The 2016 Digital Study Trends Survey

According to the 2016 Digital Study Trends Survey, an annual survey of students (in 2016 there were 3,311 students, ranging from freshmen to PhDs) about 22 % of students said smartphones and other mobile devices are “extremely important” to studying (in 2014 there were only 13%). Other findings:

  • A majority of students said technology makes studying more accessible (82%), helps them earn better grades (81 percent) and improves their focus (62%).
  • Cost remains a barrier to technology use. About 39% said they would buy technology not required for a course, even if it was recommended.
  • The laptop remains a #1 device for studying; 90% of students said the device is extremely or very helpful, easily “beating” professors and teaching assistants (72%), textbooks (67 %), and learning management systems (63%). The full report is available here.

Strategies to Help Students ‘Go Deep’ When Reading Digitally

More and more students read digital (rather than hard copies of printed text). Research shows that a level of comprehension and techniques are different, and thus, students need to be taught on how to read deeply the digital text.  See more in this article and inform your students. Please also note changes in teaching that might be required to support student writing and discussion.

Framing Classroom Incivility

How can faculty members and TAs respond to inappropriate behaviors without escalating the situation? How can they use insensitive comments as teachable moments effectively? In what ways can they protect themselves from student incivility? From where/whom can they find support for addressing student incivility? They are all sensitive topics. Read more on the subject here. What are your strategies?

Study: Student, Faculty Views on Digital Materials

Quality of  materials and affordability will play a major role in adoption of digital materials. More details ate in the study done by by the market research firm Penn Schoen Berland and education company Pearson.  About 80% of the 1,000 students and 200 faculty members surveyed said they believe digital course materials will supplant physical textbooks in the future.