EPIC Faculty Survey
2003
Table of Contents
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Introduction
Methods
Objectives
How to Read the Graphs in This Presentation
Respondent Profile
Use of Print and Electronic Resources
Perceived Benefits and Disadvantages of Using Electronic Resources
Use of Electronic Resources for Research
Electronic Resources and Teaching
Faculty Perceptions of Electronic Resources and Students
Conclusions
Slide 3
Slide 4
Slide 5
Slide 6
Slide 7
Slide 12
Slide 18
Slide 25
Slide 33
Slide 39
Slide 46
Introduction
The Electronic Publishing Initiative at Columbia (EPIC) is
conducting a series of interviews, focus groups, and surveys as
part of a comprehensive research program to examine the
impact of electronic resources on the scholarly communication
process. This includes examining the effect of electronic
resources on publishers of scholarly materials, academic
libraries, information technology departments at institutions of
higher education, college faculty, graduate students, and
undergraduate students.
The study reported here examines the use and effects of
electronic resources on college faculty.
Methods
•
•
•
•
A 25 minute online survey of college faculty was conducted between February 11 and
March 9, 2003.
E-mail invitations were sent to scholars in the fields of International Affairs and
Earth/Environmental Sciences at 4 year colleges and universities across the United
States. We focused on these particular disciplines because two of EPIC’s projects were
created for scholars in these disciplines (Columbia International Affairs Online for
International Affairs and Earthscape for the Earth/Environmental Sciences.)
The overall response rate to this survey was 14%. Of those who responded, 574
individuals met our inclusion criteria. Inclusion criteria stipulated respondents be an
assistant, associate, or full professor at a 4-year liberal arts college, Master’s college or
university, or doctoral/research university, specializing in the field of International
Affairs or Earth Science.
The original sample reflected the underlying distribution of faculty in four year liberal
arts colleges and universities for control of school (public vs. private), rank of
professor (assistant, associate, full), and type of institution (4-year liberal arts, master’s
college or university, or doctoral/research university) based on the last year of data
available (1998). Weighting factors were used to match the sample to the population for
gender, and to distribute discipline so that it was represented as 50% International
Affairs and 50% Earth Sciences.
Objectives
The objectives of this study were to:
• Gain insights into how academics are using electronic
resources in their academic work (both research and
teaching)
• Gain insights into the perceived benefits and
disadvantages of electronic resources
• Learn how academics perceive electronic resources as
affecting undergraduate students’ scholarship
• Examine differences in use of electronic resources based
on stage of career, type of discipline and type of
institution
How to Read The Slides in
This Presentation
•
On each slide, the actual survey question is listed in the bottom left corner of the
slide.
•
The “N=“ that is listed under the title of the slide indicates the number of respondents
who answered a particular question on the survey.
•
The text under the graphs explain the responses and comparisons shown in the graph.
On some slides, bars on the graph are added together when percentages are cited in
the text. For example the text may list the percentage who “agreed” with a certain
statement. This percentage is comprise of those who indicated that they either
strongly or somewhat agreed with the statement.
•
Some slides have a note in the bottom left hand corner stating that “All of the
differences on this chart are statistically significant”. This indicates that statistical
analyses were conducted and the two groups being compared differ from each other
at the .05 level of statistical significance testing on all of the items listed.
Respondent Profile
Gender & Age
N=574
67.0%
Male
Gender
33.0%
Female
2.0%
21-30
28.4%
31-40
Age
32.3%
41-50
24.5%
51-60
61+
0%
11.4%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
• Gender was weighted to match the underlying distribution within the population of faculty at 4-year
colleges and research/doctoral universities.
• Most respondents were between the ages of 31 and 60.
Are you: A. Male B.Female What is your age? (open-ended)
Academic Responsibilities & Level of Appointment
N=574
Solely as a researcher
0.2%
More as a researcher than as a teacher
10.4%
Academic
Responsibilities About equally as a researcher and as a teacher
48.5%
More as a teacher than as a researcher
Solely as a teacher
40.5%
0.4%
39.5%
Full Professor
Level of
Appointment
31.9%
Associate Professor
28.5%
Assistant Professor
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
• Almost half of the respondents split their responsibilities about equally as a teacher and a researcher.
Forty percent identified themselves as more or solely a teacher and 10.6% identified themselves as
more or solely a researcher.
• Level of appointment matched the underlying distribution in the population of faculty in 4-year
colleges and universities.
In terms of your research and teaching responsibilities, how would you describe yourself? Please indicate your level of appointment with your
institution.
Type and Control of Institution
N=574
Doctoral/Research
University
59.2%
27.1%
Comprehensive University
Liberal Arts College
13.7%
67.1%
Public
32.9%
Private
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
• Type of institution and control of institution reflected the underlying distribution of faculty in four year
colleges and universities across the country.
What type of academic institution are you employed at?
Use of and Proficiency with Electronic Resources
N=574
Every day
Use of electronic
resources
60.9%
A few times a week
30.9%
7.2%
A few times a month
Once a month
0.7%
Less than once a month 0.2%
Never 0.0%
Proficiency with
electronic
resources
Extremely proficient (5)
18.2%
Very Proficient
44.6%
Somewhat proficient
Mean
3.79
34.9%
2.3%
Not very proficient
Not at all proficient (1) 0.0%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
• Virtually all of the respondents used electronic resources a few times a week or more (91.8%) and over
60% classify themselves as being extremely or very proficient with electronic resources.
How often would you say you use electronic resources (excluding e-mail) for academic or scholarly purposes?
Please rate your level of proficiency with electronic resources.
Use of Print
and
Electronic Resources
Do you Prefer Print or Electronic Resources?
N=574
It depends
66.4%
Print resources
17.8%
15.8%
Electronic resources
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
•Most faculty members do not have an overwhelming preference for print or electronic resources. Rather, their preference varies on a case
by case basis depending on the type of information they are looking for, how they are going to use the material, and where they are going
to use the material. Print resources are preferred when the material is a book or long article, it is something they need to read in-depth, or
the material contains images or data that does not show up well electronically. Electronic resources are preferred when using materials
that are short in length, searching or browsing for information, for current materials, and when using data or graphics that can be
downloaded and manipulated.
•Of those respondents who prefer print, the main reasons were the ease of handling and reading print. Other reasons included the ability to
write on print, ability to browse, ease of saving print for future use, and ease of evaluating the reliability of print resources.
•Of those respondents who prefer electronic resources, the main reasons were the ease of access and use, saving time and space, and the
ability to access information from anywhere.
•Associate/full professors were statistically more likely to prefer print resources than their junior colleagues. This may be due to their
history of using print resources whereas junior faculty may be more familiar with electronic resources.
Do you prefer print or electronic resources?
Dependence on Resources Used by Faculty
N=574
Somewhat dependent
Not very dependent
Not at all dependent
MEANS
2.
6
%
Very dependent
11.9%
28.2%
Your own subscriptions to journals
Library sponsored electronic databases of other
institutions
24.5%
Library print holdings of other institutions
25.3%
Listservs 10.0%
0%
41.1%
39.7%
30.6%
43.1%
34.3%
10% 20% 30% 40%
20.3%
25.4%
37.3%
26.0%
41.2%
%
13.5%
40.4%
35.0%
Library print holdings of your own institution
3.20
8.7%
%
41.9%
Your own journal/book archives
3.47
%
28.9%
3.58
3.
6
60.2%
5.
1
0. %
4%
Library sponsored electronic databases of your own
institution
30.9%
2.
2
63.7%
The World Wide Web
3.83
4.
3
85.5%
E-mail
3.08
6.7%
2.89
7.7%
2.79
5.6%
2.88
14.4%
2.40
50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
• Respondents report that they are very dependent on electronic resources, especially e-mail, the
World Wide Web and electronic databases sponsored by their own institution.
•The electronic resource that is depended on the least by faculty is Listservs with 44.3% of
respondents reporting that they are very or somewhat dependent.
How dependent are you on the following for your academic or scholarly work?
Dependence on Resources by Type of Institution
N=574
Library sponsored
electronic resources
of other institutions
2.85
2.70
3.08
Library print holdings
of other institutions
Non-Research
Universities/Colleges
2.70
Research Universities
Library print holdings
of your own
institution
2.96
3.15
-
0.5
1.0
1.5
2.0
2.5
3.0
3.5
4.0
• When comparing dependence on different types of resources by type of institution the faculty belong to, a few
differences emerged. Respondents from non-research colleges and universities were statistically more
dependent on resources from other institutions whereas those from research universities were statistically more
dependent on print holdings of their own institution. This is probably due to the fact that research universities
tend to have more extensive library collections compared to other colleges and universities. As a result
respondents from research universities may be able to obtain all of the materials they need from their own
library whereas those from other types of institutions have to rely on the resources of other institutions for some
of their information needs.
How dependent are you on the following for your academic or scholarly work?
All of the differences in means by discipline on this chart are statistically significant.
Faculty Dependence on Various Types of Web Sites
N=574
Very dependent
Somewhat dependent
Not very dependent
Not at all dependent
Means
44.4%
32.2%
16.9%
6.4%
3.15
2.
1%
Library portal
38.0%
41.0%
18.7%
3.15
2.
9%
Government web sites
Organizational web sites
28.1%
Online newspapers
26.7%
Journal web sites (Non
library sponsored)
49.2%
19.5%
26.1%
16.8%
27.7%
41.6%
3.03
19.3%
34.9%
2.60
6.4%
2.69
2.62
Other University web sites
12.7%
0%
10%
43.4%
20%
30%
40%
36.9%
50%
60%
70%
80%
6.8%
90%
100%
•Over three quarters of respondents report they are very or somewhat dependent on government websites
(79%), their institution’s library portal (76.6%), and organizational websites (77.3%). Slightly over half
of respondents were also very or somewhat dependent on online newspapers, journal websites and other
University websites.
How dependent are you on the following types of web sites for your academic or scholarly work?
Electronic Resources’ Affect on Work Habits
N=574
Somewhat agree
Neither agree nor disagree
Somewhat agree
Strongly disagree (1)
Does not apply
8.
6%
2.
8%
1.
9%
Strongly agree (5)
MEAN
49.7%
37.0%
4.30
I use the physical library less than I would if
electronic resources were not available to me
35.0%
4.09
%
16.8%
21.2%
21.3%
0.
8
31.1%
2.85
%
16.4% 15.6%
27.1%
36.2%
0.
6
I have a tendency to go no further than electronic
resources in search for information
4.
1
%
I sometimes find that I settle for materials that are
available online rather than make a trip to the library
to get what I really would like
8.
8
%
44.8%
1.
0
%
7.
1%
7.
6
4. %
5%
I am increasingly dependent on electronic resources
2.25
0%
10%
20% 30%
40% 50% 60%
70% 80%
90% 100%
• Overall, there is an increased reliance on electronic resources, and an increased resistance to using other
modes of information gathering, even when they can’t find what they want electronically. Eighty-six
percent of respondents somewhat or strongly agree that they are becoming more and more dependent on
electronic resources. This in turn is affecting their use of the physical library – more than ¾ of the sample
say they use the physical library less than they would if they did not have access to electronic resources.
Further, 40% somewhat or strongly agree that they would rather settle for what they can find online, even
if it is not quite what they wanted, in order to save making the trip to the library. For 20.5% of our
sample, the use of electronic resources has become so pervasive that they admit to rarely even looking
beyond electronic resources for information.
Please indicate how much you agree or disagree with each statement.
Perceived
Benefits and Disadvantages
of Using
Electronic Resources
Benefits of Electronic Resources--Convenience
N=574
Strongly agree (5)
Somewhat agree
Neither agree nor disagree
Somewhat agree
Strongly disagree (1)
Does not apply
3.
8%
1.
9%
0.
1%
MEAN
Electronic resources save
me time
30.7%
7.6%
4.35
4.
7%
4.
3%
3.
7%
56.0%
Electronic resources
make it possible for me to
work from home or other
location off campus/work
site
51.6%
4.21
9.1%
40.3%
0%
10%
20%
39.1%
30%
40%
50%
60%
10.8% 7.4%
70%
80%
90%
4.08
0.
2%
2.
2%
I can get more information
with less effort when
using electronic
resources as compared to
more traditional methods
of finding information
26.6%
100%
•Respondents were asked to rate their level of agreement or disagreement with several statements about
electronic resources. Statements that reflected the convenience aspect of electronic resources were
typically rated with the strongest agreement. These included saving one time and effort, and allowing one
to access materials from any location.
Please indicate how much you agree or disagree with each statement.
Benefits of Electronic Resources—Improved Availability
N=574
42.8%
Some materials are more readily available
electronically than in print
34.2%
Increased access to pictures/graphics
32.2%
36.3%
Items become available quicker electronically
than in print
28.7%
43.8%
Greater access to older scholarly information 9.1% 21.9%
10.4%
42.5%
21.1%
Does not apply
13.5%
15.8%
19.2%
33.2%
1.
4%
41.6%
Strongly disagree (1)
4.
0. 3%
0. 3%
6%
Greater access to current scholarly
information
Somewhat agree
5.
1.3%
0
3. %
6%
Neither agree nor disagree
6.
6%
2.
5%
6.
7%
Somewhat agree
4.
0. 2%
9%
3.
2%
Strongly agree (5)
13.2%
MEAN
4.22
4.07
3.95
3.99
2.80
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
• Statements that focused on the increased availability of information as a result of electronic resources
found slightly less agreement. In terms of improved availability of information, electronic resources are
perceived as providing greater access to current information, graphics/images, and materials such as
government documents and scientific databases than what is easily available in print. However, only 31%
agree that they have greater access to older information. Further, only 28.7% strongly agree that
materials become available quicker via electronic resources than they are available via print resources.
Please indicate how much you agree or disagree with each statement.
Disadvantages of Electronic Resources
N=574
Neither agree nor disagree
Increases the need to separate out the "reliable"
information from the "unreliable" information.
Somewhat agree
21.5%
Strongly disagree (1)
Does not apply
40.0%
0.
6%
Somewhat agree
4.
5%
Strongly agree (5)
19.6% 13.8%
MEAN
3.61
The amount of information available can be
10.0%
overwhelming for me
17.0% 8.9%
0.
9%
37.9%
21.6%
15.7% 18.3% 14.5%
3.16
2.96
30.0%
23.0%
0.
5%
I have difficulty judging the quality of content 12.6%
36.6%
0.
2%
3.33
Too much information is available 15.7%
19.2% 17.2%
20.9%
22.2% 13.2%
14.6%
26.2%
30.0%
2.31
25.3%
1.
9%
The availability of electronic resources makes it more
likely that I will put a task off until the last minute
36.7%
2.
5%
I easily get distracted or go on a tangent 6.9%
0.
1%
3.02
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
• The largest problem with electronic resources is having to weed out the ‘garbage’ from the ‘goods’. Not only is it
problematic that this must be done, but approximately half of our respondents report that they have difficulty making
these assessments. When asked to specify how they evaluate electronic resources, 64% said they rely on the reputation
of the provider, 28% rely on their own knowledge of the subject, and 19% rely on the peer review process.
•In addition to the difficulty of evaluating electronic resources is the fact that electronic resources can result in an
overload of information being made available. About 40% of our respondents report that having so much information
available can be overwhelming for them.
•Things that were less problematic for scholars were getting easily distracted and going on tangents while using online
resources, and putting things off until the last minute.
Please indicate how much you agree or disagree with each statement.
Benefits and Disadvantages by Discipline
N=574
4.41
4.26
Save time
Possible for me to work from home or
other location off campus/work site
4.39
4.02
Some materials are more readily
available electronically than in print
4.18
3.97
Items become available quicker
electronically than in print
3.88
4.09
International Affairs
3.74
Increased access to pictures/graphics
Earth/Environmental
Science
4.14
3.50
3.17
Too much information is available
Greater access to older scholarly
information
3.06
2.55
1.0
1.5
2.0
2.5
3.0
3.5
4.0
4.5
5.0
• When comparing faculty by discipline, a few differences in perceived benefits and disadvantages of electronic
resources emerge. International affairs scholars are more likely to feel that electronic resources save them time, make
it possible for them to work remotely, give them greater access to older scholarly information, and that some
materials which are not easily available in print are more readily available electronically. Types of materials that are
more easily available online are foreign newspapers, working papers or policy briefs from think tanks and NGOs,
and government documents. However, international affairs scholars are also more likely to think that too much
information is available.
•Earth and environmental scientists perceive electronic resources as giving them increased access to pictures and
graphics and making material available quicker.
Please indicate how much you agree or disagree with each statement below.
All of the differences in means by discipline on this chart are statistically significant.
Benefits and Disadvantages by Seniority
N=845
Some materials are more
readily available
electronically
4.13
3.94
Associate/Full
Professor
Increases the need to
separate out the "reliable"
information from the
"unreliable" information.
3.68
Assistant
Professor
3.43
3.27
I have difficulty judging the
quality of content
2.89
1.0
1.5
2.0
2.5
3.0
3.5
4.0
4.5
5.0
• There were also some perceived differences in benefits and disadvantages between senior and junior faculty.
Senior faculty are more likely to agree that they have trouble judging the quality of information available online,
and that electronic resources increase the need to weed out reliable from unreliable information. Junior scholars
might be better at identifying the sources of information (such as identifying information that is in the url, or
better at tracking down the source of information).
•Senior faculty are more likely to agree that electronic resources make some materials more readily available to
them. They may be more aware of how things were before electronic resources were a viable way of obtaining
information, so they have a better benchmark to compare the current state of affairs against.
Please indicate how much you agree or disagree with each statement below
All of the differences in means by seniority on this chart are statistically significant.
Important and
Satisfied
•
•
•
•
•
•
Ability to download
Ability to print
Currency of info
Speed of sites
Reputation of providers
Text in PDF or other standard format
Important and
Not Satisfied
•
•
•
•
•
Full text available
Search capabilities
Ease of Navigation
Availability of older/archived
information
Ability to tell if peer reviewed
• Respondents were first asked to rate the importance of various aspects of electronic resources, and then
asked to rate their satisfaction with these aspects in the resources they use. Aspects of electronic resources
which were important and satisfactory to respondents were the ability to download and print, the currency
of information, the speed of sites, the reputation of providers, and text being available in PDF or other
standard format. Items that were rated as important but were not satisfactory were having full text
materials available, search capabilities of databases, navigation, the availability of older materials, and
the ability to tell if material was peer reviewed.
Use of Electronic Resources
for Research
Uses of Electronic Resources in Research
N=236
Correspond with colleagues
96.8%
Access a specific journal/paper/book
95.9%
Browse for information to learn about a topic
79.8%
73.2%
Access data or datasets
Search for information outside my area of
expertise
71.9%
Literature reviews
71.7%
Look up images, maps, etc.
69.8%
Other
8.1%
0%
10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
• Of those who participate in research as part of their academic responsibilities, 236 were asked a series
of questions regarding their use of electronic resources for research. The most common uses for
electronic resources in research are to correspond with colleagues (96.8%) or to access a specific
journal/paper/book (95.9%).
What do you use electronic resources for in your research?
Positive Effects of Electronic Resources on Research
N=236
Electronic resources have
facilitated my ability to
collaborate with faculty all over
the world
Somewhat disagree
Strongly disagree
25.2%
6.8%
3.
5%
64.0%
Does not apply
2.
6%
0. 0
6% .9
%
Neither agree nor disagree
Electronic resources make it
easier for me to find materials
that are outside of my area of
expertise
43.1%
11.5%
3.
5%
40.5%
The use of electronic resources
increases my scholarly
productivity
35.7%
0%
10%
20%
39.8%
30%
40%
50%
60%
19.5%
70%
80%
90%
Means
4.50
0. 0.9%
6%
Somewhat agree
4.19
1.
4
0.
0% %
Strongly agree
4.05
100%
•Overall, researchers agree that electronic resources have aided in their research.
•In particular, most researchers strongly or somewhat agree that electronic resources facilitate their ability to collaborate
with faculty all over the world (89.2%) and make it easier to find materials outside their area of expertise (83.4%). This
would indicate that the most influential aspect of electronic resources is their ability to broaden research horizons both
with whom the research is conducted and with access to more materials.
•When asked to specify how electronic resources affect their ability to collaborate with colleagues, respondents stated
that email makes communication much easier so that the exchange of materials is quicker and it is easier to give and
receive feedback. Electronic resources also facilitate the exchange of large documents or datasets through file transfer
protocol (ftp). Further, several faculty mentioned that electronic resources aid them in finding colleagues with similar
interest through websites or listservs.
Please indicate how much you agree or disagree with each of the statements below.
Positive Effects on Research (cont’d)
N=236
Somewhat agree
Neither agree nor disagree
Somewhat disagree
Strongly disagree
Does not apply
3.8
2.%
9%
Strongly agree
23.0%
Electronic resources increase my
access to unpublished (gray)
literature
22.7%
36.7%
9.4%
24.2%
3.68
2.4
%
2.7
%
My research reaches a broader
audience as a result of electronic
resources
Means
49.2%
16.9%
6.2%
My research gets out into the public
eye sooner as a result of electronic
resources
17.7%
30.0%
29.8%
%
3.5
5.7
%
3.86
13.3%
3.42
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
•More than half of the researchers agreed that their research reaches a broader audience as a result of
electronic resources and electronic resources increase their access to unpublished literature. Slightly less
than half agree that electronic resources get their research into the public eye sooner than print resources.
Please indicate how much you agree or disagree with each of the statements below.
Negative Effects of Electronic Resources on Research
N=236
Somewhat agree
Neither agree nor disagree
Somewhat disagree
Strongly disagree
Does not apply
1.
8%
Strongly agree
The use of electronic resources cuts down on my
serendipitously finding information that would be 6.5%17.9%
useful
29.0%
The use of electronic resources has contributed to me
feeling isolated from my colleagues
7%
2.
28.7%
1.87
46.7%
0.
9%
2.
4%
13.2%
I spend less time thinking or deliberating over material
because the whole research process is sped up
23.6%
32.9%
25.5%
0.
Electronic resources decrease the quality of my
7.9% 20.9%
literature searches
2.35
3.
0%
3%
14.8%
0%
2.59
20.9%
3.
6%
5.
1%
24.0%
Mean
27.8%
40.2%
1.97
10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
•The majority of respondents disagreed with all of the statements about negative effects of electronic
resources. However, 24.4% strongly or somewhat agreed that the use of electronic resources cuts down
on serendipitously finding information that would be useful and 17.2% strongly or somewhat agreed that
they spend less time thinking or deliberating over material because the whole research process is sped up.
Slide 2 of 2
Please indicate how much you agree or disagree with each of the statements below.
Effects of Electronic Resources on Research by
Discipline
N=236
I spend less time thinking or
deliberating over material
because the whole research
process is sped up by the use
of electronic resources
2.21
2.56
Electronic resources make it
easier for me to find materials
that are outside my area of
expertise
4.08
International Affairs
Earth Science
4.33
4.05
Electronic resources increase
my access to unpublished
(gray) literature
3.66
0.0
0.5
1.0
1.5
2.0
2.5
3.0
3.5
4.0
4.5
5.0
•There were a few differences by discipline in the perceived effects of electronic resources on the research
process. Earth Science scholars are more likely to agree that they spend less time thinking or deliberating over
material because the use of electronic resources speeds up the whole research process and that electronic
resources make it easier to find materials that are outside their area of expertise.
•International Affairs scholars are more likely to agree that electronic resources increase their access to
unpublished (gray) literature.
All of the differences in means by discipline on this chart are statistically significant.
Please indicate how much you agree or disagree with each of the statements below.
Electronic Resources Affect Types of Research
Projects Worked On
N=236
Increased access to geographically distant colleagues allows
me to work on projects I otherwise wouldn't be working on
77.3%
Increased access to information in my own field allows me to
work on projects I otherwise wouldn't be working on
63.0%
Increased access to data allows me to work on projects I
otherwise wouldn't be working on
59.3%
Increased access to information in other fields allows me to
work on interdisciplinary projects I otherwise wouldn't be
working on
44.2%
Electronic resources have not affected the types of projects I
am able to work on
8.0%
Other 0.3%
0%
10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
• Ninety-two percent of respondents report electronic resources have influenced the types of projects they have
worked on. Ways in which electronic resources have affected types of projects worked on are by increasing facultys’
access to colleagues (77%), increasing access to information within their own field (63%), increasing access to data
(59%), and increasing access to information in other fields (44%).
•Earth Science scholars were statistically more likely to say that increased access to information in other fields allows
them to work on interdisciplinary projects they otherwise would not be working on.
Which of the following statements, if any, describe how electronic resources have affected the research projects you have worked on.
Electronic Resources Affect on the Quality of Research
N=236
63.9%
Very positively
33.0%
Somewhat positively
Neither positively nor
negatively
Somewhat negatively
2.2%
0.9%
Very negatively 0.0%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
• Nearly all of the researchers believe electronic resources have had a positive affect on the quality of
their research (96.9%).
Overall, how positively or negatively have electronic resources affected the quality of your research?
Electronic Resources and
Teaching
Uses of Electronic Resources for Teaching
N=341
I direct students to primary or supplementary materials found
online
92.4%
I retrieve data online for classroom use
85.8%
I go online to get current events information to help
demonstrate ideas
80.9%
I go online to get images that help demonstrate ideas
70.8%
67.3%
I go online to research lectures that I will be covering in class
I place course materials online (e.g. reserve readings)
70.0%
60.5%
I created a course website for one or more of my courses
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
• Of those who teach as part of their academic responsibilities, 341 respondents were asked a series of
questions regarding their use of electronic resources in their teaching.
• Almost all (99.8%) of the teachers in our sample use electronic resources in some capacity for their teaching.
Ninety-two percent direct their students to primary or supplementary materials online.
•For lecture preparation, teachers go online to retrieve datasets, find current events information, or find images
to use in their lectures. Many faculty also place course materials online through a course website or through
reserve readings via the library. This gives students greater access to course materials such as syllabi,
homework assignments and readings.
Slide 1 of 2
In which of the following ways do you use electronic resources for teaching?
Use of Electronic Resources for Teaching (cont’d)
N=341
I use online classroom programs (e.g.
Blackboard)
35.3%
I use online materials in place of textbooks
27.4%
I use electronic resources to coordinate with
other instructors when team teaching a course
12.8%
I teach extension courses online
8.6%
Other
8.3%
I do not use electronic resources 0.2%
0%
10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
•Some teachers also use the online environment as a supplement to the classroom environment by
incorporating online classroom programs into the course. For example, some teachers use the
Blackboard course management program for it’s discussion board, where students can post comments
on the class material.
•Some teachers are even using online materials as a replacement for textbooks.
Slide 2 of 2
In which of the following ways do you use electronic resources for teaching?
Use of Electronic Resources for Teaching by Discipline
N=341
I direct students to
primary or supplementary
materials found online
96.7%
88.0%
I go online to get current
events information to
help demonstrate ideas
89.5%
72.2%
International Affairs
I go online to get images
that help demonstrate
ideas
I use online classroom
programs
0%
57.4%
84.2%
Earth/Environmental
Science
45.7%
30.8%
10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
• There were some disciplinary differences in how electronic resources were used for teaching.
International affairs scholars are more likely to direct students to primary or supplementary materials
online, to use online classroom programs, and to go online to get current events information to help
demonstrate ideas.
•Earth and environmental scientists are more likely to go online to get images to help demonstrate ideas.
In which of the following ways do you use electronic resources for teaching?
All of the differences in percentages by discipline on this chart are statistically significant.
Effects of Electronic Resources on Teaching
N=341
Somewhat agree
Neither agree nor disagree
Somewhat disagree
Strongly disagree
Don't know/No answer
6.
9%
2.
7%
0.
9%
Strongly agree
Electronic resources provide useful materials that I
otherwise wouldn't be able to incorporate into my
class lectures/labs
4.38
36.0%
7.
7
2. %
0. 5%
4%
53.5%
Means
Electronic resources provide materials that make it
possible for me to assign projects that I wouldn't
have been able to in the past
33.5%
4.02
15.3%
7.
0%
40.5%
Electronic resources save me time in preparation of
class materials
33.0%
0%
10%
20%
29.6%
30%
40%
50%
17.8%
60%
70%
3.69
12.6%
80%
90%
100%
•The majority of teachers agree that electronic resources have aided their teaching. Electronic resources were
most useful to teachers in providing materials that they otherwise would not be able to incorporate into their
class and providing materials that make it possible to assign projects that they wouldn’t have been able to assign
in the past. Faculty also report that electronic resources save them time in class preparation.
Please indicate how much you agree or disagree with each statement.
Electronic Resources Affect on the Quality of Teaching
N=341
47.9%
Very positively
44.7%
Somewhat positively
Neither positively nor
negatively
7.2%
Somewhat negatively 0.2%
Very negatively 0.0%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
•The vast majority of respondents, (92.6%) believe that electronic resources have a positive effect on the
quality of their teaching.
Overall, how positively or negatively have electronic resources affected the quality of your teaching?
Faculty Perception of
Electronic Resources and Students
Electronic Resources & Students—Benefits
N=341
Somewhat agree
Neither agree nor disagree
Somewhat agree
Strongly disagree (1)
Don't know/No answer
64.2%
Students are now able to do projects they
wouldn't have been able to in the past
because some types of information are more
readily available online
31.7%
39.4%
MEAN
4.60
4.28
Students have increased access to older
28.3%
information because of electronic resources 10.4%
0%
20%
22.6%
26.4%
1.
9%
10
.3
%
46.5%
8.
1%
4.
0 6%
0.
9% .5%
Students have increased access to current
information because of electronic resources
0.
2%
3
0. .1%
8%
Strongly agree (5)
3.02
40%
60%
80%
100%
• Faculty believe the use of electronic resources has some benefits for students.The online availability of
datasets, government documents, policy briefs, foreign newspapers, and working papers gives students easy
access to materials they might otherwise have to forgo. This increased access in turn allows students to do
projects they haven’t been able to do in the past. For example, online resources give students access to primary
documents that they would otherwise need to access the libraries of foreign ministries or international
organizations to obtain.
Based on your experience with students’ homework or research papers/projects, please indicate how much you agree/disagree with each of the
following statements.
Electronic Resources & Students—Problems
N=341
Somewhat disagree
Students have difficulty evaluating the quality of
content of some online information
Strongly disagree (1)
68.0%
Students have a tendency to go no further than
electronic resources in searching for information
Don't know/No answer
25.2%
27.9%
56.5%
30.9%
Students' use of electronic resources has resulted in
them often not learning how to use the physical
library
55.8%
33.4%
4.62
4.53
4.46
6.
9
4. %
6%
0.
9%
Electronic resources facilitate plagiarism among
students
MEAN
2.
6%
8.
1. 1%
0. 7%
2%
63.7%
5.
5
0. %
4
0. 0. %
8% 2%
Neither agree nor disagree
4.
4
2. %
0. 7%
0.
7% 5%
Somewhat agree
Students spend less time thinking or deliberating over
material because the whole research process is sped
up by electronic resources
30.8%
0%
10%
20%
35.0%
30%
40%
50% 60%
10
.4
%
3.
1%
3.
0.
0%
6%
Strongly agree (5)
4.37
3.83
17.7%
70%
80%
90% 100%
•Despite the benefits, faculty also identify areas where students have difficulties with electronic resources. First, students have trouble evaluating
information in the online environment. Traditionally, the library was the gatekeeper of information, however this is less true in an online environment.
Unfortunately, many students do not have the experience or expertise to provide solid decision making about whether an online source is reliable or
not.
• A second problem noted by faculty is that students have a tendency to go no further than electronic resources. They tend to get most or all of their
information off the Internet, while ignoring other valuable information that is available only in print form. Many faculty believe students use of
electronic resources has resulted in them often not knowing how to use the library.
•Plagiarism is another problem. Students will copy and paste material from a website directly into their paper – without seeming to realize this is
plagiarism. Further, the quality of their work suffers because they cut and paste paragraphs from various sources together without fully analyzing and
understanding the material.
•Faculty also believe students spend less time deliberating over material. Students tend to wait until the last minute because they can easily access
information via online resources. This cuts down on the amount of time an idea has to ‘percolate’ in their minds.
Based on your experience with students’ homework or research papers/projects, please indicate how much you agree/disagree with each of the following statements.
Evaluation of Resources is Problematic
for Students’ Scholarship
N=318
Very problematic (4)
23.3%
Somewhat problematic
69.5%
MEAN
3.16
Not very problematic
Not at all problematic (1)
6.8%
0.4%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
• Students’ difficulty evaluating the quality of online information was the top problem faculty identified for students.
Of those who agreed that students have difficulty evaluating the quality of online information, 92.8% thought this to be
very or somewhat problematic for their students’ scholarship.
•As the next few slides will show, very few institutions offer a course on evaluating electronic resources. However,
many faculty members are taking class time to remedy this problem by instructing students on how to evaluate
electronic resources.
You ‘strongly’ or ‘somewhat’ agreed with the statement that “Students have difficulty evaluating the quality of content of some online
information. How problematic has this been for your student’s scholarship?
Availability of Courses Instructing Students
How to Evaluate Electronic Resources
N=341
My institution has a required course
4.6%
7.4%
My institution has an optional course
There is no formal mechanism set up to train
students how to evaluate online information
52.9%
Other
7.2%
I don't know/Not sure
27.9%
0%
10% 20%
30% 40%
50% 60%
70% 80%
90% 100%
• Only 12.0% of respondents reported that their institutions had a course that taught students how to evaluate
electronic resources with an additional 27.9% unsure as to whether their institution offered a course. Still, the
majority of respondents (52.9%) said their institution does not offer a course in the evaluation of electronic
resources.
•Of the respondents whose institutions did have some type of instruction on evaluating electronic resources, most
were given through the library, information studies department, or a general freshman orientation course.
Does your department or your institution have any mechanism set up that instructs students how to evaluate online information so that they are
better able to distinguish what is reliable information and what is not?
Class Time Spent Instructing Students
How to Evaluate Online Information
N=341
Overall
71.3%
Liberal Arts College
76.8%
Comprehensive University
77.3%
64.4%
Doctoral/Research University
77.8%
International Affairs
64.8%
Earth/Environmental Science
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
•When asked if they spent class time instructing students how to evaluate electronic resources, 71.3% of
respondents answered yes.
•Faculty members from doctoral/research universities were statistically less likely to instruct students in
the evaluation of electronic resources (64.4%) compared to comprehensive (77.3%) and liberal arts
colleges (76.8%).
•International Affairs faculty members were statistically more likely to have instructed students in the
evaluation of electronic resources (77.8%) compared to Earth/Environmental Science Scholars (64.8%).
Do you spend any class time instructing students how to evaluate electronic resources?
The Effect of Electronic Resources on Overall
Quality of Students’ Learning Experience
N=341
Very positively (5)
23.4%
61.3%
Somewhat positively
Neither positively nor
negatively
9.0%
Somewhat negatively
Very negatively (1)
MEAN
4.01
5.2%
1.1%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90% 100%
•In spite of the problems that students have with electronic resources (such as difficulty evaluating what
information is reliable and plagiarism), the majority of faculty members, (84.7%), believe that overall
electronic resources have had a positive impact on the quality of students’ learning experience.
Overall, how positively or negatively have electronic resources affected the quality of your student’s learning experience?
Conclusions
•
Electronic resources have become the main tool for scholars’ information gathering.
•
The electronic resources faculty are most dependent on are e-mail, the World Wide
Web, and their own library’s electronic databases.
•
Electronic resources are seen as providing convenience more so than increased
availability of information.
•
The main problem with electronic resources is having to separate out reliable from
unreliable information.
•
Electronic resources affect the type of research projects faculty work on by increasing
their access to colleagues, data, and information.
Conclusions (cont’d)
•Electronic resources provide teachers with materials they otherwise wouldn’t be
able to incorporate into the classroom, and make it possible to assign projects that
students wouldn’t have been able to do in the past.
•Most faculty believe students have an enhanced learning experience because of the
information available through electronic resources.
•Future efforts could focus on providing increased access to older and full text
material, and improving search and navigation capabilities.