Are BCIT Students Digital Learners?

Mark Bullen, Adnan Qayyum, Tannis Morgan

12/25/09

Introduction

• Sequel to last year’s presentation• Research project:

– How are BCIT students communicating outside the classroom?

– Do they fit the “net generation” profile

• Research team

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Who Cares?

• “Net Generation” claims• Implications for higher education• Validity of the claims

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Net Generation Claims

• Fundamentally different that previous generations– Technologies used– How they use technology

• These differences affect how they learn

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Net Generation Claims

• Exposed to digital technology from an early age

• Profound impact“today’s students think and process information fundamentally

differently than their predecessors. These differences go further and deeper than most educators suspect or realize” – Marc Presnsky, 2001

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Net Generation Characteristics

• Multitaskers• Sophisticated users of technology• Need for immediate feedback• Prefer teamwork, collaboration• Experiential learners• Social• Ambitious• Career-oriented

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Implications for Higher Education

• Digital game-based learning• Collaborative learning• Multimedia• Interactive learning• Expect to be entertained• Personalized learning• Shift from architecture of presentation to

architecture of participation

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Validity of Claims

• Claims not based on sound research• North American bias• Reviews of research do not support claims• Research tends to contradict many of the

claims• Does this mean business as usual?

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BCIT study• Second part of a study

– Part 1: interviewed 69 students– Part 2: Survey (442 students in 14 courses)

• Questions about behaviours and attitudes based on NetGen literature and part 1 of study

• Self-reporting• Student demographics

– Female -43% Male -56%– Trades -21% Technology -79%– NetGen -78% (22) NonNetGen -22% (32)– Working -48% Not working -52%

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Students responses (NetGen traits 1)

Item Level of agreement

NetGen significant?

Digitally literate High Not significant

Connected Moderately high Small relationship

Multitasking Moderately high Small relationship

Experiential learning Moderately high Not significant

Structured learning Moderately high Not significant

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Student responses (NetGen traits 2)

Item Level of agreement?

NetGen significant?

Group work Low Small relationship

Social Moderately high Not significant

Goal oriented Moderate Not significant

Preference for text Moderate Small relationship

Community minded Moderate Not significant

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Student responses (peers)

Communication mode

Usage level NetGen significant?

BCIT email Moderate Not significant

Personal email Moderately high Not significant

Instant messaging Moderate Small relationship

Text message (phone) Moderately high Small relationship

Facebook/ MySpace Moderate Small relationship

Talking via phone Moderately high Small relationship

Talking in person High Not significant

WebCT Low Not significant

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Student responses (instructors)

Communication mode

Usage level NetGen significant?

BCIT email Moderate Not significant

Personal email Moderate Not significant

Instant messaging Low Not significant

Text message (phone) Low Not significant

Facebook/ MySpace Low Not significant

Talking via phone Low Not significant

Talking in person High Not significant

WebCT Low Small relationship

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Implications for BCIT

“Whether the Net Generation is a purely generational phenomenon or whether it is associated with technology use, there are a number of implications for colleges and universities. Most stem from the dichotomy between a Net Gen mindset and that of most faculty, staff, and administrators.”Diana Oblinger, Educating the Net Generation

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Implications (1)

• BCIT are students have a basic level of comfort with many ICTs but this is not related to generation– Limited toolkit (email, texting, cell phones)

• Driven by ubiquity, self-organizing capabilities, type of communication it provides (distance/proximity), practicality

– Infrastructure, program specific technologies and software (qualitative)

What does this mean for how we teach?

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Implications (2)

• BCIT context, not generation, is more of determining factor in ICTs and learning– Experiential learning (not age related, but

attraction for student population)

What does this mean for how we teach?

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Implications (3)

Group work is not highly preferred, even though students are highly social and consider themselves to be highly connected because of ICTs

– Students spend 7-8 hours x 5 days/week on campus– 5+ courses at a time– access to communication and collaboration is not

the problem

– Motivation to group work? Appropriateness of group work?

What does this mean for how we teach?

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Implications (4)

• Multitasking– Students spend 7-8 hours x 5 days/week on

campus– 5+ courses at a time– Substantial amount of students working part time– Access and ubiquity of ICTs

What does this mean for how we teach?

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Conclusion

• Generation does not explain technology use or learning preferences– Context matters--nature of programs,

program design– Decision making based on needs of your

learners

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Asking the Right Questions

• Who are our learners?• How are today’s learners different from (or

the same as) faculty/administrators?• What learning activities are most engaging for

learners?• Are there ways to use IT to make learning

more successful?

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For More Information

• http://netgennonsense.blogspot.com/• adnan.qayyum@sympatico.ca• Tannis_morgan@bcit.ca• Mark_bullen@bcit.ca

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