An assessment of the integration level of computer technology in communication studies at Baptist colleges and universities

Baptist institutions of higher learning were established originally as schools for training ministers, missionaries, and church musicians. Inclusion in the American way of life revealed to Baptists that colleges could not only cater to the middle-class but could lend an air of respectability to churches and denominations (Rudolph, 1990). As more and more Baptist schools have reached university classification they have transitioned into the 21st century education market and face the same technology issues confronting public institutions. For teachers and administrators in Baptist colleges and universities the subject of computer technology integration will become an increasingly important issue. As these schools seek to place students in graduate programs and in a marketplace where emphasis on technology skills is at a premium it will become incumbent upon undergraduate programs to prepare students for such a future.

The purpose of this study is to discover the existing level of technology integration within communication departments in Baptist colleges and universities in relation to communication studies curriculum. The results of this study are intended to provide recommendations for creating guidelines and procedural policies for implementing computer technology into a communication department for the purposes of instruction, administration, and assessment.

Faculty and administrators from 53 member institutions of the Association of Baptist Schools and Colleges were the sample respondents and the data collected from their responses were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The dependent variable measured in this study is the level of computer technology integration in Baptist colleges and universities and how that is affected by the independent variables of faculty and administrator proficiency, the level of access by faculty and administrator, motivation level of faculty and administrator, confidence level of faculty and administrator, and the professional goals of faculty and administrator.

This study has contributed to the research about the integration of computer technology in communication studies in Baptist colleges and universities in particular and about private liberal arts colleges in general. The findings conclude that faculty in Baptist institutions of higher learning involved in communication studies are in the process of integrating computer technology within their discipline. At this time there are no significant differences related to gender, age, rank, or years teaching which affect faculty in Baptist colleges and universities integration level of computer technology. It was found that there is a need for more time for development and training and more equipment if the process of integration is going to continue to evolve at these schools. While faculty perceive themselves to be generally proficient at using computer technology they did note a lack of confidence in troubleshooting problems and with developing higher-order integrated curriculum.