A Study on the Impact of ICT on Collaborative Learning Processes in Libyan Higher Education

This paper presents the conclusions of a study on the impact of ICT on collaborative learning processes in Libyan Higher Education (LHE). The quantitative analysis of the answers to a questionnaire (completed by Libyan full-time lecturers at the universities of Tripoli, Garyounis, Gharian and Ezawia) shows the necessity to design and develop more classroom activities and interactive online applications, enabling the development of team-building skills required by employers. The influence of limited Internet bandwidths in Libya on collaborative learning processes in HE is then presented. It is obvious that HE institutions need to develop proactive strategies that envisage and anticipate learners‟ future learning needs and requirements in this transition period of moving towards an increasingly digitalized, networked and knowledge-based society. The paper also contains the analysis of a SWOT model considering the factors that must be considered in relation to collaborative learning within the university teaching process, such as intelligent multimedia, Internet technologies, and knowledge management. The employment of modern technology will enable the development of innovative and inspiring collaborative learning environments where lecturers are expert designers of intellectual experiences for students, who become active participants to the learning processes

Attitudes of Academic Staff and Students Towards Internet Usage for Academic Purposes in Alzawia University, Libya

The modern society is in the transition process from the Information Age to the Interaction Age so the attitude of academics and students towards Internet use is continuously changing. This study aims to investigate the attitudes of lecturers and students from Al-Zawiya University (AZU), Libya, towards the use of Internet technology for academic purposes and to formulate a set of recommendations for upgrading the quality and effectiveness of ICT implementation within the School of Engineering from AZU. The action research approach is used to develop a novel framework for increasing the effectiveness of ICT implementation in AZU. The framework aims to improve the Internet skills of lecturers and students, increase the impact of the Internet on their academic efficiency, solve the problems they face while using the Internet, and increase their satisfaction with the Internet facilities provided by AZU. This new framework is built on the basis of different existing models and frameworks (a two-dimensional model for ICT integration in education, the ASSURE model, an framework for HE internationalisation, the ICube model for teaching and learning activities in modern Higher Education institutions). The study includes an analysis of existing Internet use by academic staff and students which looks at various features of Internet usage, including purposes for using the Internet and users’ level of satisfaction with the Internet facilities provided by the university. The SPSS package is employed for qualitative analysis of sixty students’ answers to the questionnaires and shows that people’s skills, computing resources and infrastructure influence the efficacy of integrating computers into HE. Semi-structured interviews are used to determine the attitudes of twelve academics towards use of the Internet in two departments – Department of English Language (DEL) and Department of Electrical Engineering (DEE). The qualitative analysis of academics’ responses identifies the cognitive, performance and affective components of their outlook towards use of the Internet for teaching and research. In addition, the relationship between their answers and the research hypotheses shows that a combination of individual and social factors affects users’ perspectives regarding Internet usage. Finally, a set of recommendations for the enhancement of ICT implementation within the School of Engineering at Al-Zawiya University in Libya is formulated, aiming to enhance the quality of teaching, learning and research activities and the level of students’ satisfaction with the technology-enhanced approach to learning. The findings of this thesis might be of interest to managers, academics and other people involved in the design and development of strategies for ICT implementation in Libyan universities and similar developing countries

Exploratory study of the attitudes of academic staff in Libyan Universities towards the role of the Internet

This study has been directed to disclose the attitudes of academic staff in Libyan universities towards Internet-based learning and training. The research for this study has been conducted using both quantitative and qualitative methods. The findings suggest that faculty members have positive attitudes towards integrating the Internet into the teaching process and an expectation that this will dramatically change the nature of higher education in Libya over the next few years. The need for inclusive strategic planning and effective implementation plans and strategies is discussed