Documents Contributed by ECAR and Learners

This research bulletin examines what the literature refers to as “new learners” or “critically engaged learners.” It explores the responsibilities our institutions have to create opportunities for these learners to actively engage in creative discovery, problem definition, and appropriate use of information technologies. It is based on a literature review and accompanying conceptualizations that begin to answer important questions about institutional development for a technologically sophisticated age.

Citation for this work : Moore, Anne H., Shelli B. Fowler, Brent K. Jesiek, John F. Moore, and C. Edward Watson. “Learners 2.0? IT and 21st-Century Learners in Higher Education” (Research Bulletin, Issue 7). Boulder, CO: EDUCAUSE Center for Applied Research, 2008, available from http://www.educause.edu/ecar.

Presentation at the Fifth Annual ECAR/HP Summer Symposium for Higher Education IT Executives, June 28-30, 2006, Coronado, California. This presentation describes the characteristics of today's collegians and how these characteristics impact higher education.

This summary is based on quantitative data from nearly 4,500 freshmen and senior students at 12 higher education institutions. It focuses on what kinds of information technologies today's students are using, with what levels of skill are they using them, how information technology use contributes to the undergraduate experience, and what value the use of IT adds in terms of learning.

This study is based on quantitative data from nearly 4,500 freshmen and senior students at 12 higher education institutions. It focuses on what kinds of information technologies today's students are using, with what levels of skill are they using them, how information technology use contributes to the undergraduate experience, and what value the use of IT adds in terms of learning. The study also provides a review of and comparison with the 2003 ECAR study on faculty use of course management systems undertaken at the University of Wisconsin System.

This research bulletin describes a framework for higher education curriculum development and technology planning based squarely on learner-centered principles. With evolving demographics and objectives, learners of the 21st century expect postsecondary learning environments to be flexible and updated. The Learner Centered Curriculum Model is a tool to guide integrated and coordinated planning efforts among higher education academic leaders and technology service providers.

Putting students at the center of the learning environment requires a shift from an emphasis on content to teaching students how to be lifelong learners. This research bulletin illustrates ways to revise and enrich courses and in many cases move the instructor from the center of the classroom in order to facilitate more active student learning. It provides a case study of writing-intensive courses at the University of Missouri-Columbia.