A generational difference between instructors and students exists with respect to technology. While instructors focus on curricular and learning issues, the current generation of students, in general, has never known a world in which the Internet and computer technology do not dominate information gathering and understanding. Students have grown to expect that computer technology will be part of a system of learning. This paper presents the results of a questionnaire in which 11 students in a university writing class were asked about their perceptions of technology use, the difficulties and benefits, and the ways in which their learning might be enhanced by better uses of technology.

US universities are admitting higher percentages of international students, bringing into focus concerns with how to best support them once they are at the university. However, less attention has been paid to the preparation they undertake before matriculation. This study looks at how students are prepared before arrival and how this preparation matched their expectations and experiences in their US classes. Information was gathered through interviews of international students in different US universities, as well as from large-scale surveys conducted at the University of California, Berkeley with incoming and current international students. Results suggest the need for additional program planning to more fully support this population.