nice laptop: how does it work?
DESCRIPTION
Higher Education students are increasingly expected to make use of online information in their research, yet many mature students who are returning to study can be disadvantaged as they are not equipped with the necessary ICT skills. This presentation explores some of the issues facing these students.TRANSCRIPT
‘Nice Laptop: How Does It Work?’
Investigating the ICT and Information Skills of Mature Students
College Conference 9th July 2007
‘Nice Laptop: How Does It Work?’
Correspondence
Business
Research
Recreation
‘Nice Laptop: How Does It Work?’
Mature Students
21 or over at the outset of the course Often have been out of education for many years More likely to have other commitments (family,
full time work) outside of study Sometimes apprehensive about what awaits them ICT Skills could perhaps have been learnt from
their children
‘Nice Laptop: How Does It Work?’
“IT is everywhere now… more people have got computer knowledge and there’s a gap between the haves and the have-nots.”
(Bowl, 2003)
“Try not to start your degree course with little or no background of computer skills as you will find that once you start the course you have to get to grips with this as well as the subject of the degree itself.”
(Pritchard & Roberts, 2006)
‘Nice Laptop: How Does It Work?’
“If students do not have the [ICT] skills, they have little freedom of choice in their approaches to study and are therefore disadvantaged.”
(Dearnley, Dunn & Watson, 2006)
‘Nice Laptop: How Does It Work?’
Main Points from Literature
Relative lack of literature dealing specifically with mature students / ICT
Research shows that students’ search skills are inadequate
Mature students are aware that they need to develop their skills in this area
ICT knowledge is sometimes assumed Jargon Gender Tutor’s role Regular Practice!
‘Nice Laptop: How Does It Work?’
What Do We Need To Find Out?
Previous experience with ICT Skills gaps between age groups Main student concerns Opportunity for students to expand on their
comments Complete honesty!
‘Nice Laptop: How Does It Work?’
Further Reading
Buckler, Scott., Bigger, Jean & Townsend, Mark. (2006) DevelopingProfessionally Relevant Research and Study Skills for Mature Students as Preparation and Induction for Higher Education.http://escalate.ac.uk/downloads/2367.doc
Dearnley, Chris., Dunn, Ginny & Watson, Sue. (2006) An Exploration of OnlineAccess by Non-Traditional Students in Higher Education: A Case Study. NurseEducation Today. vol. 26, no. 5, pp.409-415.
Kai-Wah Chu, Samuel & Law, Nancy. (2007) Development of InformationSearch Expertise: Research Students’ Knowledge of Source Types. Journal ofLibrarianship and Information Science. vol. 39, no. 1, pp. 27-40.