STUDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS
OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF
TECHNOLOGY USE BY
PROFESSORS
IT 635
Natalie Cainaru
Alaa Alfarooqi
Hong Yang
Our Research Questions
• What are SUNY Potsdam students’ perceptions of the
effectiveness of technology use by their professors?
• What are SUNY Potsdam students’ perceptions of the
effectiveness of the technologies that they (the students
themselves) are using?
The Research Process
1. Define Research Questions
2. Conduct Faculty & Staff Interviews
3. Design Surveys
4. Pre-test Survey
5. Redesign Survey Questions
6. Distribute Survey by Email
7. Collect Data
8. Analyze Data
Results
Demographics
Freshmen
21%
Sophomores
15%
Juniors
19%
Seniors
28%
Graduate Students
16%
Other
1%
Percentage of Survey Participants by Class Year
Figure 1. Percentage of Survey Participants by class year (n=238).
Total Total
Anthropology 6 French 3
Archaeological Studies 1 Geology 1
Archaeology 9 History 13
Art Education 1 History Education 2
Art History 2 Literacy 2
Art Studio 9 Literature/Writing 1
Biochemistry 3 Mathematics 9
Biology 19 Mathematics (GRAD) 1
Business Administration 16 MST 5
Business Economics 1 Music 4
Chemistry 4 Music Composition 2
Childhood Education 4 Music Education 20
Childhood Education (GRAD) 8 OPLT 12
Communications 5 Performance Music 8
Community Health 9 Physics 4
Computer Science 9 Politics 5
Creative Writing 7 Psychology 30
Criminal Justice 8 Secondary Education 4
Criminal Justice Studies 1 Sociology 6
Curriculum & Instruction 3 Spanish 2
Early Childhood 9 Special Education (GRAD) 1
Economics 2 Speech Communication 2
Education 2 Student Initiated Interdepartmental
Major
1
Educational Technology
Specialist
10 Theater 6
English 3 Visual Arts 2
English & Communication
(GRAD)
1 Women's Studies 1
English Education 1 Undecided 11
Environmental Studies 3 Did Not Indicate 4
n=287
Table 1. Survey Participants Majors (n=287).
Tech Usage Compared with Tech Desire
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Other
Image sharing sites
Blogs
Video conferencing
Mobile apps
Course webspace
i>Clickers
Spreadsheet software
Social media
Cloud storage
Smartboard
Text processing software
Digital media
Video Streaming
Moodle
Presentation software
Percentage of Survey Participants (%)
KindsofTechnology
Kinds of technology students want that would better support the
curriculum/course material compared with technology use by professors in
class
Technology Students Want Technology Professors Use
Figure 2. Comparing two questions: For this semester, in general, what kinds of technology do your professors use in your
class? (n=236) and What kinds of technology would you like your professors to use that would better support the
curriculum/course material? (n=212).
Effectiveness of Tech Use by Professors
71%
28%
32%
33%
37%
38%
39%
52%
58%
62%
69%
74%
79%
85%
89%
92%
29%
72%
68%
67%
63%
62%
61%
48%
42%
38%
31%
26%
21%
15%
11%
8%
Other
Mobile apps
Image sharing sites
Blogs
Social media
Video conferencing
Smartboard
Course webspace
i>Clickers
Cloud storage
Spreadsheet software
Digital media
Moodle
Video Streaming
Text processing software
Presentation software
Students' Opinions on Effectiveness of Professors' Technology Use
Effectively Ineffectively
Figure 3. For this semester, in general, based upon your experiences, do your
professors use the following? (n=230).
Opinions on Absence of Tech
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%
Technology specifically linked to the lessons is unavailable
Other
There is not enough time for professors to use technology.
More students than technology
Teaching space is inadequate for the use of technology
Hardware/software malfunctions when used.
Lessons are not compatible with the use of technology
The professor has strict preferences about the technology they use
Professors are unable to use technology
Percentage of Survey Participants (%)
Reasons
Students Opinions on the Reasons Behind Professors' Use of No
Technology
Figure 4. In general, what do you think are the reasons behind the professor’s use of
no technology? (n=222). Purple bars indicate aspects that professors can control .
Opinions on Appropriate Uses of Devices in Class
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Other
Using social media
Checking communications from others
Sending communications to others
Taking pictures
Calculations
Recording lecture
Looking up information relevant to lecture
Taking notes
Percentage of Survey Participants (%)
Scenarios
Students' Opinions about appropriate uses of electronic devices in the
classroom
Figure 5. What do you feel are the appropriate uses of electronic devices in the
classroom? (n=220).
Tech that Students Use on Their Own
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90%
SCVNGR
Foursquare
Other
LinkedIn
Image sharing sites
Blogs
Tumblr
Mobile apps
Dropbox
Helios
Video conferencing
Google+
Twitter
Google Docs
Digital media
Electronic library resources
Moodle
Facebook
Percentage of Survey Participants (%)
TypesofTechnology
Technology That Students Use on Their Own
Figure 6. Do you yourself (without initiative of the professor) use the following?
(n=216).
Opinions about Improvement with Tech
75%
19%
26%
36%
41%
43%
43%
45%
55%
56%
60%
25%
81%
74%
64%
59%
57%
57%
55%
45%
44%
40%
Other
Blogs
Digital media creation/editing software
Cloud storage
Spreadsheet software
Windows-based devices
Video Streaming
Social media
Presentation software
Text processing software
Mac-based devices
Students' Opinions About Their Improvement with Technology
Improved Not Improved
Figure 7. Since taking classes at SUNY Potsdam, do you feel your skills in the
following technology have improved? (n=208).
Conclusion
• Professors are effectively using the most popular and
most desired technologies in their classes.
• Training could help improve the effectiveness and
adoption of many technologies in the classroom.
• Students do not feel they are improving with regards to
certain technology
• Students already acknowledge what could be considered
“appropriate” uses of their own technology in the
classroom
Suggestions for further study
• Suggestions for future research could be to generate a
more in-depth survey regarding students’ expectations
about what technologies they think professors should be
using in their courses. Such a survey could be general or
could go deeper into technology use by specific academic
departments.

PPT Student perceptions of tech use 2013

  • 1.
    STUDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS OF THEEFFECTIVENESS OF TECHNOLOGY USE BY PROFESSORS IT 635 Natalie Cainaru Alaa Alfarooqi Hong Yang
  • 2.
    Our Research Questions •What are SUNY Potsdam students’ perceptions of the effectiveness of technology use by their professors? • What are SUNY Potsdam students’ perceptions of the effectiveness of the technologies that they (the students themselves) are using?
  • 3.
    The Research Process 1.Define Research Questions 2. Conduct Faculty & Staff Interviews 3. Design Surveys 4. Pre-test Survey 5. Redesign Survey Questions 6. Distribute Survey by Email 7. Collect Data 8. Analyze Data
  • 4.
  • 5.
    Demographics Freshmen 21% Sophomores 15% Juniors 19% Seniors 28% Graduate Students 16% Other 1% Percentage ofSurvey Participants by Class Year Figure 1. Percentage of Survey Participants by class year (n=238).
  • 6.
    Total Total Anthropology 6French 3 Archaeological Studies 1 Geology 1 Archaeology 9 History 13 Art Education 1 History Education 2 Art History 2 Literacy 2 Art Studio 9 Literature/Writing 1 Biochemistry 3 Mathematics 9 Biology 19 Mathematics (GRAD) 1 Business Administration 16 MST 5 Business Economics 1 Music 4 Chemistry 4 Music Composition 2 Childhood Education 4 Music Education 20 Childhood Education (GRAD) 8 OPLT 12 Communications 5 Performance Music 8 Community Health 9 Physics 4 Computer Science 9 Politics 5 Creative Writing 7 Psychology 30 Criminal Justice 8 Secondary Education 4 Criminal Justice Studies 1 Sociology 6 Curriculum & Instruction 3 Spanish 2 Early Childhood 9 Special Education (GRAD) 1 Economics 2 Speech Communication 2 Education 2 Student Initiated Interdepartmental Major 1 Educational Technology Specialist 10 Theater 6 English 3 Visual Arts 2 English & Communication (GRAD) 1 Women's Studies 1 English Education 1 Undecided 11 Environmental Studies 3 Did Not Indicate 4 n=287 Table 1. Survey Participants Majors (n=287).
  • 7.
    Tech Usage Comparedwith Tech Desire 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% Other Image sharing sites Blogs Video conferencing Mobile apps Course webspace i>Clickers Spreadsheet software Social media Cloud storage Smartboard Text processing software Digital media Video Streaming Moodle Presentation software Percentage of Survey Participants (%) KindsofTechnology Kinds of technology students want that would better support the curriculum/course material compared with technology use by professors in class Technology Students Want Technology Professors Use Figure 2. Comparing two questions: For this semester, in general, what kinds of technology do your professors use in your class? (n=236) and What kinds of technology would you like your professors to use that would better support the curriculum/course material? (n=212).
  • 8.
    Effectiveness of TechUse by Professors 71% 28% 32% 33% 37% 38% 39% 52% 58% 62% 69% 74% 79% 85% 89% 92% 29% 72% 68% 67% 63% 62% 61% 48% 42% 38% 31% 26% 21% 15% 11% 8% Other Mobile apps Image sharing sites Blogs Social media Video conferencing Smartboard Course webspace i>Clickers Cloud storage Spreadsheet software Digital media Moodle Video Streaming Text processing software Presentation software Students' Opinions on Effectiveness of Professors' Technology Use Effectively Ineffectively Figure 3. For this semester, in general, based upon your experiences, do your professors use the following? (n=230).
  • 9.
    Opinions on Absenceof Tech 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% Technology specifically linked to the lessons is unavailable Other There is not enough time for professors to use technology. More students than technology Teaching space is inadequate for the use of technology Hardware/software malfunctions when used. Lessons are not compatible with the use of technology The professor has strict preferences about the technology they use Professors are unable to use technology Percentage of Survey Participants (%) Reasons Students Opinions on the Reasons Behind Professors' Use of No Technology Figure 4. In general, what do you think are the reasons behind the professor’s use of no technology? (n=222). Purple bars indicate aspects that professors can control .
  • 10.
    Opinions on AppropriateUses of Devices in Class 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% Other Using social media Checking communications from others Sending communications to others Taking pictures Calculations Recording lecture Looking up information relevant to lecture Taking notes Percentage of Survey Participants (%) Scenarios Students' Opinions about appropriate uses of electronic devices in the classroom Figure 5. What do you feel are the appropriate uses of electronic devices in the classroom? (n=220).
  • 11.
    Tech that StudentsUse on Their Own 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% SCVNGR Foursquare Other LinkedIn Image sharing sites Blogs Tumblr Mobile apps Dropbox Helios Video conferencing Google+ Twitter Google Docs Digital media Electronic library resources Moodle Facebook Percentage of Survey Participants (%) TypesofTechnology Technology That Students Use on Their Own Figure 6. Do you yourself (without initiative of the professor) use the following? (n=216).
  • 12.
    Opinions about Improvementwith Tech 75% 19% 26% 36% 41% 43% 43% 45% 55% 56% 60% 25% 81% 74% 64% 59% 57% 57% 55% 45% 44% 40% Other Blogs Digital media creation/editing software Cloud storage Spreadsheet software Windows-based devices Video Streaming Social media Presentation software Text processing software Mac-based devices Students' Opinions About Their Improvement with Technology Improved Not Improved Figure 7. Since taking classes at SUNY Potsdam, do you feel your skills in the following technology have improved? (n=208).
  • 13.
    Conclusion • Professors areeffectively using the most popular and most desired technologies in their classes. • Training could help improve the effectiveness and adoption of many technologies in the classroom. • Students do not feel they are improving with regards to certain technology • Students already acknowledge what could be considered “appropriate” uses of their own technology in the classroom
  • 14.
    Suggestions for furtherstudy • Suggestions for future research could be to generate a more in-depth survey regarding students’ expectations about what technologies they think professors should be using in their courses. Such a survey could be general or could go deeper into technology use by specific academic departments.