Netgen research I just came across
http://www.netgen.unimelb.edu.au/downloads/handbook/NetGenHandbookAll.pdf
I have just read the exec summary of this research, carried out by The Australian Learning and Teaching Council, investigating the reality of the netgen’s experiences and preferences in the use of technology. It focuses on the experiences of third level students and their teachers in the academic setting at some universities in NSW and Vic.
My mindmap shows the summary. The pdf linked to at the bottom of this post is the two page exec summary.
My notes:
digital natives immingants-debunking-research.vue
1. Netgen research- Exec Summary
2. Digital Native Digital Immigrant idea does not stack up
3. University kids and existing technologies
Netgen kids better at using established technologies such as mob than at using web 2 newer
technologies. Tend not to use wikis and blogs. Didn’t engage much in podcasting and social
bookmarking sites
4. University kids and web 2
5. Technologies and learning
Although they use some technologies a lot, they don’t really see a place for them in learning- e.g
Facebook
6. No major difference based on age
Technology use was often based more on areas such as race, ses, emphasis placed on research
etc than on generational difference, dispelling the generation gap- digita native/immigrant theory
7. Diversity of tech experience
We cannot generalise that undergraduates will be tech savvy just as we cannot generalise that
their teachers/lecturers will be tech- hopeless
8. Outloook re technology usage
Students in general more positive re the use of technology in learning than staff. Staff more
sceptical re its benefits
9. Don’t jump to conclusions
Students may not be as good as you think with technology; assumptions should not be made re
what staff or students already know re technology
Avoid a one-size-fits-all approach to tech implementation
10. Does the use of emerging technologies improve learning?
Results indecisive in general
A few conclusions can be drawn, however
1. Students gained a better understanding of the technologies through using them
2. Students definitely gained from the collaborative features of web 2 tools such as blogs and
wikis- they gained from exposure to the ideas and experiences of other students
11. Assessment
Use of technology provided new opportunities for assessment and facilitated formative
assessment. Also self-assessment was facilitated by technlogy. Also use of technlogy allowed
staff to tailor teaching more to the emerging issues as these were more evident through the use of
technology than had been the case with more traditional methods. I guess this is saying the
process of learning is more easily accessible by staff and therefore interventions etc can be
provided more easily
12. Alignment of admin, pedagogy and technology
When the technology is clearly integrated into the course outcomes and assessment, its
relevance is understood by students and therefore is engaged with better and produces better
outcomes.
13. Student use of new technologies for assessment etc
Can cause a lot of confusion for students when the responsibilities and requirements re new
technologies are not clearly articulated to students, esp when the technologies are not familiar.
14. Use of new technologies requires the development of new skills
These skills are not only confined to learning the technology; also skills in collaboration etc. Think
about online forums- not just an automatic switch. These skills take time and effort to develop on
top of the existing workload. Also often involve other people in supporting and training and the PD
involved should not be underestimated.
15. Use of new technologies challenge existing IT Policy
For example, publishing outside the university, raising problems of authorship, ownership etc.
Danger of plagiarism and lack of clarity re attribution.
exec_summary_from-netgenhandbookall
Add comment Tagged: research netgen July 29, 2009
