The Demand for Technology in Higher Education

3574 Words8 Pages

The Demand for Technology in Higher Education

Abstract

Students of the Millennial Generation expect technology in their future. Their upbringing, which included using computers, PDA’s, cell phones, and other technologies, have reinforced Millennial students’ demand to see technology incorporated in many different respects, including higher education. Millennial students insist that colleges become technologically advanced institutions where teaching is interwoven with technology. In the past decade, colleges have sought to upgrade, implement, and integrate as much technology as possible to not only stimulate Millennial students’ desire to learn, but to train Millennial students for the future workforce. Additionally, colleges have begun marketing campaigns that include technology as one of their main selling points.

I found that Richard Katz’s argument that “[Millennial students] also demand that technology resources be an integral part of their learning experience” (28) to be most effective evidence to support my stance. He deems it necessary that colleges be aware of today’s students’ interest in learning with technology. His book offers many key points that aided in the development in my argument.

In Contrast, Florence Olsen argues that not every college is upgrading to the fullest extent. Regarding the requirement of laptops at some institutions, Olsen reveals that at Duke University, “faculty members aren’t ready to use the technology in their classrooms and that students are concerned about the cost of the machines” (“Duke U. Decides” par. 7). Though colleges are upgrading in many ways, not all are upgrading in the same way. Duke University has not ruled out requiring laptops for all undergraduate stud...

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...2nd ed. New York: RoutledgeFalmer, 2002.

Olsen, Florence. “Chapel Hill Seeks Best Role for Students’ Laptops.” Chronicle of Higher Education 21 Sept. 2001: 48, 4.

Olsen, Florence. “Duke U. Decides Against Requiring Freshman to Own Laptops.” Chronicle of Higher Education 11 Nov. 2002: 48, 18.

“Newton says technology creates new breed in college: ‘The Millennial Student’” Kansas State University (May 2001). 1 March 2003. <http://www.mediarelations.ksu.du/WEB/News/InView/50301newton.html>

Partee, Morriss. Cyberteaching: Instruction Technology on the Modern Campus. New York: University Press of America, Inc., 2002.

Phalen, Kathleen. “Self-Assured, Stressed, and Straight: Millennial Students and How They Got That Way.” University of Virginia Page (Fall 2002). 1 March 2003. <http://www.itc.virginia.edu/virginia.edu/fall02/student/home.html

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