The Internet Goes to College: College Students, Faculty and Internet Use Steve Jones, Ph.D. Senior Research Fellow, Pew Internet & American Life Project Professor of Communication, University of Illinois at Chicago Research Associate, Electronic Visualization Laboratory Adjunct Research Professor of Communication, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign © 2005 Steve Jones, Pew Internet & American Life Project

The Internet Goes to College Overview:  Background  What we know about college faculty and student internet use  What it means - implications  Q & A

Background - Computing First computing experience mid-1970s: Digital PDP 8/e

Background - Computing UIUC late-1970s: mainframes, punch cards & paper tape This is not me

I was using Plato… Not this Plato, the other PLATO!

PLATO IV at UIUC Why, when I was their age… This is also not me

Background - the “other” PLATO PLATO (Programmed Logic for Automatic Teaching Operations) invented by Prof. Don Bitzer, University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign, early 1960s What were some other features?  Talkomatic & Term-Talk: one-to-one chat  Notes evolved into Personal Notes (think Usenet) and Group Notes (think Lotus Notes)  Multiplayer games  A lot of talking about music  Plus ça change, plus c’est la net?

Background - Pew Internet & American Life Project Dedicated to examining the Internet's role in everyday life in the U.S.  Funded by the Pew Charitable Trusts  January December 2005…and beyond?  Core research is a daily tracking survey, RDD, nationwide sample, asking about Internet use

Background - The Internet Goes to College Online survey randomly distributed in May 2004 to college instructors at institutions of higher education across the United States. 2,316 college faculty completed the survey. Comparisons made with findings from study of college students’ Internet use in Currently in the field (Spring 2005) with research on college students’ Internet use.

What We Know - The Internet Goes to College

The Internet is a social technology for college students, but it is not the only one: Two-thirds (69%) of college students said they are more likely to use the phone than the Internet to communicate socially, even though 85% of college students consider the Internet to be an easy and convenient choice for communicating with friends Cell phone use while being online is prevalent 61% of year olds own a cell phone (and the number is rising)

What We Know - The Internet Goes to College Top Three Internet Tools

What We Know - The Internet Goes to College

Has plagiarism increased in your students’ work since the internet’s spread? Yes - 44% No - 23% Undecided - 33%

What We Know - The Internet Goes to College Do you use the Internet to check for plagiarism? Yes - 74% No - 26%

What We Know - The Internet Goes to College

Faculty comments: “Confusion reigns about the difference between ‘academic’ sources and internet blog or ‘junk’ sources. I’m amazed at how little students seem to know about how best to research via the internet.” It is a “mixed blessing for student research that the internet provides, as both a great resource and an unfortunate substitute for sustained research and inquiry.” Scholars and libraries must examine and instill critical skills and information values in students.

What We Know - The Internet Goes to College Most faculty computer use is split between home (51%) and work (49%). Slightly more student computer use (59%) takes place at home. For checking 93% of college students,and 92% of college faculty, reported using their home computers the most. Observations in campus computer labs showed that, while often crowded, students do not spend a great deal of time in them. Faculty virtually never observed - except in libraries.

What We Know - The Internet Goes to College Mobility (wi-fi, laptops) becoming more common. 17% of faculty reported using wi-fi, laptops (comparable to 18% of all internet users, 27% of students (early number)). Public spaces can quickly become public ‘computer labs,’ for long periods of time. Students often sit and work together in such spaces. But as in other public areas generally segregate by race, ethnicity and/or gender.

What We Know - The Internet Goes to College Weblogs, or ‘blogs,’ increasingly common among faculty and students. Wikis are on the rise. Multi-tasking very common. Downloading and file sharing continue. 60% of college students said they had done it, compared with 28% of all Internet users in the U.S.

What We Know - The Internet Goes to College Student and faculty library use has decreased as time spent in the library...but Library use has increased as access to materials.

What It Means - Implications Increasing habit of using the most convenient computer, the one “at hand.” Mixing of work and social activity online. Mirrored by blurring of boundaries between work and home, work and leisure.

What It Means - Implications Students expect near-ubiquitous Internet access. Even in class, at events, concerts, dining, recreation and leisure areas. Faculty are coming to expect this as well. Students and faculty expect high speed access.

What It Means - Implications Issues apparent with the spread of cell phones, such as etiquette and distraction, are likely to emerge as students are able to access the Internet anywhere, including in libraries, classrooms. Students and teachers would benefit from tools for presence and awareness.

What It Means - Implications Some libraries adopting presence model (UIC, for example).

What It Means - Implications Non-tech infrastructure: Support, training, need better integration with faculty, student work. Tech infrastructure: Internet technologies could be better integrated with faculty work. Increasing expectations of technology use. Students critical of professors, others, who don’t use technology, but more critical of those who use it badly.

What It Means - Implications The Web in particular has become an information cornerstone for students and faculty, and the Internet is their info- ‘Swiss Army Knife.’ Why do students use the information tools that they do?

What It Means - Implications Early data from ethnographic interviews “I use Google because I heard it searches for more things” (than other sources). “I believe I can find anything on the Internet. There hasn’t been anything I haven’t been able to find.” “Because I’m lazy.” Books have “so much information that no one can go through it all.” I use “the Internet first is because it is more convenient.” I go to the library “because that’s what teachers like.” “Google has gotten me through college.”

What It Means - Implications Was this foreseen years ago (1987) - but is still not realized?

What It Means - Implications What might reliance on Google (or other sites) mean for the future?

What It Means - Implications Collaboration and interdisciplinarity will continue to increase in part due to Internet use. VICI Visualization Interaction Collaboration Immersion VR & high-speed networking Virtual heritage, large data sets, scientific visualization, etc.

What It Means - Implications Given present realities and forthcoming technologies, how might ARL’s strategic directions (particularly Strategic Direction I - sustainability, access, support of teaching, learning, research, service - and Strategic Direction III - engage in transformations affecting research and education) be best aligned?

What It Means - Implications Strategic Direction I (sustainability, access, support of teaching, learning, research, service) - Pay particular attention to ICT use across (and in some cases outside) institution. Strategic Direction III (engage in transformations affecting research and education) - Engage academic computing, teaching, groups, cognate disciplines.

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