Technology Vs. Teachers: Student use of university digital collections and role of Teachers

There is a push to incorporate digital technology in pedagogy techniques today. Currently, the challenge is in assuming that building a digital presence will guarantee use especially since many university collections struggle with under-utilization. The purpose of this research was to better assess the acceptance and use of technology as it relates to the use of university digital collections, specifically, historic costume and textile collections. Data was collected using a random national sample of 400 students through a survey service and analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling. The results indicate: (1) promotion by faculty and librarians is key to the use of digital collections by students; (2) emphasizing the necessity of using these collections for class activities, assignments, and research projects is an important motivational factor; (3) while students are familiar with technology, they often do not understand how to use these digital tools to support their own learning