Survey Analysis: Use of Pod Technology by HRD Crew

I'm sharing the survey results and analysis on the use of pod technology replied by HRD Crew members in October 2006. Although this summary report seems long, I'm sharing extensive, relevant data.

Of the 56 Producers, Coordinators, and Directors, 23 (41%) responded. The unit with the highest percentage of its members who responded was Teacher Development (69%) followed by 57% of the Professional Development Support members. No clerical replied.

Of the 17 iPod Learning Community members, 76% responded which indicates that the majority members are willing to respond to a pod technology action research survey. From that Community, 59% are from the Professional Development Support Unit and 46% from the Teacher Development Unit.

The responses were submitted by CAB email or on at3-action.blogspot.com with the majority (78%) submitted by email, fewest (9%) written on the blog, and 13% of the recipients replied by both email and blog. Members created action research blogs related to pod technology in September. In less than a month, this evidence shows viewers posting comments on the blogs.

A. First question: What experience have you had in using pod technology?”
1. Two replies (9%) are Varied Users who:
• Purchase, Download and listen to music via iTunes on computer and iPod on
the go
• View video podcast from various sites for personal and professional reasons -
usually on the computer
• Subscribe to 2 professional related podcasts - listen while I work on both
computer and iPod
• Create iMovie and publish video podcasts for personal and professional use
• Use Garage band for sound editing a pod presentation in Podcast
Both Varied Users are members of the iPod Community and work in a unit with the two larger survey replies.

2. The majority (52%) are Limited Users, performing some actions of Varied Users. One described herself a “lurker. I like to watch pods and see what others are doing.” From the iPod Community, the majority (69%) are Limited Users.

3. The second largest group (39%) are Non Users of pod technology. From the iPod Community, 15% are Non Users.

If all HRD Crew responded, the researcher predicts that a different ratio would represent the entire group. Non Users would have the largest increase followed by a smaller increase of Limited Users. Many who consider themselves as Non Users may not have answered a survey on an unknown topic.
The number of Varied Users would probably remain the same. Those who are proficient, interested, and consider pod technology their work or valuable in their personal use are more likely to have already responded as Varied or Limited Users.

B. “What are your barriers to using pod technology?”,
1. Half of the replies (50%) identified lack of knowledge and skill in using the pod technology and designing trainings. One replied, “My experience has been that anything in technology that ought to take 2 minutes often takes 2 months to resolve.” Another mentioned, “If it’s an iPod issue and I need iPod technical support, I don’t know enough to inquire about it.”

2. Also, 50% stated that finding the time to explore, examine, and play is a barrier.

Other issues included:
• Priority, Attitude. Serious acceptance as “a viable, valid tool for
information delivery”, “tendency to resist any new technology”, client
unfamiliarity or fear of this use,
• Dependence on others for expertise
• Two inch iPod screen size for the visually challenged
• Uncomfortable earbuds
• Misalignmente of a MAC iPod to PC users
• Copyright laws
• Limited available resources e.g. for developing teachers, "free"
downloads
• Adequate advertising of a podcast, including those I want people to vie
• Using the technology vs. not using the technology are both equally
challenging.
• Preference for face-to-face learning

In summary of the survey results from 41% of the Producers, only two HRD members use pod technology extensively while the majority are exploring and others are non users. The most common barrier is lack of knowledge/skill and time. This researcher is considering that the iPod Learning Community and the use of the action research blog will contribute to increasing the use of pod technology. As members invest more time into increasing their knowledge and skills, all three groups of users in the iPod Learning Community will increase their abilities in using pod technology. Perhaps other Crew members working beside the users will begin to hear and see work about pod technology and action research and increase their awareness of pod technology.

The process of action research leads to new questions. The researcher asks: How is pod technology related to/considered the unit’s work? How do these members use their work time and receive support? These are possible future action research questions.

I would have loved to add graphs, color, font size, etc. before publishing. Those are future objectives for me.