Sessional, weekly and diurnal patterns of computer lab usage by students attending a regional University in Australia

Most universities have invested in extensive infrastructure in the form on computer laboratories and computer kiosks. However is this investment justified when it is suggested that students work predominantly from home using their own computers? This paper provides an empirical study investigating how students at a regional university multi-campus university use computer laboratories. The findings suggest that universities need to reassess the traditional driving force and expectation for extensive on-campus computing facilities as there is a huge under-utilisation of these facilities. Instead it is recommended that alternative computing facilities in the form of student centred facilities such as wireless hotspots could be provided.