Just Published: Study of Undergraduate Students and Information Technology, 2009

EDUCAUSE announces a new EDUCAUSE Center for Applied Research (ECAR) study, The ECAR Study of Undergraduate Students and Information Technology, 2009, by Shannon D. Smith, Gail Salaway, and Judith Borreson Caruso, with an Introduction by Richard N. Katz. This 2009 ECAR research study is a longitudinal extension of the 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008 ECAR studies of students and information technology. The study is based on quantitative data from a spring 2009 survey of 30,616 freshmen and seniors at 103 four-year institutions and students at 12 two-year institutions; student focus groups that included input from 62 students at 4 institutions; and review of qualitative data from written responses to open-ended questions. In addition to studying student ownership, experience, behaviors, preferences, and skills with respect to information technologies, the 2009 study also includes a special focus on student ownership and use of Internet-capable handheld devices. Because of the critical importance of this topic, ECAR has made the full study, roadmap, and key findings available online to everyone now.