Student Device Preferences for Online Course Access and Multimedia Learning

Mary Ellen Dello Stritto, Ph.D., Assistant Director of Research, Oregon State University Ecampus Research Unit

This study originated from our multimedia development team at Oregon State University Ecampus. One of our developers was interested in exploring what devices students are using to engage with their online classes and what drives their choices. This research interest stemmed from a broader organizational question of how much time and resources to devote to the development of online materials for the mobile environment. Thus, a focal point for this research study was the question: Are students who take our online courses using their mobile devices to access their online courses and multimedia course materials?

Learning Objectives

The goal of this study was to gather information from students taking online courses at Oregon State University to determine their preferred devices to view and interact with multimedia for the purpose of their education. In particular, we were interested in exploring why students are using a particular device to engage in online learning and if that device is actually their preferred and/or ideal device.