ECAR Study of Undergraduate Students and Information Technology, 2013

ECAR has surveyed undergraduate students annually since 2004 about technology in higher education. In 2013, ECAR collaborated with more than 250 higher education institutions to collect responses from more than 112,000 undergraduate students about their technology experiences and expectations. The EDUCAUSE Technology Research in the Academic Community findings are distilled into four broad themes to help educators and higher education institutions better understand how students experience technology on their respective campuses and the ways in which new, better, or more technology can impact students’ relationship with information technology.

Because of this topic's importance to higher education, this report is publicly accessible.

Key Findings

See the 2013 report for a full list of key messages, findings, and supporting data.

• Students recognize the value of technology but still need guidance when it comes to better using it for academics.
• Students prefer blended learning environments while beginning to experiment with MOOCs.
• Students are ready to use their mobile devices more for academics, and they look to institutions and instructors for opportunities and encouragement to do so.
• Students value their privacy, and using technology to connect with them has its limits.

ECAR Recommends

See the 2013 report for a full list of actionable results.

• Students expect their instructors—not others—to train them to effectively use the technology required for coursework (e.g., use of the CMS, hardware, and software—including specialty software and common productivity software). Instructors need support, encouragement, and possibly incentives to do so.

• Educate your students about MOOCs; most students are unaware of them. Institutions have a fleeting opportunity to contextualize MOOCs for students in a way that will mesh with the institution’s own MOOC strategy.
• Create (or update) a strategy for incorporating mobile device use into the classroom. Address the IT infrastructure barriers (such as a lack of convenient charging outlets and/or charging stations and insufficient network access) that keep students from using their devices effectively while on campus.
• Approach learner analytics purposefully and thoughtfully by adhering to information privacy principles. Collect data for a stated and transparent purpose in order to build students’ confidence in learner analytics activities.

How Do You Use the Student Study?

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