Information Technology Reference
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users selected various options by clicking on them. The rows of the matrix indicated six
administrative and five educational uses of the Internet. The columns of the matrix allowed
respondents to indicate if they used the feature, and then identify the added-value benefits
the feature provided to the educational institution and to students. The added-value benefits
described were: Save money; Save time; Improve quality; and (provide) More information.
A sample screen from the online survey can be viewed in Figure 1. Respondents were not
requested to indicate the level of usage of each feature. The items within the categories of
“administrative uses” and “educational uses” were developed by the authors, based on their
combined tertiary teaching experience of more than 30 years and use of the Internet to assist
with course and subject delivery since the mid 1990s.
Upon filling out the survey and clicking the “Submit” button, the results were emailed
to the authors. They were then cut and pasted from the email into a Microsoft Excel 2000
spreadsheet. There were 43 responses to the survey between 29 January and 4 February 2001.
Most of these (33) were received within one day of the initial email. While there was not an
overwhelming response from the list, the authors feel that there were enough responses to
make some observations.
Results
The administrative uses of the Internet were adopted, on average, by 72% of respon-
dents, while educational uses were adopted by 69%. Table 1 shows the results of the ISWorld
survey, divided into Administrative and Educational uses. Note that figures have been
shaded where 50% or more of respondents suggested a particular added-value benefit.
Table 1 shows the average level of benefits identified for all administrative uses (refer
to the row labelled “Overall Administrative'). The most common benefit for administrative
uses was to save time for the institution and for students. Most of the benefits were perceived
as being similar for both groups, except that more than twice the respondents felt that the
institution saved money through Administrative uses than felt that students saved money.
The row labelled “Overall Educational” shows the average level of benefits identified for all
educational uses. In contrast to administrative benefits, the more respondents indicated
Table 1. Results from IS World survey
Institution Benefits
Student Benefits
Types of Uses
Feature
Save
Save
Improve
More
Save
Save
Improve
More
Used
Money
Time
Quality
Info
Money
Time
Quality
Info
Administrative Uses
Student Enrolment
47%
40%
85%
45%
50%
10%
80%
40%
40%
Assignment distribution
84%
56%
92%
42%
31%
17%
64%
47%
42%
Assignment collection
51%
27%
77%
18%
5%
23%
82%
14%
9%
Distribution of Grades
72%
29%
65%
42%
29%
6%
68%
42%
42%
Schedules/Timetables
91%
49%
74%
54%
38%
23%
67%
46%
46%
Important Notices
88%
37%
82%
47%
53%
13%
71%
47%
55%
Overall Administrative
72%
41%
79%
43%
35%
16%
70%
41%
41%
Educational Uses
Distribute course/subject notes
98%
60%
74%
50%
40%
31%
79%
60%
50%
Conduct Online Moderated Discussion List
51%
18%
32%
59%
45%
5%
41%
77%
68%
Online Chat Facility
28%
17%
42%
75%
50%
8%
58%
92%
58%
Provide links to additional resources
91%
10%
41%
46%
54%
15%
56%
64%
64%
Answer Student Queries
77%
12%
70%
52%
36%
12%
85%
58%
55%
Overall Educational
69%
26%
55%
53%
45%
17%
67%
66%
58%
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