Assessing the relationship between student teachers' computer attitudes and learning strategies in a developing country

The primary aim of this study is to investigate a possible correlation between the computer attitudes of student teachers and learning strategies in a developing country. The Ohio State University attitudes toward computer technology (OSUACT) scale and learning and study strategies inventory (LASSI) were administered to 124 student teachers. Descriptive results revealed that student teachers possessed positive computer attitudes. Correlational analyses showed that seven learning strategies - attitudes, motivation, time management, concentration, selecting main ideas, study aids and test strategy were associated with computer attitudes. Nevertheless, the results of the multiple regression indicated that the learning strategy that involved the selection of the main ideas was the sole predictor of computer attitudes. The results pointed to the importance of learning strategies in fostering more favourable computer attitudes among student teachers

Modeling key drivers of e-learning satisfaction among student teachers

This study explored the key drivers of student teachers' e-learning satisfaction. Three hundred and eighty-seven participants completed a survey questionnaire measuring their self-reported responses to six constructs (tutor quality, perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, course delivery, facilitating conditions, and course satisfaction). Data analysis was performed using structural equation modeling. The results of this study showed that, apart from facilitating conditions, all constructs were significant predictors of e-learning satisfaction. However, facilitating conditions was found to be a significant mediator of perceived ease of use and satisfaction. Some implications for e-learning and teacher education were discussed

Internet and Facebook use among university students

The Malaysian government continues to invest heavily in computing and Internet resources in the belief that the Internet can improve the academic performance of students, offer e-learning for undergraduates, and provide the flexibility of distance learning for adult students. The use of the Internet and Facebook for educational purposes has been a topic of high interest among researchers in recent years. In Malaysia, Internet access is relatively easy, fast, and affordable. It is also a valuable source of information. Research shows that online consumers in Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines are the most likely to have engaged on social media sites such as Facebook. For this very reason, students must be well-equipped with the requisite skills to exploit to the full the benefits of the Internet and Facebook by the time they graduate. Such skills would certainly help to enhance their employability in the competitive labour market. This study seeks to examine relevant literature regarding the extent of Internet and Facebook use among university students. The literature review will also explore how the use of the Internet and Facebook has impacted the academic performance of university students

Investigating the technology acceptance among student teachers in Malaysia : an application of the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM).

This study investigated 245 Malaysian student teachers' self-reported intentions to use (ITU) computers. Using the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) as a research framework, this study found perceived usefulness (PU) of computer technology, perceived ease of use (PEU), and attitude towards computer use (ATCU) to be significant determinants of ITU. Results obtained using structural equation modelling revealed that (I) PEU significantly influenced PU, (2) both PU and PEU significantly influenced ATCU, and (3) both PU and ATCU significantly influenced ITU. In essence, the results of this study present some evidence that TAM serves as a valid model to predict technology acceptance among student teachers in Malaysia

Black White Colour Bias among Young Malaysian Chinese Children

Previous studies of preschool children in the United States, Western Europe and Eastern Asia have demonstrated a bias favouring the colour white relative to the colour black. In this study, the Colour l.1eaning Test II was administered to urban Malaysian Chinese preschoolers, aged 5 and 6 years. The mean Colour Meaning Test II score of 18.33 indicated a definite pro-white/anti-black bias. The sex and age of the child was found to have no significant effect on the test score, The high level of bias favouring the colour white relative to the colour black suggest that the bias is universal and that strong influences have brought about this high level of bias. These children have no direct contact. with dark-skinned (black) and light-skinned (white) persons and do not live in II society in which there is a great socio-economic chasm between black and white races, but they are familiar with the concept of races as it relates to black-white skin colour and the designation of persons by colour names through watching television. This study lends support to the main causal factors that have been suggested for colour bias, which are cultural symbolism, mass media, literature and early diurnal experienc

Effects of motivational adaptive instruction on student motivation towards mathematics in a technology-enhanced learning classroom

This quasi-experimental study sought to investigate the effects of the motivational adaptive instruction on Malaysian students’ motivation towards mathematics in a technology-enhanced learning classroom. Geometer’s Sketchpad is used in the study to foster a technology-enhanced learning environment. The motivationally adaptive instructions were designed following the Attention, Relevance, Confidence, and Satisfaction (ARCS) motivational model. The study adopted a non-equivalent control group design with pre-and posttest with two weeks of treatments. Two intact Form Two classrooms were randomly assigned to an experimental group and a comparison group — each with 20 students. The findings showed that Malaysian students had a slightly above-average level of motivation towards mathematics. The ANCOVA results showed that the intervention did not significantly improve the experimental group’s students’ motivation towards mathematics learning, despite having their motivation mean scores improve from Time 1 to Time 2. The results also showed that motivation and mathematics performance were not strongly correlated for this group of students. The weak relationship between motivation and mathematics performance among Malaysian students may be explained by the culture and value of East Asian towards education, which is discussed in this paper

Development and Validation of Information Technology (IT) Based Instrument to Measure Teachers' IT Preparedness

The Malaysian Ministry of Education plans to turn approximately 10,000 primary and secondary schools into Smart Schools which emphasise the use of Information Technology (IT) by the year 2010. This means that all teachers must be fully prepared to teach in Smart Schools nation-wide. The pressure on teachers has, therefore, become urgent. For this reason, there is a growing educational interest in the assessment of teachers' IT preparedness. This study attempts to develop and validate a n instrument to measure teachers' IT preparedness. IT preparedness is measured in three domains: the teachers' actual IT skills, their knowledge about IT and their attitudes toward IT. Initially, three tables of content specification were constructed for each domain. These tables comprised two dimensions. Actual IT skills were measured in terms of content (word processing, electronic spreadsheet, electronic database, electronic presentation and the Internet) and task categories (basic operation, manipulation and design); knowledge about IT was measured in terms of content categories (system hardware, system software and the Internet) and Bloom's taxonomy (knowledge, comprehension and application); attitudes were measu red in terms of content categories (the Internet, specific software applications, software applications in general, computer and IT in general) and four sub-domains (usefulness, confidence, anxiety and a version)

Qualitative findings of students' perception on practice of sSelf-regulated strategies in online community discussion

With rapid emergence to the birth of the knowledge era, an active and interactive learning environment is fundamental to any teaching and learning process. Over time, negative implications of traditional learning environment are mounting, and measures must be taken to challenge it. With extensive research on available learning tools, it has become more feasible to provide our students with better learning opportunities. Such was the anticipation in the Malaysian educational context. Hence, this paper aims to address qualitative findings of a study on self-regulated learning strategies conveyed through the proposed interactive e-learning community (iELC). In duration of eight weeks, students (n = 50) from regular national secondary schools were subjected to online learning tasks aimed to advance strategies on self-regulated learning. To date, strategies of self-regulated learning have been perceived as key to learner to succeed academically and after the schooling years. By means of semi-structured interview, data were collected from small group and one-to-one perception. Results were directed at the overall development of self-regulated learning strategies and its diffusion in the iELC discussion platform. Conclusively, these findings add significantly to the understanding of self-regulated learning strategies in an online learning environment

The shift in the role of teachers in the learning process.

Numerous studies have established that active participation in the learning process is more effective in a learning environment that emulates a real-world learning environment. In a traditional teaching and learning environment, only little learning is taking place in the classroom even though there appears to be an active shift of information. Studies have also clearly established that the role of the teacher alone is able to crush or nurture a student’s participation in the learning process. Hence, it is necessary to bring about a two-way transfer of knowledge between students and teachers as it requires optimum students’ participation. This paper brings into discussion the shift in the role of teachers in the learning process, from the traditional teaching and learning environment to a learning environment that encourages active students’ participation in the learning process. Respectively, this paper puts emphasis on the important role a teacher shoulders in shifting students from a passive role to an active role in a teaching and learning process. These characteristics of an effective teacher are grounded in the constructivism theory of learning, prior to which a brief description of the behaviorism and cognitivism theories is provided

The role of a stand-alone ICT course in a Malaysian Public University: How effective is it for student teachers?

This research attempts to measure student teachers’ confidence toward ICT and their perceived ICT skills after completing a stand-alone ICT course at Universiti Putra Malaysia. Two separate paired samples t-tests results revealed that there was a positive shift in the student teachers’ confidence toward ICT as well as an improvement in their perceived ICT skills towards the end of the course. The pre-test result showed that participants with lower prior ICT experience were as confident as those with higher experience before enrolling in the course. They, however, had much lower perceived ICT skills. The post test results showed that those with lower prior ICT experience still had similar confidence level toward ICT compared to those with higher prior computer experience but the gap between their perceived ICT skills had reduced. The responses obtained from interviewing six student teachers showed that participants were more confident with ICT related tools and felt that their ICT skills improved towards the end of the stand-alone course. The study offered some evidence that stand-alone ICT courses can benefit student teachers