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Student experiences and expectations of technology
This document presents findings from a study exploring students' experiences and expectations of technology in higher education, emphasizing the need for evidence-based approaches to enhance learning environments. Key themes include the evolving technological landscape, with a focus on collaboration and the use of mobile devices, indicating a shift towards more active and engaged learning experiences. The research highlights the importance of consistent and purposeful integration of technology to meet the needs of today’s students while addressing their preferences for seamless access and communication.
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Student experiences and expectations of technology
- 1. Student experiences and expectations of technology Associate Professor Michael Sankey Director, Learning Environments and Media Presented at the University of South Africa, Friday 19 September 2014
- 2. Why this research? Higher Education Drivers Mobility Connectivity Seamlessness Smartphones and Tablets Analytics Flipped classrooms Social media Sticky – billabongs Democratisation of knowledge and access “Over the next 10-15 years, the current public university model in Australia will prove unviable in all but a few cases” (E&Y Report 2012)
- 3. Why this research? The evolving opportunities technological change provides requires the frequent evolution of services and curriculum to facilitate engaged learning. The resources and costs involved need to be carefully weighed up against the potential benefits of the affordances. Important to have an evidence-based approach to inform strategy and planning. Understanding how and what students’ use and what their expectations of technologies for both life and study is clearly essential. The technologies explored here included, institutional systems (email, LMS), Web2.0 technologies (social networking, cloud & shared spaces) and personal devices. This presentation provides some initial findings and reflects on some implications for emerging learning environments and meeting expectations for ‘todays’ student.
- 4. The tool andmethod Methodology: Mixed Methods Students’ Experiences and Expectations of Technology Survey (SEETS) It contained 127 questions, coving student’s access and use of technologies Plus four open-ended response questions Online focus groups (n=34) using Blackboard Collaborate Five main sections 1. Technologies currently used in everyday life for social and work purposes. 2. Current & preferred use of technologies for learning and communicating with the wider university. 3. The services and support provided for learning. 4. The technologies used to interact with the university for administrative purposes. 5. General demographic information
- 5. Base demographics N = 1181 68% external/distance 56% Part-time 65% Female 73% Mature age 67% Undergraduate 40% In their first year 40% Work full-time 29% No paid employment 900 800 700 600 500 400 300 200 100 0 380 internal/on-campus external/distance student Internal/on-campus or external/distance student 801 68% 350 300 250 200 150 100 50 0 18 or less 19-20 21-25 26-30 31-40 41-50 Over 50 Age 60 103 161 155 331 217 154 28% 73%
- 6. The computing equipmentthey have access to 1200 1000 800 600 400 200 0 Desktop computer at home Laptop computer at home Laptop on campus with no internet connection Laptop on campus with wireless internet Computer labs on campus Computer at work Mobile phone with internet access IPad or Android pad with wireless internet Gaming console with internet access 610 1055 47 211 368 510 785 318 207 90% 67%
- 7. Primary Internet access 800 700 600 500 400 300 200 100 0 Dial Up ADSL (1 or 2) Cable Satellite 3G 4G Wireless (no plan) Through Uni or other third party What level of primary Internet access do you have? 14 707 91 26 177 33 67 66 60% 1%
- 8. Technologies Surveyed Instantmessaging Online multi-user computer games Text message (SMS) 3D Virtual worlds Blogs and Wikis Library search engines Collaborative technologies Internet search engines Email Podcasts or webcasts ePortfolios Presentation software Mobile’s for voice calls & internet Software to create audio/video materials LMS (Moodle) Web development software RSS feeds Interactive whiteboards Social networking sites Data analysis software Social bookmarking / tagging Google docs GPS tagging of photos on the web Tablet computer (eg iPad)
- 9. Top 10 toolsused outside study 1200 1137 1121 1000 800 600 400 200 0 1061 1047 907 851 633 622 551 413 96% 35% 77%
- 10. Some interesting shifts 1000 900 800 700 500 400 300 200 100 0 600 Library online resources Pod/Vodcasts by Lecturers Pod/Vodcasts by students Pod/Vodcasts on the web RSS feeds relevant to studies Blogs by other students 747 721 175 333 183 187 942 965 492 681 539 448 Current use Future use 82%
- 11. Technologies for learning 900 800 700 600 400 300 200 100 0 500 Use Twitter Create Wikis Online document sharing Social networking Vitrual worlds Self-testing quizzes 47 79 210 253 23 483 184 344 479 540 172 821 Current use Future use 14% 16% 70%
- 12. Develop an ePortfolioas a record of learning and experiences for professional or employment purposes While 8.7% reported current regular use of ePortfolio for professional or employment purposes, 37.1% reported wanting to use this more often. 541 students (57%) who had selected ‘never to rarely’ moved their preference to wanting some level of engagement with this technology. 1000 900 800 700 600 500 400 300 200 100 0 Never or Rarely A few times a SEMESTER A few times a MONTH A few times a WEEK One or more times a DAY 948 131 54 40 8 407 336 247 140 51 CURRENTLY do this WOULD LIKE TO do this
- 13. Use web conferencingor video chat (eg Skype, Wimba, FaceTime) to join in remotely to lectures or tutorials 80% (944) of students have not used web conferencing to join in with lectures or tutorials in the past 65% (618) of these respondents said that they would like to in the future. This has significant 1000 900 800 700 600 500 400 300 implications as to how USQ may look to engage with this type of technology in the future 0 200 100 Never or Rarely A few times a SEMESTER A few times a MONTH A few times a WEEK One or more times a DAY 944 101 66 64 6 326 239 267 279 70 CURRENTLY do this WOULD LIKE TO do this
- 14. Use web-based documenttools (eg Google docs) to work collaboratively on activities and assignments 17.8% of students reported current regular use of web-based document tools, 47.3% reported wanting to use these more often. 504 students (43%) moved their preference from ‘never to rarely’ to wanting some level of engagement with this technology 900 800 700 600 500 400 300 200 100 0 Never or Rarely A few times a SEMESTER A few times a MONTH A few times a WEEK One or more times a DAY 845 126 96 75 39 341 281 261 214 84 CURRENTLY do this WOULD LIKE TO do this
- 15. Communicating: Student withstaff Student with student 900 800 700 600 400 300 200 100 0 500 Instant messaging Text messaging Email In LMS 75 173 682 704 281 368 862 847 119 292 523 632 308 454 748 781 Current with staff Future with staff Current with staff2 Future with student
- 16. Technologies for AdminPurposes 800 700 600 500 400 300 200 100 0 Not At All Useful Twitter RSS feeds A Little Useful Moderately Useful Quite Useful Very Useful 781 160 101 78 61 350 300 250 200 150 100 50 0 Not At All Useful A Little Useful Moderately Useful Quite Useful Very Useful 176 199 247 346 213 350 300 250 200 150 100 50 0 Paper-based letters or memos Not At All Useful A Little Useful Moderately Useful Quite Useful Very Useful 305 306 243 204 123 700 600 500 400 300 200 100 0 Not At All Useful A Little Useful Moderately Useful Quite Useful Very Useful 20 44 118 367 632 Email 67%
- 17. Technologies for AdminPurposes Facebook Mobile voice calls 350 300 250 200 150 100 50 Mobile apps Communications through LMS 450 400 350 300 250 200 150 100 50 0 Not At All Useful A Little Useful Moderately Useful Quite Useful Very Useful 49 104 216 406 406 400 350 300 250 200 150 100 50 0 Not At All Useful A Little Useful Moderately Useful Quite Useful Very Useful 384 186 172 210 229 0 Not At All Useful A Little Useful Moderately Useful Quite Useful Very Useful 343 246 248 189 155 400 350 300 250 200 150 100 50 0 Not At All Useful A Little Useful Moderately Useful Quite Useful Very Useful 226 133 165 295 362 50/50
- 18.
- 19. Take home messagesfrom FGs They are starting to use iPads more but mainly still use laptops. Recorded lectures provide flexibility/mobility, eg. able to play on iPod and listen while travelling etc. Able to repeat sections. Hearing/seeing lecturer gives better ‘feel’ for information than reading a printed page. Other students ask questions during lecture, which can give additional information. Feel more connected to group. Respondents saw the StudyDesk as adequate in contributing to their feeling part of a ‘community of learners’ and were opposed to using Facebook which they see as for personal use only. ‘Consistency’ was a main theme that has emerged both from this survey and Focus Groups. Consistency in the ‘look and feel’ of study desk, the quality of resources available, the staff interaction online. But not sameness. Strong preference for us to provide online training for technologies.
- 20. Observations Weshould celebrate the extent to which students are happy with the way we use technology to support their learning. Consistency defined broadly and not limited to the ‘wireframe’ of the StudyDesk. eg. style and format of materials: assessment feedback; lecture capture (audio/video); student communication. Access to the Internet is almost ubiquitous. This means that learning experiences need not be limited to ‘resource lead’ text based study guides. More active/connected learning tools are increasingly available to enhance the learning experience. Collaborative technologies can facilitate classroom-based activities that are inclusive of distance learners when designed purposefully. Cloud-based and other social networking tools represent an ‘ease of use’ for students and should be considered as legitimate supplementary learning spaces for students (Googledocs, Facebook etc.)
- 21. Students are: Seamless, on the go and available purposefully oriented and ‘don’t have time to waste’, technology is viewed as a positive force in their studies Few learners are without multiple devices such as mobile phones, laptops, tablets and computers that connect to the internet online learning environments are often devoid of engagement and interaction and rather remain focussed on resource led rather than perhaps resource supported social media has in some cases become an “…unexpected learning space which was previously used for more personal and social interactions” Andrews, Tynan, & Backstrom, 2012, p.54.
- 22. Key Technology Trends - Gartner 2013 By 2015: Smartphones will account for 80% of all mobile phones sold (in well-established markets) Only 20% of these devices will use Windows 50% of all notebook purchases will be tablets The top operating systems will be: • Apple’s iOS • Google’s Android • Windows 8
- 23. Mobility @ USQ This rapid development of technology has launched a global trend to enhance the ways in which we develop and deliver courses and L&T resources Currently, USQ has implemented the following initiatives to facilitate access to USQ resources for staff and students from mobile devices: USQ Mobile website USQ Library mobile website Moodle mobile skin for USQStudyDesk courses Institutional imaging of iPads for general student lending in the Library (Toowoomba Campus) Developing apps for learning With increased internet coverage enabled almost ubiquitous access, we have seen a huge increase in our websites being accessed by mobile devices
- 24. “I DON’T HAVETIME TO WASTE”
Editor's Notes
- #5 This survey was originally developed and deployed in 2010 by Macquarie University, the University of Technology Sydney and the University of Western Sydney by Gosper, Malfroy, McKenzie & Rankine (2011). SEETS was generated by drawing on the ECAR Survey (EDUCAUSE, 2008), and the Great Expectations of IT Survey developed by the Joint Information Systems Consortium (JISC, 2008).