First Year Students' Experiences with Technology
Considerable attention has been given recently to the 'Net Generation', also called 'Digital Natives' or the 'Y Generation'. This group of individuals, born roughly between 1980 and 1994, has been characterised by their familiarity with and reliance on information and communication technologies (ICTs).
A number of commentators have assumed that all commencing first year university students are part of the 'Net Generation' and, therefore, have a sophisticated knowledge and understanding of ICTs. Yet few studies have documented the characteristics of the Net Generation, particularly in the context of Australian Higher Education.
The aim of this study was to empirically document incoming first-year University students' experiences with an array of established and emerging technologies and technology-based tools.
A study of 2000 students was carried out at The University of Melbourne in March 2006. Some findings from this investigation have been published in the Australasian Journal of Educational Technology.
Kennedy, G. E., Judd, T. S., Churchward, A., Gray, K. & Krause, K. (2008). First year students' experiences with technology: Are they really digital natives? Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, 24(1), 108-122.
A unpublished preliminary report of findings with some additional data was presented to the Melbourne Experience Committee in September 2006.
Download a copy of the report [PDF 640 KB] .
The report can be cited as:
Kennedy, G., Krause, K., Churchward, A., Judd, T. & Gray, K. (2006). First Year Students' Experiences with Technology: Are they really Digital Natives? Internal report, The University of Melbourne.