Technological advances are significantly changing and shaping our world. Undergraduate students, who are the focus of this study, perceive technology's persistence in their lives. These students, many of whom have never known a world without personal access to information technologies, often take them for granted and integrate them seamlessly into their daily lives. These technologies also represent an opportunity for making changes in higher education academic instruction. How can higher

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... ion fully embrace the possibilities they present? To begin this exploration, an understanding of undergraduates' ownership of, use of, and experiences with information technologies can provide needed insights. This study, The ECAR Study of Undergraduate Students and Information Technology, 2007, is the fourth ECAR study of students and information technology (IT). 1 The purpose of the study is to build upon the studies in 2004, 2005, and 2006 and to provide information on undergraduate students' use of and preferences and expectations for IT. The study is further enhanced with an insightful introduction by Chris Dede, who challenges the academy to explore technologies and their application in the academic environment. He recommends research and experimentation with technologies such as sociosemantic networking, massively multiplayer online games, and augmented reality interfaces. Also, through dialogues with students about application of these technologies, additional insights can be obtained, leading to transformational learning environments. Methodology The 2007 study builds on and extends previous studies and consists of the following data-collection and analytical initiatives: Literature review: This consisted of extending the 2006 literature review and reviewing other relevant surveys. Previous ECAR studies also provided guidance. 1