Confirming my hunch
Yesterday, I worked through the results of my faculty surveys — crunching numbers, comparing percentages, calculating averages — all of that statistical stuff that I’ve been avoiding because it freaks me out. In doing this I learned what I already thought I knew: the majority of faculty use proprietary forms of course management systems/software because it is what is either “handed” to them by their institution or because they are (or feel they are) required to use it. Ninety percent of respondents to this survey answered that they chose the CMS they use because a) “This is the standard at my institution” or b) “My institution requires I use this program.” I don’t think that any of the three schools that I surveyed actually do require that faculty use the CMS that the school licenses; however, it is interesting that more than ten percent of faculty who responded perceive it to be that way.
Sixty percent of respondents use either Blackboard or WebCT (not for long, of course).
