The disconnect in the appropriation of new technologies into students’ everyday lives. A three country comparison.

• Main Authors: André H. Caron, Nili Berner, Pierre-Luc Chabot
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: University of Bologna 2011-12-01
• Series: Ricerche di Pedagogia e Didattica
• Subjects: appropriazione; nuove tecnologie; vita accademica; confronto cross-culturale; social media
• Online Access: http://rpd.unibo.it/article/view/2596

There is little doubt that students eagerly appropriate new technologies into their lives.  However, the authors wanted to explore what steps would be needed to ensure a proper appropriation of new technologies when applied to academic settings.  This paper presents a 3-country comparison of students reporting on their academic activities and technology use in everyday life. Though the numbers vary slightly within each country, the final results show an overall disconnect between the amount of time students allot to technology use and academic activities. Overall, the findings shed some much needed statistical light on the current reality of students’ technological and academic habits. The authors propose possible next steps to take in order to better understand this phenomenon. Ultimately, this study urges educators and students alike to gather more information about the role social media plays in students’ lives. A better understanding of the situation could eventually lead to the successful integration of new technologies in academia.