CourseSmart has been working with publishers, educators and students since 2007 to integrate ebooks and digital content into college technology ecosystems, bringing digital course materials directly to faculty and student bodies.
While they’re certainly biased towards digital over dead-tree media, they have used Wakefield Research – an independent research firm – to conduct a survey about students and their increasing reliance on technology. The result is their “Third Annual Survey on Education and Technology.”
From PRnewswire:
CourseSmart’s Third Annual Survey on Education and Technology Reveals College Students’ Growing Dependence on Mobile Devices and Digital Course Materials
New Research Shows that Digital Textbook Usage and Device Ownership Have Increased Dramatically; Cost of Attending College Remains a Top Concern
SAN MATEO, Calif., July 22, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — CourseSmart®, a leading Educational Services Platform and the world’s largest provider of digital course materials, today announced the results of it’s third annual survey revealing the digital habits of today’s college students. Fielded by Wakefield Research, an independent research consultancy, the survey of more than 500 currently enrolled college students found significant increases in students’ overall reliance on technology as a means to improve their academic productivity and performance, especially their use of mobile devices to access course materials on the go. The survey also highlights the impact of student debt on the school, career and lifestyle choices of today’s financially burdened students.
“We are continuing to see the positive potential of technology to increase access, lower costs and improve outcomes in higher education,” said Sean Devine, CEO of CourseSmart. “The results of this survey underscore just how much students have embraced mobile devices and digital course materials to enhance their productivity, efficiency and performance, all of which impact students’ educational success and financial prospects in this highly competitive, globally connected world.”
Key findings of the survey include:
Diverse Devices, Digital Dependency:
Almost all (99%) students surveyed reported having at least one digital device, and while laptops were the most common (93%), many students now own smart phones (78%) and tablets (35%). This is a significant increase from our 2011 survey when only 47% of students said they owned a smart phone and 7% reported owning a tablet. Further results in this area include:
- A majority (68%) of students use three or more devices every day
- 47% of students say they check their devices every 10 minutes, up from 38% of students in 2011
- 59% of students say they are more likely to bring a laptop or tablet to class while only 41% prefer to bring a textbook
The future of eBooks continues to look brighter and brighter!
You can read the entire press release HERE.
You can find out more about CourseSmart HERE.