Campus Technology covers a recent report by a large publishing company summarizing the results of a recent student survey (all of whom have used the publisher’s digital tools) about attitudes and perceptions towards using digital learning technology. Sampling bias notwithstanding, here are a few highlights:
- >80% of students report that technology improves accessibility to materials, study efficiency and course performance
- 61% of students prefer classes using technology
- 89% agreed that learning technology “should respond and adapt to my unique way of learning”
However all is not magically solved with technology and there are a few curious findings.
- In terms of finding the following resources extremely helpful for studying, the agreement rates were:
- 62% for laptop computers
- 32% for instructors
- 19% for fellow students
- Only 46% of students felt that technology was helping them interact with others, work in group or develop other ‘soft skills’
With the prevalence of social networking and instant messaging the latter perhaps speaks to a deficiency of the publisher’s tools to facilitate social learning than any deficiency of technology itself to accomplish social connectedness. Our findings with Junction, which was designed to facilitate student interaction and peer support, show significantly higher student engagement rates with peers as the figurative walls between students in a physical classroom appear to melt away on screens.
Note that the article is free (no registration or login required) at the link below but the publisher requires the entry of personal information prior to accessing the full report.
College Students: ‘Please Personalize My Learning’ — Campus Technology
