A Perspective on the Technology Awareness among Students

Carlos Jimenez-Bescos & Ann Hockey

What technology are we expecting students to use?

The Survey

• Perform during academic year 2010/11.• Covering the whole range of BE students• 487 respondents.• Ages ranging from 18 to 53 years (Mostly 20s).• 6 points Likert scale.

Very frequently (VF); Frequently (F); Fairly frequently (FF);Not frequently (NF); Not used (NU); Not understand (DNU)

Mobile Phone

• 76 % VF• 17 % F

Social Networks

• 26 % VF• 25 % F• 22 % FF

ARU Email

• 23 % FF• 32 % NF• 21 % NU

Home Email

• 41 % VF• 30 % F• 18 % FF

E-Portfolio

• 9 % NF• 38 % NU• 48 % DNU

Photo Sharing

• 11 % NF• 48 % NU• 30 % DNU

Mobile Learning

• 10 % NF• 38 % NU• 41 % DNU

Video Messaging

• 21 % NF• 37 % NU• 17 % DNU

Youtube

• 24 % FF• 24 % NF• 11 % NU

Blogs

• 20 % NF• 45 % NU• 21 % DNU

eBooks

• 23 % NF• 34 % NU• 18 % DNU

Discussion Forums

• 22 % NF• 25 % NU• 10 % DNU

VLE

• 17 % NF• 28 % NU• 20 % DNU

Virtual Worlds

• 6 % NF• 46 % NU• 42 % DNU

Any Concerns?

Conclusions

• Mobile phones, social networks and personal emails are very frequently use.

• Limited use and/or understanding of wikis, discussion forums, blogs and VLE.

• Two questions appear.

What are the implications to elearning deliveries and the increasing use of technology?

Are we overestimating the capabilities of technology ‘natives’?

Thank you very much