Support Services and Research Bulletins

This research bulletin examines what the literature refers to as “new learners” or “critically engaged learners.” It explores the responsibilities our institutions have to create opportunities for these learners to actively engage in creative discovery, problem definition, and appropriate use of information technologies. It is based on a literature review and accompanying conceptualizations that begin to answer important questions about institutional development for a technologically sophisticated age.

Citation for this work : Moore, Anne H., Shelli B. Fowler, Brent K. Jesiek, John F. Moore, and C. Edward Watson. “Learners 2.0? IT and 21st-Century Learners in Higher Education” (Research Bulletin, Issue 7). Boulder, CO: EDUCAUSE Center for Applied Research, 2008, available from http://www.educause.edu/ecar.

This research bulletin discusses the factors that drove Roosevelt University's decision to "co-source" the information technology (IT) help desk, the unique challenges raised by the use of contracted services as part of a technical support solution, and how this solution fits within the context of outsourcing in higher education. It includes a description of how the service addresses the needs of the three principal constituencies -- users, agents, and technicians -- as well as an overview of the accommodations that institutions might need to make in order to develop this type of support solution.

When Indiana University prioritized support to match the demands posed by an expanding environment of pervasive computing, it put its decision-making strategies to the test. This research bulletin discusses the decision-making process that enabled the IT organization to recognize the need for a new support system, determine the structure of that system, find the capital to create it, and bring it from concept to production in less than two years. These principles, and the thinking behind them, have relevance to other colleges and universities.

The use and support of specialized academic software applications can be challenging in higher education. This research bulletin explores several models of advanced application support, including dedicated centers, shared staff resources, consortia, and collaborative arrangements.

As a sequel to the ECAR research bulletin "Customer-Centered IT Support: Foundations, Principles, and Systems" by the same authors, this bulletin describes the philosophy behind Indiana University's integrated support strategy, which is based on the principle of using technology to serve the customer and the information technology business. The bulletin details how University Information Technology Services combined existing support resources with new ones to arrive at an exponentially larger and better system that serves not only the customer but also the IT organization. Underlying all is the critical role of data in helping the organization effect a positive evolution in IT support.

To meet the IT support demands of more than 98,000 students and 15,000 faculty and staff across eight campuses, Indiana University developed a fully integrated Online Support Environment (OSE) that handles an average 2.5 million IT support contacts each year, or the equivalent of one every 12 seconds. For users, it looks like a vast array of IT services and a searchable database of IT questions and answers. For the IT organization, it supplies a dynamic picture of the questions users ask and the topics they research, as well as usage and satisfaction data. This bulletin discusses how IT met the challenge to provide pervasive, around-the-clock support and outlines the considerations that informed the design of the resulting OSE.

eArmyU, which has brought over 30,000 students online in 20 months, provides a unique opportunity for insight into e-learning. eArmyU provides participating soldier-students with anytime, anywhere access and a support structure designed to enhance student success. This Research Bulletin describes the history of eArmyU and provides highlights of the current program and its key outcomes. It also explores the lessons eArmyU can provide higher education about online learning, online learners, and large-scale partnerships.