8 surprising facts about undergrads and ed-tech

For undergrads, the printer still ranks as one of the most important pieces of technology

It’s not every day, after scouring headlines from dozens of news sources, that news—especially education technology news—can surprise a seasoned education writer; but in recent research provided by EDUCAUSE, as well as a spiffy new infographic, many details on how undergraduate students are using ed-tech are fascinating…in that they’re not always as ‘cutting-edge’ as some may think.

The data used to create this composite comes from the EDUCAUSE Center for Analysis and Research annual report of undergrad students and technology. Over 195 institutions and over 100,000 students participated in the survey in 2012. The findings are based on a “stratified random sample” of 10,000 undergrads from that population selected to match the most recent IPEDS profile of U.S. undergrads.

The data, and subsequent infographic, are meant to answer critical questions.

“When it comes to [undergrad] college students, technology is not only a critical part of learning, it’s an essential tool for communication and a means of engagement,” said EDUCAUSE. “Which technology is most important to students, and how does it help their academic experience and achievement?”

And though many of the facts presented by EDUCAUSE do reinforce the idea that ed-tech is essential to undergrad students, it’s not always the technology, or the use of that technology by undergrads, that you might expect.

(Next page: 8 surprising undergrads and tech facts)