#pearsoncite @SethReichlin

College Students’ Growing Use of Mobile Devices

Key Benefits and Challenges

#pearsoncite

• Seth Reichlin, SVP Market Research, Pearson

• Seth.reichlin@pearson.com

• @SethReichlin

• Michele Salomon, Director

• Harris Poll • Michele.Salomon@nielsen.com

Why are we here today?

• iPad launched in 2010, targeted directly at the education market – Promised to revolutionize learning and replace textbooks – Promised to provide a major boost to e-books

• We wanted to track whether tablets would in fact become the dominant device for learning

• We wanted to hear from students themselves • First annual survey ran in February 2011, after a

Christmas when tablets were a popular gift • Sponsored by Pearson Foundation, now by Pearson • Now covers students in Grades 4 through grad school • Most results and data are public

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HARRIS POLL: EDUCATION RESEARCH

College Students Faculty Alumni

Parents of alumni Hiring Managers

College decision-making Brand Awareness

Institutional Reputation

Public release/Thought leadership

Brand & Reputation Program Evaluation

We’ve conducted studies for hundreds of public school districts, public and private universities, corporations and foundations.

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HARRIS POLL: YOUTH RESEARCH

K-12 Student K-12 Teachers

K-12 Administrators Parents

Digital Life Brand Awareness

Health Volunteerism

Public release/Thought leadership

Brand & Reputation Program Evaluation Outcome Research

We’ve conducted studies for nonprofit organizations, foundations, media, agencies, and marketers.

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HARRIS POLL: BRAND & REPUTATION

• University Reputation and Awareness Study. Harris Interactive conducted a national study to assess awareness and perceptions of a northeastern United States university among its regional and national competitors. The research was designed to guide the University as it seeks to generate greater awareness and build its profile regionally and nationwide. Harris conducted both a benchmark study and a second wave of research six years later to measure changes in awareness and perceptions.

• University Brand and Reputation Study. We conducted a quantitative study to assess awareness, familiarity and perceptions of a northeastern United States university among its competitors, determine the most important university characteristics, and assess the impact of potential messages on perceptions of the school. The research was designed to guide the University as it seeks to generate greater awareness and build its reputation locally and nationwide.

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HARRIS POLL: STUDENTS & ALUMNI

• University Student Needs Study. We conducted a quantitative study on behalf of a for-profit university to better understand current students’ and degree intenders’ views on the appeal of online and on-campus courses and the extent and intensity of preferences for taking courses in different modes. The research was designed to provide insight on the impact of course mode and other factors on the decision to enroll in a program.

• University Alumni Study. Since 2010, we have conducted an annual study on behalf of a non-profit, online university to evaluate how well its competency-based approach to education prepares its graduates for success. The annual report compares graduates of the university to graduates of similar degree programs from other colleges and universities in the U.S. on career success outcomes such as income, employment in field of training, salary increases, and self-perceived career success.

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HARRIS POLL: THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

2014 – 2015 Wave of Student Mobile Device Survey

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• Online survey conducted for Pearson by Harris Poll in February–March, 2014

• Repeated in February–March 2015

• Public results of the 2015 survey will be released in August

• 1,228 College student respondents

• Both 2-year and 4-year students, undergrad and grad

• Larger study also included 4th through 12th graders

To see the results, search for “Pearson Student Mobile Device Survey”

Pearson’s goal is to better understand how college students use

technology for learning. This survey covered …

Current ownership and usage of mobile devices by college students

How college students use mobile devices for school work now and how

they plan to use them in the future

Students’ attitudes towards using smartphones and tablets for learning

Preferences for different types of digital devices when reading, studying,

taking notes, and doing other school-related activities.

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Objective of 2014 wave

Mobile Devices defined, 2014

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Throughout this report, we mention various mobile devices. Below are the definitions and accompanying images that were provided in the survey.

Smartphone (a cell phone

with internet access)

Hybrid or “2 in 1” computer (a mobile device that has the

features of a tablet and a laptop, such as a touch screen and a

keyboard)

Laptop, notebook or Chromebook

computer

Tablet

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Respondent Profile

We had a representative mix of: • 2-Year, 4-Year and Grad Students • Different Races/Ethnicities • Full-time v Part-time Students • Those who take courses Online v. On-campus

Male 45%

Female 55%

18-19 27%

20-24 53%

25-29 11%

30+ 9%

Gender

Age Groups

Mean Age: 22.1

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Online vs. on-ground respondent profile

13%

33%

54%

All of the classes that Iattend are conductedonline

Some of the classesthat I attend areonline and some arein-person.All of my classes arein-person

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Base: College Students: n=1228 Q705. Which best describes you regarding electronic devices and technology?

35%

54%

11%

I usually wait until I see others try new

technology, and then I will try it

myself

I am among the first people to

check out a new electronic

device or gadget

I tend to wait a long time to

try new technology

1 in 3 college students consider themselves early adopters of electronic devices.

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A Closer Look At “Early Adopters” ...

• Men are twice as likely as women to see themselves as early adopters of new technologies (48% vs. 24%).

• African American students are more likely than either White or Hispanic students to consider themselves “early adopters” (52% vs. 32% vs. 37%).

• Tablet Owners are nearly twice as likely as Non-Owners to consider themselves early adopters of new technologies (46% vs. 26%).

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Base: College students: 2014: n=1228 2013: n=1206 Q710. Which of the following devices do you personally own?

Device Ownership

89%

84%

45%

8%

1%

90%

72%

40%

N/A

0%

Laptop

Smartphone

Tablet*

Hybrid or “2 in 1” computer

None of these

2014

2013

Most students owned a laptop and a smartphone. Nearly half owned a tablet. Smartphone and tablet ownership increased significantly in 2014

Apple grew share, while Android slipped

66%

41%

42%

7%

11%

25%

23%

10%

24%

34%

36%

83%

Hybrid or '2-in-1' computer

Smartphone

Tablet

Laptop, notebook or Chromebookcomputer

A Little/Not at All Some A lot/A great deal

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Base: College students: n=1228 Q900. Next school year, how much do you want to use each of the following devices to do school work?

Desire to Use Mobile Devices for College Work

Double the 12% currently using hybrids

Students show increased interest in using hybrids for school work

Tablet ownership is still rising, though slowly

In March 2014, the majority of college students owned laptops (89%) and smartphones (84%)

45% owned tablets (up from 40% in 2013) 12% owned a hybrid Preliminary 2015 data

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Device % owning, 2015 Change vs. 2014

Laptop, notebook, Chromebook

89% 0%

Smartphone 86% +2%

Tablet 51% +6%

Hybrid 12% 0%

College students have high interest in tablets for school work

But have mixed feelings when it comes to the future use of mobile devices in the classroom.

• Most college students agreed that tablets will transform the way college students learn in the future (81%) and that they make learning more fun (74%).

• Only 36% would like to use mobile technologies more often in class

• 17% would like to use mobile devices less often than they do now

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Usage of smartphones still outpaces tablets Students use the following for schoolwork at least 2-3 times per

week: Smartphone (56%), Tablet (33%), Hybrid (12%). Although 56% now use a smartphone at least twice a week for

school work, only 34% would like to use one a lot/a great deal for school work next year.

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How Often Need to be Connected to Internet

(In order to do school work)

40%

6%

4%

19%

7%

27%

26%

33%

67%

15%

54%

At home

On the way to school (i.e., in a bus or car)

At school

Never A few times a month or less 2 - 5 times a week Everyday

Base: College students: n=1228 Q875. How often do you need to be connected to the Internet to do your schoolwork when you are in the following places?

87%

94%

41%

Over half of students feel they need Internet connectivity on a daily basis for schoolwork at college -- another third feel they need it several times per week.

Data plans Students have limited data plans for their smartphones. Most have no data plans for their tablets. – All but 4% of smartphone owners have a data plan, but they often

have to limit usage. – The majority (55%) of tablet owners do not have a data plan at all.

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Base: Owns smartphone or tablet and in college. (Variable base) Q739. How often do you need to limit what you do with each of these devices because of the rules of your data plan?

Frequency of Limiting Device Usage Due to Data Plan

Your Smartphone Total (n=1002)

Very Often/Often 20% Sometimes 18% Rarely 17% Never 40% Don’t Have a Plan 4%

Your Tablet Total (n=544)

Very Often/Often 10% Sometimes 8% Rarely 6% Never 20% Don’t Have a Plan 55%

1 in 5 students often limit what they do with smartphones due to their data plans, Most tablet owners do not have a data plan.

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Student expectations for tablets remain high…

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Usage

Mobile device usage in general and for school work

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Base: College students: n=1228 Q805. During this school year, how often do you use any of the following devices to do school work?

Laptops and smartphones are the devices that students use most often for school work.

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Base: College students: n=1228 Q897 On a typical school day, which of these do you use at school for school work? Please select all that apply.

The majority of college students use a single mobile device for school work daily. Just 1-in-10 use three or more devices during a typical school day.

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School-Related Activities on Tablets (Among tablet users)

Base: Use tablets for school work; College students: n=622 Q850. Which of the following course-related activities do you currently do with a tablet for your courses?

How are students using their tablets at school? Mostly to check assignments, read and send email and do research.

emails and to do research.

65%

57%

57%

51%

47%

44%

44%

39%

37%

31%

24%

23%

22%

10% 30% 50% 70%

Check assignments

Read or send course-related email

Research for class

Do homework

Read digital textbooks

Do research for papers

Take notes in class

Take short quizzes

Take notes while reading textbooks

Use apps to supplement class

Write papers

Do collaborative activities/group…

Other coursework-related activity

6%

42%

4%

3%

18%

23%

3%

52% Digital (Net)

Smartphone

Tablet

Laptop, notebook or Chromebook computer

Hybrid or “2 in 1” computer

No preference among digital formats, but prefer digital over

print

Print

No preference between digital or print

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Most Preferred Device for College Work Activities

Reading/Studying textbooks Reading/Studying other course materials Taking notes in class

Base: College students: n=1228 Q1010. Which format or device would you most prefer to use for the following activities?

6%

27%

6%

5%

30%

23%

3%

67%

5%

30%

3%

7%

33%

20%

3%

65%

The majority of students now prefer digital over print for studying and taking class notes, but are more mixed about where they prefer to read text material.

5%

13%

7%

4%

28%

16%

27%

82% Digital (Net)

Smartphone

Tablet

Laptop, notebook or Chromebook computer

Hybrid or “2 in 1” computer

No preference among digital formats, but prefer digital over

print

Print

No preference between digital or print

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Most Preferred Device for School Work Activities

Keep track of assignments/schedules Keeping track of grades Doing projects with other

students

Base: College students: n=1228 Q1010. Which format or device would you most prefer to use for the following activities?

4%

4%

7%

4%

45%

15%

19%

91%

8%

9%

6%

6%

55%

12%

4%

83%

Students prefer smartphones and laptops over tablets for keeping track of assignments, schedules and grades.

Questions?

Comments?

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Appendix: Research Methodology

This survey was conducted online within the United States by Harris Poll on behalf of Pearson between February 13 and March 12, 2014.

The survey was conducted among 1,228 college students. Qualified college students were U.S. residents between the ages of 18 – 30 who were enrolled in either a 2-year college, 4-year college or university, or graduate school.

Data were weighted to be representative of the college student population in the U.S. Figures for age, gender, full-time/part-time enrollment, school type, race/ethnicity, region and household income were weighted where necessary to bring them into line with their actual proportions in the population. This survey was part of a larger study on students in the U.S. that also included 4th through 12th graders.

All sample surveys and polls, whether or not they use probability sampling, are subject to multiple sources of error which are most often not possible to quantify or estimate, including sampling error, coverage error, error associated with non-response, error associated with question wording and response options, and post-survey weighting and adjustments. Therefore, Harris Poll avoids the words “margin of error” as they are misleading. All that can be calculated are different possible sampling errors with different probabilities for pure, unweighted, random samples with 100% response rates. These are only theoretical because no published polls come close to this ideal.