Gender Preferences in Technology Adoption: An Empirical Investigation of Technology Trends in Higher Education

Abstract

Mobile Learning (mLearning) technologies have rapidly expanded in utilization. These technologies are ubiquitous and inexpensive, and proliferate among various student populations. Preferences, by gender, for mLearning technologies among a higher education student population at a large research and teaching university in the United States are explored in this research article. Communications tools, collaborative tools and technology activity were analyzed according to gender. A cluster analysis was performed in order to categorize the data into two clusters: technology active and technology non-active. These clusters were then analyzed according to gender membership. The findings suggest that technology adoption is consistent across genders. However, there are some distinct trends in preferences that were discovered