Notes from Wk13/14 A1

A1b, ECAR report
a the scope of the study
Information on technology behaviours, and inform admin staff of technology environments, and inform practice of teachers who want to build IT into their delivery.
b the research questions the authors focused on
Literature review; previous studies
c the methods used to capture the data
Quantitative survey; qualitative focus groups; open-ended survey question; comparison of year-on-year survey data. Respondents came from a good range of disciplines.
d the overarching findings.

Students from the ‘Net Generation’ have common technological practices typical to other research of this generation. They engage in online socialisation, are multifaceted in the tools and approaches to the use of these tools, but also do not necessarily demand this of the academic courses on which they study. There seems to be a preference for a blended approach. “IT resources… are best situated in learning environments where technology is balanced with other learning activities, especially face-to-face interactions.” (p.16)

A few interesting points:
• Students (or parents) get 1st years a new computer to study with. What does this say about expectations of how they will be asked to study? p.44
• Nearly all of the 2.8% respondents on wholly online courses were part-time, value placed on the flexibility they afford. Authors refer to problems in student responses: lack of f2f, more demanding and require students to ‘teach themselves’; conducive to cheating. p.64
• 85% of respondents used social networking sites, 60% daily. Although comments on this suggest that most use is for personal communication, informal, and infrequent for most ‘friends’. p.88

A1b, Kennedy
a the scope of the study
Students use of established and existing technologies in the support of their learning.
b the research questions the authors focused on
“Universities are ill-equipped to educate a new generation of learners whose sophisticated use of learning technologies is incompatible with current teaching practice.” Investigation into assumptions that all new intake will be net generation; also that if students are using technologies in everyday lives, does this warrant their use in learning and teaching?
c the methods used to capture the data
1) Questionnaire about levels of use, creation and exchange of knowledge, perceptions of potential tech applications in learning. One student focused, one tutor focused to include experiences, skills and current use. 2) Teacher and student focus groups.
These findings to inform pilot projects – to create tools, implement, trial etc and disseminate.
d the overarching findings.
??? Not sure about this, there were no findings present.