Technology in the Daily Lives and Educational Experiences of Business Students

Abstract

This study builds on previous research on the role of ICT in higher education and society, and particularly on the works by the EDUCAUSE Center for Applied Research (ECAR) and the Pew Internet & American Life Project. It is one of the largest and most detailed investigations of the role of ICT in Irish business school education. In particular, by including a sample of nearly 1,000 business students from a top Irish university, it addresses the following questions: What ICT do business students own and use in their daily lives? To what extent have they adopted new ICT, including portable media and social networking? What are their IT skills? How have they acquired them and how these are associated with students’ ability to use a computer effectively for their academic tasks? Do students differ in their learning styles? How do they perceive the role of ICT in business school education? How do they rate the ICT infrastructure in the business school? What ICT do students use frequently on campus and what are their favorite learning resources? How do they value ICT-enabled learning tools and technologies in the business school? What are their expectations of an ideal ICT-enabled learning environment in the business school? How do student perceptions of, and experiences with, all the above vary across different age, gender, and nationality groups?In providing answers to the above questions, this study can serve as a valuable source of information for higher education policy makers, educational technologists, and businesses interested in realizing the instructional benefits and the wider societal role of ICT among a diverse body of business school learners. We also believe that this study is a useful benchmark against which future research on the ICT habits, needs, and expectations of business (and not only) students in Ireland and abroad can be compared.