2023 Faculty IT Survey results show latest tech trends for instructors

A faculty member teaching a class.

Published August 14, 2023

Technology at UB is in a constant state of evolution, with new features and upgrades being unveiled on a near daily basis. In order to find out how UB faculty members are using and feeling about the latest technology, UBIT and the Faculty Senate IT Committee conducted our bi-annual 2023 Faculty IT Survey during Spring 2023.

Over 200 UB faculty members responded to the survey March 9-14. Our findings are outlined below.

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Reliant on technology

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Author

Canfield photo.

Michael Canfield joined UB in January 2023 as an IT Communications Specialist for UBIT. A former newspaper reporter with a background in higher ed communication, Michael is also a volunteer firefighter. When he’s not writing or learning about all things UBIT, Michael likes to spend time with his wife and two English bulldogs, Franky and Grace. He’s also an avid student of the Battle of Gettysburg and a (sometimes) hockey writer.

The 2023 Faculty IT Survey results highlight a strong dependence of faculty members on technology to facilitate their teaching and research endeavors. A diverse array of devices, including desktops, laptops, tablets, and smartphones, are extensively employed by most faculty members. For instance, over 50% of UB faculty reported purchasing an iPhone, Android smartphone or a smartwatch that they use in the course of their teaching.

Additionally, a broad spectrum of software applications and online platforms, encompassing tools like the Brightspace learning management system, communication software and research databases like Signal, Kahoot, Slack and Google Suite contribute to UB faculty’s technological repertoire.

Artificial intelligence

UBIT found that UB faculty are not only grappling with the dynamic landscape of technology to align with hybrid learning and meet student needs, but also encountering the growing prevalence of artificial intelligence tools like OpenAI's ChatGPT and Google's Bard.

The survey reveals that a significant portion of UB faculty (64%) have chosen to prohibit the utilization of AI in their coursework. In addition, 34% of faculty members are actively educating their students about the constraints inherent in AI tools.

Employing a variety of software tools

UB faculty are also expected to employ a diverse array of software tools and devices to effectively cater to their students' requirements, according to survey responses. Adobe Creative Suite was mentioned most often as a necessary software title, followed by Slack, Discord and Grammarly.

What UBIT is doing with these results

The survey creates an opening for UBIT to assist faculty by furnishing the essential resources needed to fulfill their ever-changing objectives. Previous faculty IT surveys and focus groups have led to the rollout of UB support for Top Hat as a classroom response tool, Recording by Panopto for course capture and streaming and Zoom for live lectures, faculty office hours and group work by students.

These endeavors are centered on establishing a technology ecosystem that harmonizes seamlessly with the fluid demands of academic endeavors, now and in the future.

Thank you to all who responded

Faculty input, through surveys, town halls and focus groups, continually shapes and improves the technology services we offer at UB. We value any additional feedback and encourage UB faculty to email your comments to ubit communication@buffalo.edu, or to let us know if you’d like to participate in our upcoming input sessions and usability studies.

Get help

If you need assistance or have any additional questions, contact the UBIT Help Center at 716-645-3542, by email at at ubithelp@buffalo.edu, or online at buffalo.edu/ubit/help.