Educause research center announces studies - Denver - Brief Article

Black Issues in Higher Education, Dec 6, 2001 by Ronald Roach

DENVER

The Educause Center for Applied Research (ECAR) has awarded two research contracts for major information technology (IT) studies in 2002. One research contract, focusing on trends in wireless communications in higher education, will be conducted by the IDC organization. IDC, based in Framingham, Mass., produces IT studies, industry analysis and advises IT professionals.

The second contract has assigned the INPUT organization to research the outlook for application service providers and IT outsourcing in higher education. INPUT, which is based in Chantilly, Va., specializes in Web-based IT market research and marketing services.

The wireless study will identify the status and rate of adoption of wireless communication technologies in higher education in the United States, primarily through the use of survey research. It also will determine the extent to which wireless communications are replacing the wire-based infrastructure for availability, speed and accuracy. Expected case studies from the research will provide guidance to higher education in practical applications of wireless technology.

In the second research study, the goals are to determine the extent to which American postsecondary educational institutions are procuring ASP or other IT outsourcing services. The study also will examine the level of satisfaction these institutions experience with outsourcing projects and their vendors, and will project the expected institutional spending for outsourcing projects over the next two years. Other study goals will be to identify project success factors, sources of failure, criteria for vendor selection and evaluation, and the decision-makers who are responsible for outsourcing.

Both research studies will employ an array of qualitative, quantitative and case study methodologies to produce detailed reports that will help higher education leaders make more informed decisions about the direction of information technology on their campuses. Information and subscription information about ECAR can be found at: <www.educause.edu/ecar/>. Inquiries about ECAR can be made at: ecar@educause.edu, or contact Richard N. Katz at: (303) 939-0318.