New research conducted by Ipsos MORI on behalf of JISC demonstrates that the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) expectations of incoming students are often met, and sometimes exceeded. Overall, higher education institutions (HEIs) are perceived as providing a basic level of ICT to a good standard.

However, the research identifies that although students (and academics) understand the benefits technology can bring to learning and teaching, not all opportunities are being fully exploited. For example, students do not perceive HEIs to be leading the way in developing new methods of learning. Current technology training for students tends to focus on how to use different systems. There is little sense that the HEI has a remit to encourage these students to think differently about information, research and presentation.

There is also emerging evidence that student-driven ICT is very beneficial in their learning despite relatively few feeling they are encouraged to use Web 2.0 features in this way. HEIs also need to be aware that certain technologies appear more familiar and hence comfortable for new students to use, often a result of recent school or college experience.

The research re-visits a cohort of the school and college students who participated in last year?s research to explore how their current experiences of ICT in their first year of higher education match up with their expectations. A representative sample of first year students from across the UK was also surveyed for comparison.