Attitudes of Saudi Arabian Students Toward the Use of Digital Libraries in Higher Education

Universities worldwide are transitioning to integrate technology to enhance and augment using E-learning. This study investigated attitudes of Saudi Arabian students toward the use of digital libraries in higher education at Taibah University in Madina. Data were collected to explore the relationship between Saudi students’ computer literacy skills, as well as their demographic background, and 1) their use of digital libraries, 2) their attitudes toward digital libraries, and 3) their perceived usability of digital libraries. Descriptive statistics, independent-samples , simple and multiple linear regression analyses were conducted to address the research questions. Participants were 240 undergraduate students enrolled at Taibah University. Most of them were senior (about 52%), female (about 62%), and majored in Education Science (about 47%). Analyses of the self-report survey data show that students used digital libraries on a weekly basis (M = 3.52, SD = 1.45), using a 6-point Likert-scale (1 = Never and 6 = More than 4 times per day). Results also show that students’ computer literacy skills were pretty good (M = 3.82, SD = 0.88), based on a 5-point Likert-scale (1 = No experience and 5 = Very skilled). On average, students’ attitudes toward digital libraries were positive (M = 4.21, SD = .68), measured by a 5-point Likert-scale (1 = Strongly disagree and 5 = Strongly agree). In general, the level of students’ perceived usability of digital libraries was moderate (M = 3.34, SD = .49), according to a 5-point Likert-scale (1 = Strongly disagree and 5 = Strongly agree). Results of linear regression and independent-samples show that students’ computer literacy skills were a significant predictor of their use of digital libraries, attitudes toward digital libraries, and perceived usability of digital libraries. The more skilled students were in computer literacy, the more likely they would use digital libraries (β = .299, t(221) = 2.57, p = .01); the more skilled they were in computer literacy, the more positive their attitudes were toward digital libraries (β = .201, t(225) = 3.70, p <. 001); and the more skilled they were in computer literacy, the higher the level of the perceived usability of digital libraries was (β = .115, t(202) = 2.99, p = .003). Only the access to technology and the Internet at school was significantly and positively related to students’ attitudes toward digital libraries. No relationships were found between the access to technology and the Internet (either at school or at home) and students’ use of digital libraries or their perceived usability of digital libraries. Regarding the impact of students’ demographic background on the three dependent variables (i.e., students’ use of digital libraries, attitudes toward digital libraries, and perceived usability of digital libraries), only one significant relationship was found. That is, students’ perceived usability of digital libraries was significantly related to their gender. Female students had a higher level of perceived usability of digital libraries

Scaling the Digital Divide: Home Computer Technology and Student Achievement

Assesses the effect of access to home computers and broadband Internet on students' math and reading test scores and its potential to close the achievement gap for the disadvantaged. Considers the role of parental monitoring

Business school techspectations Technology in the daily lives and educational experiences of business students

Business School Techspectations is the second in a series of reports based on research by the DCU Leadership, Innovation and Knowledge Research Centre (LInK) at DCU Business School. With its roots in an Irish business school, it is no surprise that LInK’s mission is to strengthen the competitiveness, productivity, innovation and entrepreneurial capacity of the Irish economy. Ireland’s next generation transformation will be enabled by information and communication technologies (ICT) and digital participation by members of Irish society. As a university research centre we have an important role to play in supporting education, industry and government to accelerate this transformation

ImpacT2 project: preliminary study 1: establishing the relationship between networked technology and attainment

This report explored teaching practices, beliefs and teaching styles and their influences on ICT use and implementation by pupils. Additional factors explored included the value of school and LEA policies and teacher competence in the use of ICT in classroom settings. ImpaCT2 was a major longitudinal study (1999-2002) involving 60 schools in England, its aims were to: identify the impact of networked technologies on the school and out-of-school environment; determine whether or not this impact affected the educational attainment of pupils aged 816 years (at Key Stages 2, 3, and 4); and provide information that would assist in the formation of national, local and school policies on the deployment of IC

Harnessing technology review 2008. The role of technology and its impact on education. Full report.

This is the second review of the use and impact of ICT in the education system following the publication of the Government's e-Strategy for education, known as Harnessing Technology. The Review drew upon Becta's surveys of schools and FE colleges as well as other research to assess the impact of technology within the education system and the progress made in achieving the system outcomes of the policy