Learning in different contexts: Indonesian students' use of ICT in Australian Universities

As new technologies insinuate themselves into educational settings, there is increasing interest in better understanding their impact on pedagogy and learning activities. Recent information communication technologies have been widely used to facilitate and enhance learning environments for academics and students. By drawing on the literature of education, communication and technology, this chapter describes findings of research investigating Indonesian students use of technologies in Australian universities and the impact these have on their learning, study habits and practices. Using a questionnaire and follow-up in-depth interviews with lO purposively selected participants, data were gathered from 94 Indonesian students enrolled in higher education. The findings document students Intemet usage for academic purposes, frequency and type of online activities, frequency and category of websites visits, their use of online discussion fora and e-mails, examination preparation strategies, and their level of confidence in using the Internet. This chapter provides empirical evidence of the impact of ICT, including the Intemet, on students learning. It shows that student practices are influenced by their experiences, needs and motivations both in the past in Indonesia and at the time of their study in Australia.