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Tablet computers and smartphones likely to surpass laptops in higher education

by admin on 2/17/2012 • Category: Digital Course Materials

Within the technology sector, change is inevitable. The cyclical nature of consumer purchasing habits and the rapid development of consumer electronics have profound long-term implications for the education sector. According to The Daily Iowan, the student newspaper of the University of Iowa, tablet computers and mobile devices are likely to surpass laptops as the academic technology of choice for many students.

Information technology professionals at the university report that adoption of smartphones and tablet computers has increased at a substantial pace. Steve Fleagle, the associate vice president of information technology services at the university, says that more than 25,000 students accessed campus wireless services from tablet computers and smartphones last semester, an increase of 10,000 since 2008.

"I think the tablet-type use, along with laptops, has really changed how we think about wireless coverage here on campus," Lance Bolton, senior IT director for the university's College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, told the news source. "The information technology services group has done a great job trying to keep up with demand and even covering some green spaces where students like to congregate and study during nicer months."

These trends have been observed across the country. According to the Educause Center for Applied Research's 2011 National Study of Undergraduate Students and Information Technology, 20 percent of students polled said they owned a tablet computer or eReader. More than half of survey participants indicated they had a smartphone, and 37 percent of undergraduates had used their mobile device for academic purposes within the past year. Communicating with faculty, checking grades and interacting with classmates regarding coursework were cited as primary uses of mobile technology in academia.

According to a recent article published in The Jambar, student newspaper of Youngstown State University, today's students are becoming increasingly comfortable with the digitization of education. Increasing numbers of students at the college level are using tablet computers and smartphones in their studies. Many use the devices to access information from the internet on the go, download and view digital textbooks and communicate with their peers.

Researchers at Ball State University report similar levels of smartphone usage for academic purposes. Smartphones now represent almost half of all mobile devices used on college campuses, according to Michael Hanley, director of the university's Institute for Mobile Media Research.

"College students are increasingly adopting the smartphone as the core mobile communication and entertainment device for their hectic lifestyles," Hanley said in a statement. "In the few years since instant messaging leaped from the computer to the cellphone, a new mobile lifestyle has evolved for college students. And except for studying, the computer is quickly being left behind."

In addition to changing the ways in which students access, learn and retain information, the prevalence of technology in higher education has substantial implications for the social nature of learning. Many learning management systems are focusing on the increasing prevalence of social media in today's information age, and digital textbooks are incorporating sharing, annotation and group study functionality to provide students with a more relevant, accessible and engaging educational experience.

Far from a mere gimmick, these features have been readily embraced by students, some of whom believe that these tools have a positive impact on their academic achievement. According to Campus Technology, a report published by the Lone Star College System in Texas, titled The National Lone Star Report on Aligning Technology with Student Success, 78 percent of students polled said their grades improved when technology was consistently and effectively implemented into their curricula.

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