Contributed by EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative, Faculty, and IT Integration

The ELI Student/Faculty Questionnaire is designed to help you explore student and faculty experiences and expectations with technology in teaching and learning. Specifically, the questionnaire examines student and faculty

• Familiarity with learning technologies,
• Expectations for the use of technology in teaching and learning, and
• Views on how students prefer to learn.

This questionnaire provides insight into possible gaps that may exist at your institution, such as

• The difference between the learning technologies that are expected by today's students and those that your faculty feel comfortable using, and
• Students' self-described learning preferences contrasted with faculty perceptions of those preferences.

This paper describes a four-step needs assessment process that institutions can use to determine the gaps between current and desired states of technology infrastructure, facilitating rapid decision making. The framework described focuses on aligning learning outcomes and technology tools and can help institutions compare the current state of technology infrastructure with a desired state to best meet identified learning outcomes.

Asking whether technology improves learning may seem straightforward, but the answer is not simple. The challenge begins with defining assessment and is compounded by the complexities of people, technology, and educational organizations. This paper clarifies technology assessment by exploring the definitions, methods, and realistic expectations it can address.