Student learning behaviors promoted with instructional technology

This study examines the use of collaborative instructional technology among engineering undergraduates at a Research I university and discusses the relationship of student use to desired educational outcomes. Specifically, trends in student use of the Tablet PC and related features over a four year period will be discussed. Frequency of student use of the collaborative features within engineering courses and the subsequent relationship to gains in desired learning outcomes will be reviewed. Discussion focuses on how the results are being used to form initiatives to encourage student and faculty use. Administrators and faculty at other institutions that are involved in initiatives related to instructional technology or those interested in pedagogical approaches that use technology to encourage collaboration between peers as well as between instructors and students can use the results from this study to help inform projects at their own colleges and universities.