Developing the informational and digital environment of a university: Problem analysis and assessment

Abstract

© 2019 by the authors. The research objective is to reveal and analyze the problems in developing the informational environment of a university. The authors applied theoretical and empirical methods, such as observation, polling, composing a Likert scale, calculation of Spearman ranking correlation coefficients, tabular and diagram techniques of data visualization, etc., which enabled to achieve the set goal. The score method based on Likert scale enabled to reveal the problem aspects of forming the informational and digital environment of a university. Also, these techniques enabled to quantitatively assess each problem, assess their significance and reveal the degree of each factor's relation to each problem of using the information and communication technologies at a university. University professors were polled about using innovative information technologies in order to both enhance the education efficiency and apply new pedagogical concepts and techniques. The poll revealed the problem aspects impeding the development of the informational environment. The research results are presented as a series of diagrams, reliably characterizing the issues which the university professors face when implementing the educational process. Besides, a number of indicators were calculated to determine the correlation coefficients, which enabled to quantitatively assess the degree of correlation between the two series of the compared quantitative indicators. The research revealed the factors impeding the development of the informational environment of a university. Awareness of these factors by the university administration and teaching staff would allow overcoming them, with a view of increasing the quality of educational services. The authors are making a substantiated conclusion that, despite certain difficulties, the informational technologies integrated into the educational process comply with the modern requirements of the society and enhance the competencies of both the students and professors participating in the educational process.