LIETUVOS UNIVERSITETŲ STUDENTŲ PATIRTIS NAUDOTI INFORMACINES KOMUNIKACINES TECHNOLOGIJAS

Abstract

Using of ICT in the process of University studies is becoming very meaningful. On the one hand, the newest ICT are changing rapidly, on the other hand, we cannot deny that using them is inevitable. In the latter years, students better prepared in ICT field fill Lithuanian uni-versities. However, such assertion is conditional. After graduating from comprehensive schools, students have quite good skills in ICT field. However, the ability of using computers or other computer equipment, devices and instruments is not the same as directly applying them for learning or study needs. University studies differ, in fact, from education process in comprehensive school. Student must constantly work with different information, be able to find it, analyse and so on. Moreover, all this requires self- independence. Quite often students encounter with serious information management difficulties: are not able to find necessary information, cannot use scientific information data basis, search systems and so on. There-fore, fixation of a current state, analysing in different sections and ways, is inevitably very important. It is necessary to constantly watch, research student and teachers’ demands in ICT appliance field. Thus, the object of our research is the ability of the first and fourth-year undergradu-ates to use information and communication technologies. The aim of research is to gain in-formation concerning the first and fourth-year students’ opinion on the application of ICT in the process of studies. The research A Student and Information and Communication Technol-ogies was conducted in January – March, 2010. Research sample consisted of 663 respond-ents who were 1st year university students and of 322 respondents who were 4th year univer-sity students. In total – 985 respondents. To collect the required data, an anonymous questionnaire including four main blocks was prepared. Questionnaire arranged by Australian researchers was used as a research in-strument (Kennedy, Judd, Churchward, Gray, Kerri-Lee Krause, 2008). Questionnaire com-prises four main blocks: demographic information (5 items), access to hardware and the In-ternet (13 items), use of abilities and skills with technology based tools (Computer: 11 items; Web: 18 items; Mobile phones: 8 items) and preferences for the use of technology based tools in University studies (19 items). Mentioned instrument was partially modified taking into ac-count the study specifics of Lithuanian universities. To analyze research data, the measures of descriptive statistics (absolute and relative frequencies, popularity/usefulness/necessity indexes) have been applied. Generalizing the research Student and information communication technologies re-sults, we can claim, that: • Respondents have practically unlimited possibilities for using mobile phone, com-puter, internet and USB memory stick. • Relatively new and rather expensive digital technologies, such as iPod touch, e-library, palm computer, GPS navigator and other are still slightly used. • Computer has become the means of everyday necessity. It is intensively used both for studies and for leisure. Boys use more complex computer functions than girls do. • Respondents usually use the internet for communication, information search and for e-mail services. Boys use the internet more variously than girls. • Computer technology usage possibility analysis in the aspect of courses showed that statistically significant difference having existed between first year students, who have graduated from city and region schools, disappeared in the fourth course. • The fourth year students comparing to the first year students are becoming more conscious and are using computer more for learning purposes, however, using computer for leisure (playing games, watching films, listening to music on the inter-net) is more characteristic to the first year students. Key words: ICT, study process, analysis of experience, science education.