ERIC Number: EJ1119920
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2016-Nov
Pages: 13
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1469-7874
EISSN: N/A
What's Used and What's Useful? Exploring Digital Technology Use(s) among Taught Postgraduate Students
Henderson, Michael; Finger, Glenn; Selwyn, Neil
Active Learning in Higher Education, v17 n3 p235-247 Nov 2016
This article explores the digital technologies that taught postgraduate students engage with during their studies, what these technologies are used for and how useful they are perceived to be. The article draws upon data gathered from a survey of 253 masters and postgraduate diploma/certificate students across two universities in Australia. Analysis of these data contrasts the varied use(fulness) of "official" university technologies such as learning management systems and library resources against "unofficial" technologies such as Wikipedia, Twitter, Facebook and free/open education resources. In particular, the data highlight notable differences between students by subject area, domicile, mode of study and academic performance. The data also highlight the perceived benefits of this technology use--with students primarily finding digital technology useful in terms of supporting the logistics of university study rather than matters of learning per se. The article concludes by considering what is missing from these current forms of technological engagement, particularly in comparison with wider discourses about the educational potential of recent digital technologies.
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Educational Technology, Technology Uses in Education, Graduate Students, Use Studies, Student Surveys, Comparative Analysis, Integrated Learning Systems, Library Materials, Electronic Publishing, Encyclopedias, Social Media, Open Source Technology, Data Analysis, Educational Benefits, Users (Information), Universities
SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: http://sagepub.com
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Australia
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A