In the fall of 2017, Elon University partnered with the EDUCAUSE Center for Analysis and Research (ECAR) to conduct a survey on students’ use and perceptions of technology at Elon. The survey, sent to sophomore and junior students, had a 12.6 percent response rate (350 respondents) representing a snapshot of the student population. Below are some of the insights from this survey.

If you’d like to discuss these results or implications for teaching and learning, please contact Teaching and Learning Technologies (TLT) at (336) 278-5006 or tlt@elon.edu. To learn more about how other universities across the nation compare, read the ECAR Study of Undergraduate Students and Information Technology 2017 report.

Device Use & Ownership

Laptop or Smartphone Ownership Among Students

Smartphone Operating Systems (%)

Laptop Operating Systems (%)

Other Insights

  • 100% of students polled reported owning at least one internet-capable device, while 99% reported having more than one. [2.1]
  • 96% of students used their laptops for most if not all of their academic work [2.3]

 

Technology & the Elon Experience

Overall Technology Experience

BYOD Encouragement

Resources Students Wish Faculty Would Use More… or Less

Other Insights

  • 68% of students said that most, if not all, of their instructors used technology adequately for course instruction.

 

Learning Environments

Items Students Would Include on a Résumé

Preferred Types of Learning Environments

Other Insights

  • Although 53% of students would like for instructors to utilize lecture capture, 38% said they’d be more likely to skip face-to-face classes if streamed or recorded lectures are available online. [4.4]
  • 74% of students said they felt prepared to use basic software programs upon entering college [4.4]
  • 79% of students believe that technology will play an important role in their future career [4.7]

 

Students Personal Computing Environment

Source of Distraction in a Face-to-Face Classroom

Typical Ways Students Use their Laptop in Class

Typical Experiences with Laptops in the Classroom