Kuwaiti undergraduate science students’ perceptions towards using technology in education

Abstract

The use of technology in education has proven its potential to enhance and extend student learning. However, the actual use of technology in the classroom is still limited. The purpose of the current study is to explore science students' perceptions about their experience of the actual use of technology in the classroom, their perceptions about the preferred use of technology in the classroom, and the benefits of these technologies for their career. It also examines science students' perceptions toward digital distractions and other factors that affect the use of technology in learning. This study employed a mixed method approach using questionnaire and semi-structured interviews. The data of the questionnaire was collected from 140 science students, while the data of the interviews was collected from 25 science students. The results of the current study demonstrated that despite technology used in the classroom to enhance the science students learning (such as communication, doing presentations, uploading lectures, and searching for information); technology was not used to stimulate the science students' creative thinking or deepen their learning. The results of the study also found that there are many factors that affect the science students' use of technology, which are explained in detail within the study. In order to have a useful use of technology in the classroom, these factors have to be taken into account. KeywordsTechnology-undergraduate science students-e-learning ‫ﺍﻟﻌﺩﺩ‬ ‫ﺍﻷﺯﻫﺭ،‬ ‫ﺠﺎﻤﻌﺔ‬ ‫ﺍﻟﺘﺭﺒﻴﺔ،‬ ‫ﻜﻠﻴﺔ‬ ‫ﻤﺠﻠﺔ‬ ) : ١٧٨ ‫ﺍﻟﺠﺯﺀ‬ ‫ﺍﻟﺜﺎﻨﻲ‬ ( ‫ﺃﺒﺭﻴل‬ ‫ﻟﺴﻨﺔ‬ ٢٠١٨ ‫ﻡ‬ ‫ﺍﻟﻌﺩﺩ‬ ‫ﺍﻷﺯﻫﺭ،‬ ‫ﺠﺎﻤﻌﺔ‬ ‫ﺍﻟﺘﺭﺒﻴﺔ،‬ ‫ﻜﻠﻴﺔ‬ ‫ﻤﺠﻠﺔ‬ ) : ١٧٨ ‫ﺍﻟﺠﺯﺀ‬ ‫ﺍﻟﺜﺎﻨﻲ‬ ( ‫ﺃﺒﺭﻴل‬ ‫ﻟﺴﻨﺔ‬ ٢٠١٨ ‫ﻡ‬ -٧٤٩ -perceptions about integrating technology into classroom learning and teaching.Undoubtedly, students show that they experience effective learning in the classroom when the instructor uses the technology that they prefer (Dahlstrom & Bichsel, 2014). University students compared to school students become aware of the benefits of using technology for their academic success and their future career (Edmunds, Thorpe, & Conole, 2012).The objectives of the current study are to:1-Investigate science students' perceptions about their experience of the actual use of technology in the classroom. 2-Explore science students' perceptions about the actual use of technology for learning. 3-Explore science students' perceptions about the preferred use of technology in the classroom. 4-Investigate science students' perceptions toward the benefits of using technology in learning and for their future careers. 5-Explore science students' perceptions toward the digital distractions that distract students from learning. 6-Investigate science students' perceptions about the factors that affect their use of technology in learning.This study seeks to explore undergraduate science students' perceptions toward using technology in education. The study employs a mixed method approach using questionnaire and semi-structured interviews to collect the data form undergradua...