Laptops Owned by 74% Students, But how many are Tablet PCs?

Use it or lose it.
That is use technology well or lose your students....

Some time ago I posted that students wanted professors to use technology, but only if they used it well. Here comes a new follow up report to the one cited back then. The ECAR Study of Undergraduate Student and Information Technology, 2007 by Gail Salaway and Judith Borreson Caruso is posted to the educause website in Sept. 2007. The report is a longitudinal followup of the 2004, 2005 and 2006 studies and reports significant findings. 98% of students have a computer with 74% owning a laptop (up from 53% in 2005). I am sadden that they do not ask, or report how many are buying and owning Tablet PCs. Not a single question about whether the professor uses digital ink or if they do. Come on ECAR ask next year PLEASE! Anyone know these numbers? Anyone know how many professors use Tablet PCs in the classrooms?

Do students bring laptops to class? Weekly for 25%, while 53% never bring the laptop to class. OF course without the pen, why do you need a laptop in class? Could most of the 25% be Tablet PCs? Could half?

58.2% of the students thing their instructors do use technology well.
13.6% of the students think their instructors do not use technology well.

60.9% of students agree that IT improves their learning in courses.
40.4% of students agree that they are more engaged in courses requiring the use of IT (20.8% disagree)

Based on the findings ECAR thinks these observations merit further consideration:

1. Instructor Skill with IT greatly impacts student perception of the value of IT in their courses.
2. The curriculum matters when it comes to student use and skill with technology.
3. IT in courses is about convience. (Students are frustrated when online resources are slow, unavailable or not user-friendly.)
4. Students prefer a moderate amount of technology in courses.
5. Students are increasingly mobile.
6. Students expect IT to be worthwhile.

So next year ECAR ... ask about Tablet PCs and digital ink software like DyKnow and classroom presenter.