1.- HOW TECHNOLOGY IS AFFECTING EDUCATION RIGHT NOW
by Katie Lepi
Thursday, August 30, 2012
The amount of technology flooding into
classrooms may vary widely, but there’s no denying that it’s a red-hot trend in
education. A new study further bolsters this idea as it’s found that digital
devices are saving students time, are widely accepted, and are actually making
students more likely to do their homework.
All these factoids and more are presented in
the study by CourseSmart and
•The
survey revealed that technology has become a significant part of students’
everyday lives with the average using three devices daily.
•A majority (67%) can’t go more than one hour
without using some sort of digital technology, with 40% not lasting more than
10 minutes.
•Print
textbooks are losing their reputation of being indispensable. Only 5% of
students say textbooks are the most important item in their bag and a majority
of students say they are more likely to bring a laptop (51%) than a print
textbook (39%) to class.
•Digital devices also allow for on-the-go
reference to information with 79% of college students reporting they have done
a quick search on a mobile device or tablet to verify something right before a
test or a quiz.
•The
study found that 68% of college students who save time using technology report
saving two hours or more each day and nearly one in six students (14%) saving
five hours or more.
•Nearly
•Online
courses are gaining popularity with 58% of students reporting they have taken
an online course, motivated primarily by being able to take the class on their
own time (63%), not having to physically be in a class (48%) and being able to
learn at their own pace (47%).
•Traditional brick and mortar classes, though,
are incorporating online elements, creating increasingly hybrid experiences.
•Nearly
all (96%) college students have had online components to a course: a majority
of students (79%) have submitted assignments or papers online and 71% have
taken online tests and quizzes.
•Communication between faculty and students is
becoming more social with nearly one in five (18%) students having received
materials from their professor via Facebook.
•Professors are also relying more on
technology for delivering class announcements and assignments: 84% of students
have had professors post a class syllabus online and 78% of students have
received class news and updates from their professors via campus systems, such
as learning management systems or student portals.
“The survey underscores the undeniable
influence technology has on today’s college experience. As technology continues
to evolve and digital devices become integral to the evolution of higher
education, it’s encouraging to see the positive impact on learning outcomes as
students utilize advanced devices and digital course materials to streamline
and improve their learning environment,” said Sean Devine, CEO of CourseSmart.
© 2012 Edudemic, LLC - All rights reserved.
----------------------------------------------------------------------