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Great expectations of ICT: How Higher Education institutions are measuring up
JISC commissioned Ipsos MORI to undertake research among first year students studying in higher education to: Understand first year students’ experiences of ICT use and provision in HEIs, particularly in light of the expectations which emerged from the first study in June 2007; Examine whether there is a mismatch between expectations and reality.
The research re-visits a cohort of the school and college students who participated in phase one of the research in June 2007 to explore how their current experiences of ICT in their first year of higher education match up with their expectations. A representative sample of first year students from across the UK was also surveyed to identify whether findings emerging from the cohort were reflected across the wider student population. Over 1,000 students were researched using quantitative and qualitative techniques.
Download the full report (pdf)
Conclusions and implications
Overall, higher education institutions (HEIs) are perceived as providing a basic level of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) to a good standard. The first study revealed that many students come to higher education with a set of inherent expectations; the follow-up study has showed that these are generally being met.
| Expectation |
Experience |
University life in general will be uncertain,especially in terms of how ICT fits in
(becoming clearer) |
Around half feel their overall experience so far is better than expected, suggesting, at least for some, the experience has not been as daunting as anticipated |
ICT will play a bigger role and help them learn,
but they're not clear what this role will be
(met in most part) |
Expectations of the amount of ICT used on courses, provided to support studies and used to support social life are largely met. It is not so much the amount of ICT use that has changed as the way in which students use it. The role of certain technologies has become clearer (eg WebCT, online administration, course-specific information online, emailing tutors) but others less so (eg using social networking sites for formal teaching purposes, wikis |
Ability to use their own equipment
(met) |
Students are using the same amount of technology overall, and still using their own hardware, though those from higher socio-economic groups will have more opportunities here. 75% (83% cohort) are able to use their personal laptop or PC on all of their institution’s systems and 86% find these systems easy to use.
|
Ubiquitous internet access
(met) |
80% are satisfied with the level of internet access provided by their institution, rising to 86% of the more technology fluent cohort. Qualitatively, most accept the need for restrictions on downloads. Around three-quarters claim regularly to access the internet from the library specifically for work, and over a quarter in lectures or seminars
|
Plenty of ICT support would be provided
(largely met) |
82% (89% cohort) are satisfied with ICT support in terms of using the institution’s systems; 67% (71% cohort) in terms of how best to use ICT to help with their studies; and 60% (66% cohort) in terms of hardware/software queries. However, a quarter rate guidance on using ICT to support studies as either average or poor, suggesting some may be having difficulty realising the benefits ICT can bring to their studies
|
Online materials would be provided,
or would back up conventional teaching
(met) |
79% access course-specific materials at least once a week and 97% of those find them useful in supporting their studies |
Students value face-to-face interaction and really
need to see the value and relevance of technology
before they are persuaded
(partly met) |
This is still very much the case – but there is a perception that the responsibility of finding new technologies to help with learning lies with the student rather than the teacher. There is scope, therefore, for institutions to do more in terms of laying out the options |
Students are flexible and ready to
accommodate new forms of technology in learning |
Students are receptive to new types of ICT in principle, although their level of familiarity and comfort with each application of technology varies. Although generally open to the idea of new technologies, just 57% say they look for new technologies to help their learning |
|
Students make wide use of social networking
but struggle to see how it could be used in learning |
Social networking sites are still being widely used and more frequently, mainly for personal or social reasons. However, the findings suggest Web 2.0 is used in learning by some as a way to discuss coursework (73% use social sites), source material and communicate with both peers and lecturers (around a quarter contact tutors or lecturers by email or text on at least a weekly basis). |
However, the research identifies that although students (and academics) understand the benefits technology can bring to learning and teaching, not all opportunities are being fully exploited which presents a number of implications for institutions. For example:
- HEIs need to be aware that certain technologies appear more familiar and hence comfortable for new students to use, often a result of recent school or college experience. Therefore, certain technologies will be harder to introduce into teaching than others. One such challenge is wikis, which are perceived to be under-used (although the reality may be otherwise).
- Students do not perceive HEIs to be leading the way in developing new methods of learning. Their perception is that current technology training for students tends to focus on how to use different systems. There is little sense that the HEI has a remit to encourage these students to think differently about information, research and presentation.
- There is also emerging evidence that student-driven ICT, including the use Web 2.0 features is very beneficial in their learning despite relatively few feeling they are encouraged to use Web 2.0 features in this way. Attitudes as to whether social networking sites could be used in teaching are mixed, however, where social networking emerges organically among the students, it is shown to be more successful than networks put in place by the teacher – which can feel overtly formal and out of place
- There is also an opportunity to help students understand best practice for checking the validity of internet sources used for research, something which 69% of students believe they are doing despite evidence elsewhere suggesting they may lack the critical and analytical skills to do so rigorously.