Students’ Perceptions of Technology in Learning

Scott E. Siddall

Denison University

Objectives

To determine our students’ authentic feelings toward technology in undergraduate learning

To test the survey instrument

The Survey

Equivalent web and print formats

Web version is much less costly

Three elements, blended in the survey

K-12 and college selection experiences

Estimate their desires for technology

Characterize the respondent

54 Likert scale questions:

Five levels (SA, A, NO,D,SD)

Neutral mean = 3.0

One textual response

US mail invitations with incentives

The Students

800 students

400 from each Denison University and Kenyon College

100 from each graduating class

Stratified random sample

30% response rate (n=242)

Analytical methods

SPSS release 9

Crosstabs

One sample t-tests

One-way ANOV where variances were homogeneous

SNK multiple range post-hoc tests

Likert scale data treated as interval data (Jaccard and Wan, 1996)

Statistical inferences all at 95% confidence level

Descriptive results

Summary data available on the web:

http://siddall.info/talks/percept/data.html

Overall student perceptions

Institutional IT commitments are not a factor in selecting colleges for most students

Those who considered IT had significantly greater access to high-tech classrooms in K-12

Positive experiences with IT in college classes are strongly correlated with professor’s effective use of technology

Overall student perceptions

Students used computers more this year than last

Students put a higher premium on support than on outstanding facilities

Students very strongly value face-to-face contact with faculty, and they value outside speakers in class

Students prefer short lectures and feel that printed, web-based or taped lectures can be as effective

Students who say they know more…

Own a computer

Are more willing to engage in remote collaboration (video conferencing)

Find group work less productive

Are not comfortable with intuitive approaches; they want manuals

Are more often math majors and less often majoring in art and religion

On collaborative work….

Do you like large group work?

64% no, 18% yes, 16% no opinion

Is group work more or less productive?

32% more, 46% less, 21% no opinion

Is collaborative work shared equitably?

59% no, 28% yes, 12% no opinion

Where does most learning take place?

43% outside of class, 36% inside, 18% no opinion

On anonymity…

55% report holding back comments in class

31% would contribute anonymously if they felt they could

These remarks are strongly associated (p<.001)

Gender differences

More men claim to have searched library catalogs than women

Fewer women claim to be highly knowledgeable about computers

More women report a lower level of positive experiences with technology than men

More women than men are negative about outside speakers via video conferencing

More women are more inclined to seek anonymity than men and they find group work more productive than men do

Men approach computers more intuitively than women and show a preference for shorter lectures than women

Differences between survey formats

Web respondents profess to have more knowledge about computing than print respondents (possible bias for web format)

Web respondents want a computer in each classroom; print respondents are neutral

Web respondents favor computing requirements in class more than print respondents

Print respondents do not want anonymous tools; web respondents are neutral

Web respondents are more intuitive about using computers than print respondents

Web respondents tend to write much longer textual responses

Differences between campuses

Institutional commitments to IT influenced Denison students more than Kenyon prospectives

Kenyon students reported greater access to high-tech K-12 resources and home computers than Denison students

Denison students are interested in taking classes at other schools; Kenyon students are not

Denison students think that computing will be more influential in the future than Kenyon students

Where do you learn?

"Real learning occurs back in the dorm, where I learned how to live"

"One doesn't learn by passively absorbing information. Most learning takes place outside of class when one has the opportunity to sift through ideas and distill the important concepts."

"...learning takes place outside of class when people are truly engaged and interested instead of discussion for a grade."

"I think that the learning that goes on outside class, just spending time with others and talking to them, is just as important as in-class not talking."

"I learn more reading the material or studying it on my own. Too many professors just regurgitate the chapter you read for the homework the night before."

"I personally tend to tune out and just take notes and not really think about what my professor is saying. Afterwards I will look at my notes and decipher what the professor has said This takes place out of class and it is where most of my learning occurs."

Where do you learn?

"...getting away from the formality of the classroom being able to think about the idea in any direction you want to take usually involves thinking and questioning and finding answers through different ways of seeing an idea"

"Email discussions with fellow students or professors Web searches of other libraries or academic websites."

"I am a shy person in large classroom situations . I do well when I can talk to my professor one on one. I also agree in having outside lecturers come and speak by way of two way conferencing. "

"I went to a small liberal arts college so my teachers could know me by name."

Broad Interpretation of Results

Our students are conservatively optimistic about technology in their learning and in post-graduate life

Technology will not replace instructors but our students want instructors who use technology well

Specific Interpretation of Results

Our students have strong K-12 experiences that effect their expectations but not decisions about selecting a college

They want support for their increasing uses of technology and do better when their instructors use technology well

Most are accepting of alternate classroom methods: online lectures, video conference speakers, etc.

Most are uncomfortable with large group collaborations; some seek tools for anonymous expression

Conclusions about the Survey Tool

Useful information gathered; potential of student survey confirmed

Several areas for improvement identified

Web surveys are appropriate for some questions

Focus will change over time as results suggest

Possibility to include more institutions

Contact Scott E. Siddall siddall.info

This presentation at: http://siddall.info/talks/

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	To determine our students’ authentic feelings toward technology in undergraduate learning
	To test the survey instrument


	Equivalent web and print formats
		Web version is much less costly
	Three elements, blended in the survey
		K-12 and college selection experiences
		Estimate their desires for technology
		Characterize the respondent
	54 Likert scale questions:
		Five levels (SA, A, NO,D,SD)
		Neutral mean = 3.0
	One textual response
	US mail invitations with incentives


	800 students
		400 from each Denison University and Kenyon College
		100 from each graduating class
		Stratified random sample
	30% response rate (n=242)


	SPSS release 9
		Crosstabs
		One sample t-tests
		One-way ANOV where variances were homogeneous
		SNK multiple range post-hoc tests
	Likert scale data treated as interval data (Jaccard and Wan, 1996)
	Statistical inferences all at 95% confidence level


	Summary data available on the web:
	http://siddall.info/talks/percept/data.html


	Institutional IT commitments are not a factor in selecting colleges for most students
	Those who considered IT had significantly greater access to high-tech classrooms in K-12
	Positive experiences with IT in college classes are strongly correlated with professor’s effective use of technology


	Students used computers more this year than last
	Students put a higher premium on support than on outstanding facilities
	Students very strongly value face-to-face contact with faculty, and they value outside speakers in class
	Students prefer short lectures and feel that printed, web-based or taped lectures can be as effective


	Own a computer
	Are more willing to engage in remote collaboration (video conferencing)
	Find group work less productive
	Are not comfortable with intuitive approaches; they want manuals
	Are more often math majors and less often majoring in art and religion


	Do you like large group work?
		64% no, 18% yes, 16% no opinion
	Is group work more or less productive?
		32% more, 46% less, 21% no opinion
	Is collaborative work shared equitably?
		59% no, 28% yes, 12% no opinion
	Where does most learning take place?
		43% outside of class, 36% inside, 18% no opinion


	55% report holding back comments in class
	31% would contribute anonymously if they felt they could
	These remarks are strongly associated (p<.001)


	More men claim to have searched library catalogs than women
	Fewer women claim to be highly knowledgeable about computers
	More women report a lower level of positive experiences with technology than men
	More women than men are negative about outside speakers via video conferencing
	More women are more inclined to seek anonymity than men and they find group work more productive than men do
	Men approach computers more intuitively than women and show a preference for shorter lectures than women


	Web respondents profess to have more knowledge about computing than print respondents (possible bias for web format)
	Web respondents want a computer in each classroom; print respondents are neutral
	Web respondents favor computing requirements in class more than print respondents
	Print respondents do not want anonymous tools; web respondents are neutral
	Web respondents are more intuitive about using computers than print respondents
	Web respondents tend to write much longer textual responses


	Institutional commitments to IT influenced Denison students more than Kenyon prospectives
	Kenyon students reported greater access to high-tech K-12 resources and home computers than Denison students
	Denison students are interested in taking classes at other schools; Kenyon students are not
	Denison students think that computing will be more influential in the future than Kenyon students


	"Real learning occurs back in the dorm, where I learned how to live"
	"One doesn't learn by passively absorbing information. Most learning takes place outside of class when one has the opportunity to sift through ideas and distill the important concepts."
	"...learning takes place outside of class when people are truly engaged and interested instead of discussion for a grade."
	"I think that the learning that goes on outside class, just spending time with others and talking to them, is just as important as in-class not talking."
	"I learn more reading the material or studying it on my own. Too many professors just regurgitate the chapter you read for the homework the night before."
	"I personally tend to tune out and just take notes and not really think about what my professor is saying. Afterwards I will look at my notes and decipher what the professor has said This takes place out of class and it is where most of my learning occurs."


	"...getting away from the formality of the classroom being able to think about the idea in any direction you want to take usually involves thinking and questioning and finding answers through different ways of seeing an idea"
	"Email discussions with fellow students or professors Web searches of other libraries or academic websites."
	"I am a shy person in large classroom situations . I do well when I can talk to my professor one on one. I also agree in having outside lecturers come and speak by way of two way conferencing. "
	"I went to a small liberal arts college so my teachers could know me by name."


	Our students are conservatively optimistic about technology in their learning and in post-graduate life
	Technology will not replace instructors but our students want instructors who use technology well


	Our students have strong K-12 experiences that effect their expectations but not decisions about selecting a college
	They want support for their increasing uses of technology and do better when their instructors use technology well
	Most are accepting of alternate classroom methods: online lectures, video conference speakers, etc.
	Most are uncomfortable with large group collaborations; some seek tools for anonymous expression


	Useful information gathered; potential of student survey confirmed
	Several areas for improvement identified
	Web surveys are appropriate for some questions
	Focus will change over time as results suggest
	Possibility to include more institutions
		Contact Scott E. Siddall siddall.info
		This presentation at: http://siddall.info/talks/