I'm at a session where Judy Caruso is presenting the findings of the ECAR Study of Undergraduate Students and Information Technology. It's a survey done across many institutions of higher education (community colleges through universities). The 2009 report was just released last week. Some thoughts on the notable results below related student mobility.
Student Use of Mobile Devices:
About 10% of students say that they are using their cell phone in class for course activities, but about 30% are using them in class for non-class activities. This is even higher (up to 40%) for students in the 18-19 age range, who are also less likely to agree with an instructor's right to ask students to turn their phones off. Part of this is that students said that they are connected to campus emergency alert systems through their phones, so they wouldn't want to turn them off.
Internet on Mobile Devices:
Over half of students own an internet capable device (including phones) and about 30% more were planning to buy one. Only about 10% said that they never plan to get one. Half use this feature once per week or more. Portraits of student mobility:
In the next three years, students expect to be doing more things on a phone that they currently only do on their desktop or laptop this year. Currently, students mostly use their phone most commonly to check info (news, weather, sports, etc...), check e-mail, use social networks, look at maps, and instant message. They said that they would be most likely to use campus e-mail (63%), student administrative services (47%), and course/learning management system (46%). Other uses were under 30% such as checking administrative systems, paying for services (like LionCash), and using phones as clickers.
What I thought was interesting was that students are using their phone for text messaging, but when asked if they were using their phone for instant messaging, only 40-50% of the mobile internet-using students said that they were. Judy also said that Twitter use was very low. So during the Q&A section, I pointed out that a lot of students will be using the internet without knowing that they are. In a session that I attended yesterday, a lot of students said that they didn't think of Facebook as a web site. Likewise, I have dozens of iPhone apps and nearly all of them use the internet, but they aren't web browsers.
I think surveys like this may get more difficult to administer if they use a binary Internet/not-Internet language. The network has faded into transparency to the point where students are doing a lot of things without thinking about getting connected - they're always connected.
Overall: good discussion. I'll have to take a close look at their report.
Student Use of Mobile Devices:
About 10% of students say that they are using their cell phone in class for course activities, but about 30% are using them in class for non-class activities. This is even higher (up to 40%) for students in the 18-19 age range, who are also less likely to agree with an instructor's right to ask students to turn their phones off. Part of this is that students said that they are connected to campus emergency alert systems through their phones, so they wouldn't want to turn them off.
Internet on Mobile Devices:
Over half of students own an internet capable device (including phones) and about 30% more were planning to buy one. Only about 10% said that they never plan to get one. Half use this feature once per week or more. Portraits of student mobility:
- 35.5% don't own and don't plan to own
- 1.5% don't know
- 18.1% own, but don't use the internet
- 33.1% own and use the internet (or 25% of the total use on a weekly or daily basis)
- Plenty of other ways to connect
- Cost
- Usability of internet on a mobile device
In the next three years, students expect to be doing more things on a phone that they currently only do on their desktop or laptop this year. Currently, students mostly use their phone most commonly to check info (news, weather, sports, etc...), check e-mail, use social networks, look at maps, and instant message. They said that they would be most likely to use campus e-mail (63%), student administrative services (47%), and course/learning management system (46%). Other uses were under 30% such as checking administrative systems, paying for services (like LionCash), and using phones as clickers.
What I thought was interesting was that students are using their phone for text messaging, but when asked if they were using their phone for instant messaging, only 40-50% of the mobile internet-using students said that they were. Judy also said that Twitter use was very low. So during the Q&A section, I pointed out that a lot of students will be using the internet without knowing that they are. In a session that I attended yesterday, a lot of students said that they didn't think of Facebook as a web site. Likewise, I have dozens of iPhone apps and nearly all of them use the internet, but they aren't web browsers.
I think surveys like this may get more difficult to administer if they use a binary Internet/not-Internet language. The network has faded into transparency to the point where students are doing a lot of things without thinking about getting connected - they're always connected.
Overall: good discussion. I'll have to take a close look at their report.