| This study explores Millennial-aged college students’ use and perceptions of technology used in higher education. The purpose of this descriptive survey study is to describe (1) the relationship between Millennial learners’ use of technology devices and applications in personal versus formal education environments; and (2) the relationship between Millennial learners’ preferences for technology devices and applications in personal versus formal education environments. Using an online survey distributed to 12,643 students at an Intermountain West university, 1281 responded to the 25-question instrument. The data were analyzed to produce descriptive statistics concerning participant demographics and relevant descriptions to support seven research questions. Chi-square and Cramer’s V for effect size tests were applied to determine significant relationships between student age and technology perceptions.
Results from this study found significant relationships between the Millennial-aged student and digital devices used for educational purposes. Statistical significance was also found between the age of the student and their choice of course delivery method. A moderate to large size of effect was noted for Millennial students preferring face-to-face classroom courses over synchronous or asynchronous online learning methods.
This study reveals the perceptions and usage of the Millennial-aged learner and their preferences for technology use in their education through primary empirical data. Further, the study supports instructional designers in their need to supply students with appropriate, high-quality learning methods and design features which best support the Millennial learner.
Keywords: millennials, online learning, preferences, discussion boards, post-secondary, instructional design. |