EduCause 2014: What matters most to Students and Faculty

EDUCAUSE Technology Research in the Academic Community: "What Matters Most to Your Students and Faculty?"

The data below are based on a survey collected from about 73,000 undergraduates and 17,000 faculty in 2014.

Source data:  http://www.educause.edu/ecar/subscribe

US Market share for Learning Management Systems (or as we call them in the UK, VLEs):

Blackboard marketshare seems to be declining a little - particuarly if the share for the old WebCT is added.  Canvas and Desire2Learn seem to be growing - Canvas from a standing start in 2008/9.

So, a number of questions that were answered in the survey - detailed below.

Online learning helps students learn more effectively? 30% Faculty agreed.  (sounds a bit low)

Students - what's the best learning environment?

1 in 10 prefer just face to face
7 in 10 prefer some on-line
1 in 20 prefer completely on-line.

Older students 25+ prefer more on-line (which probably is related to out of education commitments)

What's a MOOC?- 76% of Faculty knew what a MOOC was.  25% of students knew.

1 in 5 of Faculty (who presumably knew what a MOOC is) did not know what their value might be.

Students - what would they include on a CV?

90% Undergraduate degree
50%+ academic certificate
30%+ industry certificate
20% digital badge

Interesting that 10% of sample wouldn't include their degree in a CV.

Student opinions about collection of personal data by their University?

9% would object.  91% would either be neutral or positive.

Faculty and student technical inclinations?

Disposition towards technology score?

65% thought technology was a positive contributer
70% had a positive attitude to technology
72% actually used technology

65% seems quite low as a positive contribution

Faculty – how good are students' technical skills?

67% thought students pretty good.
54% thought students could do better on LMS
47% students should be better prepared for basics
50% thought faculty need more help

Where do you go to for technical help?

Faculty – use more official channels – offical channels (heldesk etc)75%, peers 60%, Internet 45%, family 20%

Mostly, Faculty thought satisfaction was good or excellent.

Students – Internet / google 65%, instructors 50%, helpdesk 25%, company vendor 15%

Key difference - helpdesk use, unofficial channels for information.

Learning Management Systems

Faculty thought the LMS Is a useful tool to ehance teaching? 74%
Enhance student teaching? 71%

How is the LMS used?

To push information - 60%
To promote remote interaction - 40%

Students want instructors to use LMS more?

60% of students.

Faculty satisfaction with LMS?

Post content - 75%
Receiving course assignments - 70%
Managing assignments - 60%

Student satisfaction with LMS?

Course content - 75%
Interaction with instructors - 55%
Interaction with students  - 50%

Students and devices ownership

Laptop - 90%
Smartphone - 85%
Tablet - 60%
e-Reader 30%

Bring Your Own Device

Faculty In class BYOD experience?

Distracting - 70%
Can enhance learning - 55%
Worried about security / privacy - 40%
Create assignments to take advantage 25%

What do student want to use BYOD for?

Look up info 55%
Capture images - 40%
Interaction - 35%
Digital passport for access - 30%
Record instructor - 25%+