Analyzing attitudes of students toward the use of technology for learning: simplicity is the key to successful implementation in higher education

Abstract

PurposeResearch has shown that the much-anticipated technology revolution in higher education has failed to come to fruition. The arrival of ‘digital natives’ millennial students to higher education was presume to present even greater challenge concerning technology use. In light of these gaps, this research aims to capture higher education students' choice, use and preferences of technology in learning and teaching.Design/methodology/approachA paper-based questionnaire was distributed to third and fourth year students of industrial engineering and management at an engineering college in Israel. The students were asked to indicate their use of devices and technologies for learning, their frequency of use and their purpose of using.FindingsStudents extensively use a variety of technologies for learning. They prefer to use the same technologies for learning that they use in their personal lives – mainstream, commercially available technologies – rather than those offered by the institute. They perceive technology as a learning tool more than as a logistic/administrative tool, they would like technology to be more easily accessible and that it not be used as a facilitator of pedagogical change.Practical implicationsThe results indicate that technologies intended for use in teaching should be designed similar to commercially available alternatives that are simpler to use and more appealing.Originality/valueThis study provides an up-to-date view of students' perceptions of technology for learning that can be used to more effectively implement teaching technologies in higher education.