Tech Tip: Laptops, texting, and SNSs are very in

ECAR* Study of Undergraduate Students and Information Technology 2009

EDUCAUSE surveys mainly traditional students on their technology and preferences and then publishes the results once a year. The most recent release was October 2009:

Laptops are way up and desktop computers are down.
IM is out; social networking sites (SNSs) are in.
Cell phones are ubiquitous and texting is nearly so.
Students appreciate F2F classes but they also like technology in their classes.

Fastest read: open the PDF of the Roadmap (4 pages)
Next fastest: open the PDF of the Key Findings (7 pages)

*ECAR is the EDUCAUSE Center for Applied Research. Many of their projects and publications reside behind a password but the UG Students & IT report is open to all. (Your institution may have an EDUCAUSE membership so you may have institutional access to many more resources.)

© 2009 Mary Bold, PhD, CFLE. Email contact: bold[AT]marybold.com. The content of this blog or related web sites created by Mary Bold (www.marybold.com, www.boldproductions.com, College Intern Blog) is not under any circumstances to be regarded as legal or professional advice. Bold is the co-author of Reflections: Preparing for your Practicum or Internship, geared to college interns in the child, education, and family fields. She is a consultant and speaker on assessment, distance learning, and technology.