Survey Overview
The Academic Technology Survey helps OIT's Academic Technology team understand if tools such as Canvas, Zoom and Classroom Capture are meeting campus teaching and learning needs, and is one way OIT identifies limits and gaps in current support and training offerings.
- This survey was launched in February 2024.
- Surveys were sent to all teaching faculty and reflects a 20% sample of undergraduate students.
- 15% faculty response rate and 8% student response rate, with good representation across colleges, departments/majors, faculty and student roles.
Key Findings
Tool Satisfaction
Overall tool satisfaction is good, with students more likely than faculty to feel neutral about a tool. Additional findings:
- Canvas was ranked favorably by both Faculty at 78% and Students at 89%. Students reported being 66% satisfied with Instructor Use of Canvas.
- Zoom was rated highly by both groups with a dissatisfaction rate of only 9%.
- The Classroom Capture Service was rated at 86% for faculty, and 82% for students.
- PlayPosit was also rated highly by Faculty at 85% and Students have an overall favorable view of the service at 66%.
Canvas Satisfaction
Faculty and students are satisfied with Canvas overall, but less satisfied with design options (for faculty) or faculty design choices (for students).
- When dissatisfied with Canvas, faculty point to lack of customization options or features that aren't adaptable to some specific pedagogical needs or use cases.
- Students, when dissatisfied, point to lack of consistency between courses in Canvas that translates to lack of clarity about expectations and uncertainty.
- "Every instructor sets up their canvas page entirely differently and I only find where things are through trial-and-error. I wish there was tighter standardization to save time and effort."
- "Teachers should stop making it a game to find your materials; sometimes the way that classes are laid out in Canvas is completely ineffective."
Course Modality Preference
- Faculty and students overwhelmingly desire in-person learning opportunities.
- 25% of students want hybrid offerings, most in combination with in-person offerings.
Lecture Capture Expansion
Classroom Capture was very highly rated by respondents and frequently requested in more classrooms.
Support
- Faculty see OIT as a key resource for academic technology support, and also do self-directed problem-solving.
- Students are more likely to consult classmates and friends before going to a TA or professor, and fewer go to OIT.
Training
- Faculty requested more training, and students request that faculty have more training.
- Faculty requested training topics or modalities that are already offered, which means we need to examine awareness of current training offerings and how to better communicate about OIT's Training options.
- Faculty are motivated to use more or better technology if there is clear evidence of improved student learning, and if it promises to save them time.
AI Perceptions
Faculty and students have mixed perceptions of AI's benefits and challenges.
What We're Doing Next
- Canvas Course Templates: OIT is partnering with the CTL to create student- & faculty-informed, optional course templates, currently piloting and coming to campus in Spring 2025. Visit the Center for Teaching and Learning website for more information including a video demo.
- Canvas Studio: Lower than average satisfaction with Canvas Studio, now OIT's replacement for Kaltura, is prompting an assessment of gaps or issues, and potential improvements or trainings. For training on Canvas Studio or other tools, request an Academic Technology training or consultation.
- Lecture Capture: Classroom Capture received high satisfaction and requests for expansion, but is not financially feasible to provide to all classrooms. OIT is exploring how to expand lecture capture access to more classrooms.
- AI Support Needs: OIT is evaluating AI components for existing tools as they are released. For example, Turnitin's new AI detection tool was assessed and the added cost, combined with low tool accuracy, led OIT to not support the tool.
Questions & Contact
Do these findings align with your experience? Questions on other findings? Did you miss the survey, and would you like to provide feedback? Please contact Rebecca Kallemeyn for more information.
