Students' engagement with technologies : implications for university practice

The inexorable pace of technological change demands frequent modernisation of learning technologies and services to ensure they support equitable and engaging learning environments. Because of the resources involved, costs incurred need to be carefully weighed up against the potential benefits that upgrades will bring to students and their learning. In order to provide an evidence-based approach to planning, three Australian universities have recently completed a multidimensional survey to gain a better understanding of students' experiences and expectations of technologies in everyday life and for study purposes. More than 10,000 students responded. Technologies surveyed included established (email, learning management systems) and the more recent Web2.0 technologies (YouTube, Facebook). This paper presents the initial findings and implications they have for the development of technology-rich environments that are equitable, engaging and support quality outcomes.