The EDUCAUSE 2011 Core Data Service Report: Highlights and Insights into Higher Education Information Technology
Each year Ashland University and about 800 other higher education institutions participate in the Core Data Service. We report on various details of technology services, budgets, staffing and trends at our institution and, when combined with the larger group, this provides valuable information on technology trends in higher education and provides important benchmarking information. The entire report is available at http://www.educause.edu/Resources/TheEDUCAUSE2011CoreDataService/245425, but for the next few weeks IT will highlight specific sections of this report and point out trends and information that are of significant interest to Ashland University.
Introduction, Key Findings, and Methodology
The entire article is available at http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/PUB8008a.pdf and some key findings include:
- Open-source learning management systems (LMS) are less widespread than commercial LMSs, but faculty and students in institutions with a single open-source LMS are more satisfied with their LMS than those in institutions with a single commercial, single homegrown, or multiple LMSs.
- Institutional web design has been detached from central IT in the last three years at 12% of institutions. Other functions have remained fairly stable in their reporting lines.
- Only five services are outsourced at more than 2% of reporting institutions: print/copier services; human resources applications; alumni/advancement/fundraising applications; mailroom; and desktop computing, user support, training, computer store.
