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Table 4 Comparison summary of this study and previous studies that compare age groups

From: Bringing technology to the mature classroom: age differences in use and attitudes

Previous study

Methods

Key results

Comparison with the current study

Age differences in attitudes toward computers (Czaja & Sharit, 1998)

384 non-student lay adults, aged 20 to 75

Focus on computers: participants did a 3-day computer-based task, with pre-task and post-task quantitative questionnaires

• No age differences in overall attitudea

• Attitude dimensions: comfort, efficacy, control

• Older people were less comfortable and viewed themselves as having less efficacy and control over computersb

• Experience led to more positive attitudes

The current study:

• Uses a student sample (rather than non-students)

• Explores attitudes to technology more generally (of which computers are a part)

• Is an up-to-date examination of technology attitudes

The information aged: A qualitative study of older adults’ use of information and communications technology (Selwyn, 2004)

35 non-student lay adults, aged 61–84

Semi-structured interviews on general ICT use with a focus on computers

• Older adults use less technologya

• Older adults use computers for specific tasks, mainly at home

• Older adults use older technologies

• Use of technology at work doesn’t mean older adults choose technology at homeb

The current study:

• Explores the attitudes of students (rather than non-students)

• Has a larger sample size

• Explores attitudes to technology in a broader sense than just ICT

• Is an up-to-date examination of technology attitudes

The legacy of the digital divide: Gender, socioeconomic status, and early exposure as predictors of full-spectrum technology use among young adults (Ching, Basham, & Jang, 2005)

130 undergraduates, 16% aged 26+, 60% aged 21 or younger

Quantitative questionnaire on a range of technologies (laptops, desktops, mp3 players, calculators, mobile phones, scanners, digital cameras, applications)

• Attitude dimensions reflected types of technologies: construction, communication, entertainment

• The younger the student when they started using technology, the more frequently they use it now

• Students who choose technology for their personal lives choose it for work and educationb

The current study:

• Uses a sample where a larger proportion were mature (30% compared to 16%), allowing a more robust comparison

• Is an up-to-date examination of technology attitudes

Attitudes and confidence towards computers and books as learning tools: a cross-sectional study of student cohorts (Garland & Noyes, 2005)

178 students in four age groups: A-level; level 1 undergraduates; full time mature students (mean age = 35.42); distance mature students (mean age = 36.71)

Quantitative questionnaire on computers and books

• Distance mature students had more negative attitudes to computers (and books)

• Full time mature students had lower confidence for computer use and learning from computersb

• Distance mature students had used computers for a longer timea

• Computer confidence and attitude were unrelated

The current study:

• Clearer definition of ‘mature student’

• Explores attitudes to technology more generally (of which computers are a part)

• Is an up-to-date examination of technology attitudes

Factors predicting the use of technology: Findings from the Center for Research and Education on aging and technology enhancement (Czaja et al., 2006)

1204 non-student lay adults, aged 18 to 91

Quantitative questionnaire on general technology, with some focus on computers and the Internet

• Older adults were less likely to use technology

• Older adults were more anxious about computersb

• Fewer older adults had experience with computers or the Internet, and used fewer technologiesa

The current study:

• Explores the attitudes of students (rather than non-students)

• Is an up-to-date examination of technology attitudes

The use of digital technologies across the adult life span in distance education (Jelfs & Richardson, 2013)

4066 distance-learning students aged from 21 to over 70

Quantitative questionnaire on digital technology generally

• Older students have less access to mobile technologies such as laptops, mobile phones and memory sticks

• Older students spent less time using technologya

• Older students had more negative attitudes to technologyb

The current study:

• Explores the attitudes of students who are primarily non-distance learning, who are more common in UK HE institutions

Investigating attitudes towards the use of mobile learning in higher education

(Al-Emran et al., 2016)

383 university students aged from 18 to above 35

Quantitative questionnaire on mobile technology (smartphones and tablets)

• Students will continue to use the technology they currently use

• Students of different ages have different attitudes (but no indication where the difference lies)b

The current study:

• Explores the attitudes of students above the age of 35 in addition to younger students

• Explores attitudes to technology more generally (of which mobile technologies are a part)

This study

161 undergraduates and postgraduates aged from 18 to over 71

Quantitative questionnaire on technology generally

• Mature students use fewer technologies generally and for their course, but not for personal use

• Mature students use technology less frequently

• Mature students have used technology for a longer time

• Attitudinal dimensions: confidence and utility

• No difference in overall attitude or any dimensions for mature students

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  1. Note. a indicates similar findings to this study; b indicates different findings to this study