Requests to complete a questionnaire were made to 260 Austrian researchers respectively research institutions per e-mail. 71 responses from education research professionals had been received from these various sources by June 2002. 57 of these were respondents reporting an active role in educational research.

Respondent characteristics
61% of the sample reported their professional status as "senior", with 27% "intermediate" and 11% "junior". Males outnumbered females by 2:1. The distribution of age groups was weighted towards the older groups. 13% were under 35, 49% were over 50.

Internet use and competence
13% of the sample described themselves as "expert" internet users while 16% chose the description "beginner". 85% of the Austrian questionnaires were completed on-line. 81% of the sample reported that their access to the Internet was unlimited. 17% reported their actual use as "occasional". Very infrequent users are a small minority at 1.4%.

Attitudes to the Internet
85% agree, or strongly agree that the Internet has already changed their work. Looking to the future, there is an expectation of further change: 59% agreeing or strongly agreeing that more change is expected. Responses on individual statements about the Internet were slightly positive. 51 % agreed that the Internet would be an efficient means of disseminating research results.

Table 1
Percentages of respondents reporting successful use of the Internet for a range of tasks, ranked by their frequency for the Austrian sample.

Use of international and European information sources
Austrian researchers make use of search engines (87%) or of personal bookmarks (65%). The uses of national and international databases among Austrian researchers is disappointingly low. With the exception of the Ministry of Education – website (used by 61%) and the national educational research database (used by 33%)large databases like ERIC, EURYDICE, OECD, INNODATA, EUDISED and Deutscher Bildungsserver are never used by more than 50% of Austrian researchers.

Gender differences with respect to the use of INTERNET
Males outnumber females by 2:1. 61% of all respondents describe their professional status as senior. 35% of the females belong to this group but 75% of the males. The major part of the females is to be found in intermediate positions (48%) or in junior positions (17%).

There is also a striking age difference to be noted between female and male researchers in Austria: 13% of all respondents are younger than 35 years. 35% of the females belong to the young group but only 2% of the males. The major part of the females ( 48%) belongs to the age group 35 – 50, the major part of the males to the age group older than 50 (64%).

One can derive from the data that the average Austrian male researcher (who responded to the questionnaire) is in a senior position and older than 50 years, almost 50% of the Austrian female researchers are in an intermediate position and rather young (35 – 50 years). Only 17% of the females are over 50 years compared to 64% of the males.

Females find with success research partners in the web (30%) whereas only 16% of the males do so; 74% of the females find successfully conference information against 47% of the male respondents.

Females strongly agree (83%) to the fact that the INTERNET helps to get information about researchers, only 47% of the males see this advantage. A similar difference is to be noted with respect to "Getting information about institutions": 91% of the females agree there, only 60% of the males.

Probably these differences are caused by the fact that women in junior respectively intermediate positions are more interested in finding future research partners than men in senior positions.

92% agreed or strongly agreed that an information gateway dedicated to the study of education would make a big difference. 90% agreed or strongly agreed with the statement that "a comprehensive collection of web links for education would be useful. These figures suggest a demand for an additional resource to support existing use of the World Wide Web.

Females (80%) and males (74%) agree that better organised information would help them in their professional work and they agree also (67% females, 71% males) that the right kind of information would be a support for them.

Tables of results

Elfriede Tajalli
Vienna, August 2002

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