Exploring the experiences of Master’s students in a digital age

Project team:Liz Masterman

Jane Alexen ShuyskaFawei Geng26th March 2009

With special thanks to the students who have contributed to the project

10-12 case studies (target)

2 surveys of participating cohorts (qual & quant data): 50 responses (target)

University-wide “baseline” survey (quant data): 1100 responses (actual)

Thema methodology: mixed-methods approach

FT courses (5 Education, 2 MSD)16 pen-pals (+ 1 incomplete)61 responses to initial survey50 responses to reflective survey

PT courses (Archaeology, Intl’l Hum Rights Law)6 pen-pals16 responses to initial survey11 responses to reflective survey

Actual participants:

“Pen-pal” technique

Basic principle: Maximise sustained participation through individualised messages and questions that address individual experiences

Process capture to build up individual portraits, identify future questions

4 rounds Oct-May (Oxford-based students) 3 rounds Jan-Sept (IHRL)Interviews June-Sept

Collaborative approach to designing questions

Taught postgraduates: an under-researched population Adaptation to

autonomous learning & analytical thought

Continued need for structure and guidance in taught component

Master’s students & digital technologies Technology plays an important, but not

privileged, role in postgraduate study… …but technology can lead to cognitive

shifts Students know when to “e-” and when not

to “e-” Students’ perceptions of their “tech-

savvyness” is often at variance with their behaviours

Academic and social literacies Maturity in use of online resources Facebook the dominant medium of

peer communication… …but individuals’ preferences for a

more private lifestyle are respected Technology can even be used to

discriminate between “levels” of friendship