Navigating course content in undergraduate study: Strategic decision-making of tools for learning

How students navigate through course content has changed over time as digital tools have become infused into higher education. This paper reports interpretive research conducted through a socio-material lens that explored how students navigate digital course content in their undergraduate studies at a New Zealand university. The participants were academically successful students from a range of faculties and data was gathered through interview, focus groups and Talanoa. The students in this study were mindful to make deliberate choices when developing digital strategies to support their academic journey. They valued technology that was easy to use, enabled task efficacy with scheduling and coordination that, in-turn, made their study activities more efficient. Students also acquired and adapted technologies for sophisticated note taking, content augmentation and used digital technology to support revision and reflection. Increasingly students are turning to AI enabled tools for authentic collaboration and to enhance their learning rather than a means to subvert learning activities. We also observed variation in how students approach the use of digital technologies for course setup and familiarisation, during course delivery and for assessment activity support.