The Digital Learner: Myth or Reality

THE DIGITAL LEARNER AT BCIT: THE MYTH AND THE REALITY Adnan Qayyum, Mark Bullen, Tannis Morgan, Karen Belfer

Background to Research
Collaboration between Concordia PhD candidate & BCIT Learning & Teaching Centre
Guiding research questions (Concordia)
How do students interact with peers for course-related purposes, outside of class?
How do ICTs affect this dynamic?
Guiding research questions (BCIT)
How are BCIT learners using ICTs?
Are there differences in social and educational use?
Do BCIT learners fit the “millennial learner” profile?

Digital Learner Characteristics
Digitally literate
Connected
Immediate
Experiential
Social / Interactive
Teams
Structure
Visual & Kinesthetic
Socially-conscious

Digital Learner Assumptions Assumption Evidence? Use digital technologies extensively Yes Exposure creates sophisticated users No Use changes learning approaches, even the brain No Need to change the way we teach Maybe, but for different reasons

The Literature Authors Comments Oblinger & Oblinger (2005). Educating the Net Generation Uneven Howe & Strauss (2000). Millenials Rising 200 school teachers, 660 students -Fairfax county Prensky(2001). Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants, Part 1 & 2 Informed speculation Seely Brown (2000). Growing Up Digital Anecdotal observations of 15 yr olds working in Xerox Lab Turkle (1995). Life on The Screen: Identity in the Age of the Internet 1995 Frand (2000). The information-age Mindset Informed speculation

Seen this before?

Student Interview Questions
Through what channels do you communicate with classmates?
Name four topics you communicate about?
Where are you when you communicate with classmates?
Describe what channels you use to communicate with your instructor?
Does the instructor require or encourage you to communicate with classmates?
When you have a problem or issue in your courses what do you do?
What communication options would help you learn in your courses?

Interview Sessions
also 15 instructors were interviewed (14 sessions)
Group size Number of interview sessions of this group size Total number of students interviewed 1 9 9 2 11 22 3 4 12 4 2 8 5 1 5 6 1 6 7 1 7 Total 29 69

Findings
Channels of communication
Talking
in person
via cellphones
Writing
via chat (e.g. MSN, Yahoo)
email
Facebook, MySpace
cellphone text messages
WebCT

Findings
Topics of Communication
Main topics
discussing school projects and assignments
discussing general school issues
seeking and sharing information about course administrative issues
organizing for school work
Other course-related topics
Studying in groups
Seeking help about course content
Working on assigned group projects
Reviewing each others work
Sharing resources

Findings
Location of communication
Blend of social and work space
E.g. cafeterias, Great Hall. lounge spaces
Designated work spaces
E.g. labs, library, learning commons
Social spaces
E.g. restaurant, pub
Off campus
E.g. home

BCIT Methodology
Interview transcripts and interview notes
Use descriptions of millennials to analyze interview transcripts
Generate themes
Distilling themes

BCIT Findings
Guiding question
What do BCIT students and faculty need from technology?
Do BCIT students fit the “millenial” profile?
What should an e-learning strategy look like at BCIT?

Findings
Not a deep knowledge of technology but have a good understanding of what it can and cannot do for them

Student Use
Limited toolkit (Facebook, email, MSN, cell phones)
Driven by familiarity, self-organizing capabilities, type of communication it provides (distance/proximity), practicality
Infrastructure, program specific technologies and software

Findings
If basic needs not being met, technology not a focus of their concerns
Light
Lab hours
Windows
Internet access in lab
Library hours

Findings
Previous Tek strategy focussed on communication tools, but this is not what is needed by most programs
Students spend 7-8 hours x 5 days/week on campus
5+ courses at a time
Communication is not the problem
Tools for delivering and presenting content in better ways is what is needed

Major Themes
Program schedule
Cohort
Trust of peers
Relationship with instructors
Course content/ knowledge domain
Course design
Institutional supports

Central phenomenon
Outside of class, students seek access to practical solutions for their course-related issues and ICTs are often not the most practical solution

Discussion
Seeking practical solutions were the driving factors for peer interactions outside of class
ICTs were not a major reason for peer interaction for course-related purposes, outside of class
Student use of ICTs for interaction outside of class is not related to their age (i.e. net generation digital learners are a myth)
Students used standard ICT tools more than institutionally provided ICT tools for peer interaction outside of class

Implications for BCIT
Technology investment
How should BCIT allocate resources?
Teaching strategies
Do we need to change the way we teach?

How Common is This?
Further research -survey
Research questions
How do students communicate with peers outside of class for course- related purposes?
What is the role of ICTs in these interactions?
What factors influence students’ desire to interact with peers outside of class for course-related purposes?

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The Digital Learner: Myth or Reality

by Mark Bullen on May 05, 2008

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