An Investigation of the Social and Academic Uses of Digital Technology by University Students

Resumen

In most developed countries university students use digital technologies and the Internet in all facets of their daily life. These students represent the first generation to grow up with this new technology and have been given various names that emphasize its affinity and tendency to use digital technology such as digital natives, Net generation and Millennials. Given the lack of empirical support for the notion of a “digital generation”, this study presents a different perspective of what these learners think about their use of digital technologies for academic and social purposes and how they feel about the “Digital Native Generation” phenomenon. This study examines this issue in depth to gain an understanding of what the growing use of new digital technologies means for teaching and learning in higher education.