The Uses and Impact of Academic Listservs in University Teaching: An Exploratory Study

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore the impact academic listservs were making on teaching at Temple University when used in conjunction with face-to-face courses. Since the study was the first of its kind, an exploratory qualitative design was used to see if themes or patterns emerged. Results indicated that listservs were primarily used for housekeeping activities, although instructors voiced their desire to tap into the potential of listserv technology. The overriding discovery was that most instructors were using listservs without a predetermined teaching goal. A demographic profile of professors likely to use listservs is also included.