
Division of Lifelong Learning, through its Office of Continuing Education, is responding
to these new demands. The Mobile Computer Education Laboratory (M-CEL) provides
companies and place-bound workers with a training lab that is literally “delivered to the
Documents you may be interested
Documents you may be interested
