Shane Lin via Compfight

By Maggie Wirtanen, Guest Columnist

The world is going E, and so is college learning. From tablets such as the iPad to a widening expanse of electronic books available for purchase (and sometimes even for rent), the digital world is now a substantive part of the learning experience. And students say there should be more of it.

In a spring 2012 survey, two-thirds of students said they would like technology to play a greater role in their learning, including a greater use of netbooks, notebooks and tablets and an increased use of digital content. Even teachers say they want to integrate more digital content and more digital equipment into their classroom.

And these do not appear to be just wants. Students appear to be spending more of their discretionary money on technological devices. A recent study in the spring of 2012 showed that surveyed students planned to spend 227% more on technology in the 2012-13 school year than they did the year before.

Another 2012 study shows that college-age students use at least three technological devices daily and that most students don’t go more than an hour without using at least one of those devices. What gives? Turns out that students are interested in saving time. In fact, 90% of those surveyed students said that technological devices, including electronic textbooks, eReaders, mobile devices and tablets, help them to crunch time when it comes to studying.

What are the newest digital trends in learning and how are they helpful to students? Be sure to check out our infographic below to see what types of technology, from iPads to electronic textbooks, are being embraced and what the increased emphasis on digital learning could mean for the future.

Sources:

College Students Boot Digital Adoption, Coursesmart.com, May 2012
iPad Study Released by Oklahoma State University, Oklahoma State University, May 2011
The Future of Higher Education, Pew Internet, July 2012

Courtesy of: www.online-education.net