2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

The rapid expansion of hybrid and digitally mediated instruction has intensified universities’ reliance on campus wireless networks to support teaching, learning, and academic engagement. Recent advances in wireless standards, such as Wi-Fi 6E, promise higher throughput, reduced latency, and improved performance in dense learning environments. However, empirical evidence linking network infrastructure upgrades to student engagement and learning outcomes remains limited, particularly within engineering education and Historically Black College and University (HBCU) contexts.
This work-in-progress examines a campus-wide Wi-Fi 6E deployment at an HBCU and investigates how students perceive network quality following the upgrade and how those perceptions relate to technology acceptance, digital engagement, and perceived learning experiences in hybrid and digital learning environments. Guided by the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT), the Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework, and constructivist learning theory, the study adopts a mixed-methods, quasi-experimental design.
Data collection is ongoing. Preliminary findings reported here draw from a post-deployment student survey capturing perceived network quality, facilitating conditions, engagement, and perceived learning quality. Planned analyses will integrate pre- and post-deployment Wi-Fi telemetry (throughput, latency, jitter, and client distribution), learning management system (LMS) engagement data, and a matched comparison building using a difference-in-differences approach with course and time fixed effects.
Early survey results suggest improved perceptions of network speed and reliability and higher reported ease of participation in digital learning activities following the upgrade. However, deeper indicators of cognitive engagement show more modest gains, reinforcing prior research suggesting that infrastructure improvements primarily reduce barriers to participation rather than directly producing learning gains.
This WIP establishes a theoretically grounded and methodologically rigorous framework for evaluating how wireless infrastructure functions as an enabling, but insufficient component of hybrid learning environments. The final study will offer evidence-based guidance for engineering educators and administrators seeking to align campus network investments with equitable and pedagogically effective learning environments.