Technology and Technology-Enhanced Learning: Age Differences in Use and Attitudes

Mature students are stereotypically thought to be more anxious about technology and technology-enhanced learning than younger students, and are thought, as a result, to tend to avoid using technology. This is a potential problem in modern higher education, where the number of mature students in classes is increasing and new learning technologies are widely used. Previous studies examining the attitudes of mature students to technology no longer reflect either contemporary student age profiles, or the current technological landscape. This research project conducts a timely exploration of how attitudes to and use of technology and technology-enhanced learning differ across different age groups of students in a UK university, and the factors that affect these. A new diagnostic instrument, the Technology Attitudes Questionnaire, was developed to investigate differences in attitude and usage, and interviews were conducted to explore the underlying reasons for these differences. It was found that students of different ages do not have drastically differing attitudes towards technology-enhanced learning, but they do use it differently. Mature students tend to use fewer technologies less frequently than younger students, but have used them for a longer period over their lives. A thematic analysis shows that perceived knowledge level, familiarity, purpose, and design are among the main factors that affect students’ attitudes and confidence with technology-enhanced learning. This project aims to contribute to the wider field of knowledge about technology use and attitudes in higher education, particularly for the modern cohort. The findings from this study can be used to inform how educators design age-inclusive learning environments and use technology and technology-enhanced learning throughout their programmes.