Office

of Institutional Research and Effectiveness

2014 ECAR TECHNOLOGY REPORT FOR THE

VIRGINIA COMMUNITY COLLEGE SYSTEM
INTRODUCTION
Since 2004, the Educause Center for Analysis and Research (ECAR) has conducted technology surveys of
both college students and faculty to better understand how technology is being utilized in the college
setting and its impact on the overall college experience. The Virginia Community College System (VCCS)
has participated in the student surveys for 2012 and 2014 and the faculty survey for 2014. The following
report summarizes the responses and findings of these three surveys in order to help prioritize the
strategic contributions of information technology and examine technology-enabled productivity
throughout the VCCS.
THE SURVEY INSTRUMENT AND METHODOLOGY
The ECAR student studies rely on student responses in the spring semester of a given year from
institutions that volunteer to participate in the project at no cost. The faculty survey of 2014 was
conducted in a similar manner, with voluntary responses collected from faculty of participating
institutions. In exchange for their participation, institutions receive anonymous, raw data of their
students or facultys responses, along with comparisons of their groups aggregated responses to those
responses at similar institutions. In both the student and faculty surveys, individual participants are
incentivized to participate by entering in a random drawing for Amazon.com gift cards.
In 2012 the survey included responses from 106,575 students across 195 institutions all over the
country. Of those respondents, 13,969 were VCCS students from all 23 participating schools, making up
over 13% of the overall sample pool. The 2014 student survey included more overall participating
schools (213) but less overall student responses (75,306). VCCS participation in the 2014 student survey
was significantly lowered as well- down to 1,759 responses, just over 2% of the overall sample. The
2014 faculty survey included 17,451 overall responses from 151 participating institutions. 858 VCCS
faculty from 23 schools participated in this survey, a 5% portion of the sample pool. Table 1 displays the
number of overall responses and participating institutions including VCCS participation for each survey
discussed in this report.

2012 Student
2014 Student

Overall
VCCS
Overall
VCCS
Number of Responses
106,575
13,969
75,306
1,759
Number of Participating
195
23
213
23
Institutions
Table 1. Survey Responses and Participating Institutions, Including VCCS

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2014 Faculty
Overall
VCCS
17,451
858
151

23

The student survey instrument is a combination of multiple-choice and open-ended questions designed
to take approximately 15-20 minutes to complete. In addition to some basic demographic information
such as age, gender, ethnicity, class standing, and part-time or full-time status, respondents are asked to
provide answers in the following areas related to technology: device use and ownership, technology
and the college experience, and learning environments.
The faculty survey instrument is constructed similarly, taking approximately 10-20 minutes to complete,
and asks questions regarding the following topics: technology adoption and use, technology for teaching
and learning, learning environments, and technology for research and scholarship, as well as
supplemental questions about gender, ethnicity, teaching experience, and tenure.
RESULTS OF STUDENT SURVEYS
The ECAR student technology survey is periodically revised and amended, therefore not all questions are
repeated in subsequent years or worded to measure the same dimensions. To fully examine and
compare the 2012 and 2014 student survey results in which the VCCS participated, this report will
present direct comparisons where appropriate in addition to stand-alone highlights from each year.
Device Use and Ownership
One consistent group of questions between the 2012 and 2014 student surveys asks responders about
their use, ownership, and attitudes towards academic importance of laptops, tablets, smartphones, and
e-readers. Specifically, students were asked whether they use the particular device; if so, whether or
not they own the device; and lastly, how important users felt the device was to their overall academic
success. Those that signified the device is very important or extremely important to their academic
success are included in the table below. Table 2 summarizes this information from the two surveys and
compares the habits of VCCS students to all other respondents.

Laptops
Use device?
Own device?
Important to Academic Success?
Smartphones
Use device?
Own device?
Important to Academic Success?
Tablets
Use device?
Own device?
Important to Academic Success?
E-Readers
Use device?
Own device?

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2012
Overall

94%
89%
80%

63%
62%
21%

17%
15%
7%

13%
12%

2014
VCCS

89%
83%
76%

57%
56%
23%

19%
17%
9%

14%
13%

Overall

96%
89%
88%

91%
79%
38%

63%
28%
24%

33%
8%

VCCS

93%
87%
86%

88%
75%
43%

68%
39%
31%

37%
13%

Important to Academic Success?

3%
5%
7%
Table 2. VCCS Student Device Use and Ownership Percentages, 2012 and 2014

11%

Survey responses show that laptop use and ownership has fairly leveled off over the 2 year period, while
smartphone, tablet, and e-reader penetration amongst the student body is still increasing. By 2014,
VCCS students device use and ownership behaviors closely reflect those of the overall sample pool. The
2012 student survey also inquired about desktops in a similar fashion: 69% of VCCS students said they
used a desktop computer, while 46% indicated they were owners, and 48% felt the device was very or
extremely important to academic success. The nation-wide responses were lower with 54% reporting
use, 29% indicating ownership, and 32% stating desktops aided in academics.
Students that indicated they used handheld mobile devices were asked additional questions regarding
their use of such devices for academic activities. The survey examined the importance of completing
various actions on said devices. Responses of very and extremely important are summed together
and given in Table 3 below.

2012
2014

Overall
VCCS
Overall
A handheld mobile device is important for



Using the course or learning management system
60%
70%
56%
Checking grades
52%
65%
60%
Registering for courses
30%
38%
41%
Accessing library resources
22%
28%
36%
Table 3. VCCS Student Value of Handheld Mobile Devices for Academics, 2012 and 2014

VCCS

65%
67%
46%
41%

The most important mobile academic activities include accessing the course management system and
checking grades. In every instance, VCCS students place slightly higher importance in performing these
activities from their handhelds than the national average.
Technology and the College Experience
Another consistent measure between the 2012 and 2014 student surveys is that of students
perceptions of their instructors knowledge and effectiveness in respect to technology use. When asked
how many of their instructors effectively use technology to impact academic success, 72% of VCCS
students answered most or all in 2012, and 74% in 2014. Nationally, only 66% of respondents
answered similarly in 2012, and 68% in 2014. Furthermore, when asked how many of these same
instructors have the adequate technical skills for carrying out course instruction, 72% of VCCS students
answered most or all on 2012, and 78% in 2014. For comparison, similar national responses were
65% in 2012 and 71% in 2014.

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The 2012 student survey also touched on preferences regarding communication. 44% of VCCS students
indicated they wish for more communication with their instructors through email (41% nationally); 45%
of VCCS students would like to see an increase in face-to-face interactions (48% nationally); and finally
half (50%) of our student respondents want to see more communication conducted through the course
or learning management systems (45% nationally). And these systems are wanted for more than just
their communication capabilities - 47% of VCCS respondents would like to see their instructors utilize
these systems more as all-around course tools (43% nationally).
Learning Environments
Another consistent group of questions between the 2012 and 2014 student surveys deals with the
reported feelings of connection between technology and others. Table 4 summarizes the responses
given for agreeing or strongly agreeing that technology helps students feel connected to their
college, professors, and other students.

2012

Overall
Technology makes me feel more connected

to
My learning institution
66%
My professors
57%
Other students
60%
Table 4. VCCS Student Connectedness, 2012 and 2014

VCCS

71%
64%
56%

2014
Overall
VCCS


64%
52%
50%

65%
57%
46%

Survey responses show that technology helps students feel more connected to their respective learning
institution than it does either their professors or fellow students. Furthermore, all of these measures of
connectedness are decreasing over the 2 year period. The VCCS responses are generally slightly higher
in reported connectedness than those of the overall sample but are similarly declining over the 2 year
period.
Respondents were also asked in what type of learning environment they tend to learn the most.
Choices were courses with no online components, courses with some online components (blended), or
courses that were completely online. In 2012, VCCS students claimed that they exceled the most in
blended courses (68%) versus courses completely online (12%) or completely offline (19%). VCCS
responses were in step with the overall sample that favored blended courses by 71% over all-online or
all-offline courses (6% and 22%, respectively). The 2014 survey provided students with an additional
choice of no preference, which changed the outcomes significantly. In this survey, VCCS students
favored blended courses by 55% (64% overall), online courses by 13% (9% overall), and offline courses
by 13% (15% overall), while 18% indicated they had no preference (13% overall).
In 2014, 69% of VCCS students reported having taken a course or participated in a competency-based
program that was completely online. This meant absolutely no formal face-to-face communication with

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a professor or any classmates. The VCCS response was significantly higher than the national average of
46%.
Another interesting question concerned social networking in the learning environment. In 2012, 64% of
VCCS respondents indicated that they either agree or strongly agree with the notion of keeping their
academic and social lives separate. By 2014, this sentiment had increased to 72% among VCCS
respondents. The national sample pool displayed an increase in this exact preference from 53% in 2012
to 70% in 2014.
RESULTS OF 2014 FACULTY SURVEY
The 2014 ECAR Faculty Technology Survey asked participants a wide range of questions regarding their
perceptions and relationship to technology in both the classroom and their research environments. This
report will touch on those subjects that most closely relate to the student responses outlined above.
Technology Adoption and Use
Questions pertaining to online learning constituted a large part of the student surveys in both 2012 and
2014. This aspect is addressed in the faculty survey when respondents are asked to what extent they
agree or strongly agree with various statements regarding online learning. To begin, 40% of VCCS
faculty agree that online learning helps students learn more effectively. This is significantly less than the
students perceptions of their own online learning results reported previously (68% in 2012; 55% in
2014) but higher than the national faculty response of 32%. Furthermore, 50% of VCCS faculty (41%
nationally) believe that online learning will lead to pedagogical breakthroughs, and 88% (77% nationally)
agree that it will make higher education available to more students.
Learning Environments
Over half of VCCS faculty respondents (55%) reported having taught in a completely online learning
environment with no formal face-to-face student interaction. Nationally, 38% of faculty reported having
taught in such an environment.
Students have shown they believe usage of the course or learning management system is an important
part of their learning experience. 2014 faculty were asked if they used the learning management system
and to what ends. The results are presented in Table 5 below.

How do you use the Learning Management System?
I dont use it
To push out course information (syllabi, handouts, etc.)
To promote outside interaction (discussion boards, assignments, etc.)
To teach completely online courses (or competency-based programs)
To teach partially online courses (or competency-based programs)
Table 5. VCCS Faculty Learning Management Systems Usage, 2014

Overall

14%
58%
41%
28%
19%

VCCS

4%
67%
56%
40%
34%

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Of those VCCS faculty who indicated that they use the learning management system, 60% report that
they use it daily. Nationally, 59% of system users report daily use.
As for device use in the classroom, most VCCS faculty either ban or discourage smartphone use (60%),
but are indifferent to tablets or iPads, laptops, or wearable devices (50%, 50%, and 62%, respectively).
These feelings reflect the national survey responses: 52% ban or discourage in-class smartphone use,
and 50% are indifferent to or unconcerned with tablets or iPads, 46% to laptops, and 63% to wearable
devices.
Additionally, 53% of faculty, both nationally and within the VCCS, agree or strongly agree that the
use of mobile devices in the classroom can enhance learning. However, 62% of VCCS faculty (64%
nationally) also admit that use of these devices can be distracting. Still, the majority (57% within VCCS;
51% nationally) stated that they would like to have more training or professional development around
effectively incorporating mobile devices into their courses.
CONCLUSIONS
The results of this report indicate that technology use and ownership among students is increasing, as
well as their confidence in its contribution to their academic success. Students are especially utilizing
more handheld mobile devices for academics. The overall sentiment regarding technology use seems to
be positive, but there are hints of some unfavorable aspects.
For starters, there is a decline in student respondents over a two-year period who feel that technology
helps them feel more connected to their learning institution, professors, and fellow students. Also
worth noting is the large disconnect within online learning environments, as the faculty do not agree
online learning is nearly as effective as students.
Overall, responses indicate that VCCS students are more tech savvy than students nationally. VCCS
students claim higher usage and ownership rates of various devices and generally regard technology
more favorably and more instrumental to their academic success. Interestingly, VCCS students have
significantly more experience with online learning than do students nationally.
The VCCS will consider the results of the ECAR student and faculty surveys to improve adoption and
incorporation of technology in its learning environments. The VCCS is always striving to provide state-
of-the-art experiences for our students that afford the best learning opportunities without distraction or
detriment through our programs, policies, and faculty.

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