Engaging Today's Net Generation Of Students With New Technologies: A Study Of Student Use And Perceptions Of New Online Course Delivery Methods

Technology is evolving at a rapid pace and the traditional modes of course delivery in higher education are increasingly being examined and supplemented or replaced by online or e-learning strategies, platforms, and methods. Research has indicated that today’s multi-tasking college student desires flexibility both in scheduling and the delivery of course material. Based on these suppositions, online courses with enhanced technological components would be ideal for the “net” generation of students. The researchers augmented an existing online course for upper-level undergraduates with ipod Touches and a Facebook group page. The purpose of the study was to examine student use of a new technology for course delivery and to assess students’ perceptions of that technology and the online course delivery format in general. Although use of the ipod Touch was initially viewed positively due to the flexibility afforded to students, use of this mobile device waned during the semester, but the itunes U interface for lectures and Blackboard platform for course material continued to be viewed positively by students. Preliminary findings from the mid-semester focus group interviews and weekly blog entries supported the contention of a changing educational environment with students who perceive technological enhancements in a positive light due to the flexibility afforded to their busy multi-tasking lives. However, use of mobile devices such as the ipod Touch for academic use varied widely by student.