Applying Future Studies Methods to Understanding the Impact of University Information and Communication Technology Strategies on Learning

ABSTRACT This article aims to explore the potential of certain future studies techniques to provide insight into the question of the impact of higher education information and communication technology (ICT) strategies on student learning. The approach is to consider three case studies of new universities in different countries, and to identify the main features of their ICT strategies, related variables, key change drivers and trends. Models representing ICT strategy and dimensions of student learning are then drawn together to produce a number of possible scenarios and testable hypotheses. Recommendations for refining the analysis are highlighted. Definition of the Problem It is often claimed that universities worldwide have been faced in recent years by an unprecedented plethora of new technologies that may massively reshape the way universities operate (for example, D’Antoni, 2003; Taylor, 2004). The Internet, virtual learning environments, digital libraries and mobile technologies are examples of information and communication technologies (ICTs) that, some say, profoundly challenge the traditional idea of the university as a place where an elite gather to listen to a sage. Instead, it is claimed, ICTs allow learning to occur in almost any place, for many more people, and more through discussion and distributed resources than throug