GREENCASTLE, Ind. -- Nearly three-fourths of history professors are not satisfied with their current level of using technology in their teaching, according to a survey conducted by Dennis A. Trinkle, DePauw University assistant professor of history and executive director of the American Association for History and Computing.
On the other hand, about the same percentage of history faculty are satisfied with their level of technology use in research, the survey indicated.
The survey was conducted by Trinkle on behalf of the American Association for History and Computing, and it was sent by electronic mail to thousands of individual historians and by snail mail to the department head at each college and university registered with the American Historical Association. Trinkle received 484 responses, or roughly 5 percent of those teaching history at the college and university level.
"The good news is that a lot of faculty are thinking about technology and how to use it to improve teaching, research and all aspects of higher education. On every campus, there seems to be some unique and positive way in which faculty are using technology," Trinkle said.
"Many people are trying a variety things with technology and everything is not working. There are a lot of successes and a lot of failures. We're in a transition period, of sorts."
Some consistent points do stand out, Trinkle noted. On campuses that provide training and support to faculty who want to explore the incorporation of technology, the use of technology seems to be working better than on campuses that do not provide adequate training and support. And, on campuses where the use of technology is mandated by administration, there are problems and faculty are resisting.
Trinkle also noticed a difference in the way technology is handled at large, research institutions compared to smaller, liberal arts colleges. "The large, research institutions seem to be looking at technology more as a cost-effective, efficiency measure. A number of respondents in the survey lamented that technology is being used in a business fashion to improve fiscal efficiency and replace faculty, such as through taped class lectures and distance learning, without regard to the impact on learning.
"Interestingly, there are no liberal arts colleges represented in the survey that are offering distance learning. Liberal arts colleges are looking at ways to keep technology human-centered, with faculty working personally with technology and students."
Specifically for the history discipline, Trinkle said the survey indicates some positive benefits from technology: (1) Students and faculty have unprecedented access to primary and secondary resources, (2) certain students seem to be more willing to contact professors and more comfortable asking questions by e-mail, (3) faculty using discussion lists and chat rooms seem to be adding something to the classroom experience, (4) researching, producing and publishing Web pages seems to excite students, and (5) faculty are now finding it easier to coordinate multimedia teaching, compared to the days when a slide projector, overhead projector or tape recorder offered the only opportunities."
"Although no one has found a convincing or reliable way to measure how technology affects learning outcome, a consistent theme of the survey is that many students do "enjoy" learning more in a course that involves the use of technology," Trinkle said.
Here are highlights from the survey results:
*Does your university require you to use computer technology in any way? Yes: 35.6 percent. No: 64.4 percent.
*Do you currently use computer technology in your research? Yes: 92.6 percent. No: 7.4 percent.
*Do you currently use computer technology for scholarly communication? Yes: 100 percent.
*Do you currently use computer technology in your teaching? Yes: 82 percent. No: 18 percent.
*Do you offer distance learning courses? Yes: 23.9 percent. No: 76.1 percent.
*Do you require students to use e-mail in your courses? Yes: 49 percent. No: 51 percent.
*Do you require students to use discussion groups, chat rooms or Web bulletin boards in your courses? Yes: 28 percent. No: 72 percent.
*Do you require students to use the Internet for research in your courses? Yes: 45.7 percent. No: 54.3 percent.
*Do you require/encourage students to create individual multimedia presentations or Web sites as an assignment in your courses? Yes: 28.7 percent. No: 71.3 percent.
*Do you require/encourage students to create group multimedia presentations or Web sites as an assignment in your courses? Yes: 22.3 percent. No: 77.7 percent.
*Do you create a Web site for students in your courses? Yes: 50 percent. No: 50 percent.
*Do you use the Internet to offer students interactive or self-directed opportunities to learn? Yes: 25.5 percent. No: 74.5 percent.
*Do you provide students in your courses with any specific technological training (either personally or through continuing support services)? Yes: 57 percent. No: 43 percent.
*Does your institution provide technology support or training for you? Yes: 92 percent. No: 8 percent.
*Do you consider your institution's support adequate? Yes: 44.6 percent No: 55.4 percent.
*Are you satisfied with your present use of technology in your teaching? Yes: 29.5 percent. No: 70.5 percent.
*Are you satisfied with your present use of technology in your research? Yes: 69.5 percent. No: 30.5 percent.
*Are you satisfied with your present use of technology for scholarly communication? Yes: 84.5 percent. No: 15.5 percent.
*Do you feel that your institution has an appropriate plan for present and future purchase and use of technology? Yes: 45 percent. No: 55 percent.
For more information, contact:
Larry Anderson
Director of Public Relations
DePauw University
Greencastle, Indiana 46135
765-658-4628, [email protected]
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