Academic Use of Smartphones in Secondary Level Education in Bangladesh: A Non-Parametric Approach

This study aims to examine the use of smartphones for educational purposes and the acceptance of online learning among secondary students. To investigate the academic utilization of smartphones among secondary students in Bangladesh, a sample of 384 students from different districts of Bangladesh were surveyed. The survey was conducted using a selfadministered, semi-tailored computerized questionnaire. The collected data was analyzed using IBM SPSS statistics 26 and the Mann-Whitney U test. The findings indicate that male students used smartphones for educational purposes with greater confidence and less difficulty than female students. On the other hand, students in 8th to 10th grade classrooms reported a greater willingness to use smartphones for academic purposes, with urban students being more enthusiastic than their rural peers. The study’s findings have implications for the government, policymakers, educators, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). They highlight the importance of ensuring equal access to resources and tools that support academic success, as well as addressing the adverse effects of excessive smartphone usage. In addition, the government and NGOs should prioritize the elimination of inequities between rural and urban areas and provide subsidies to rural students

Application of Computer Vision and Mobile Systems in Education: A Systematic Review

The computer vision industry has experienced a significant surge in growth, resulting in numerous promising breakthroughs in computer intelligence. The present review paper outlines the advantages and potential future implications of utilizing this technology in education. A total of 84 research publications have been thoroughly scrutinized and analyzed. The study revealed that computer vision technology integrated with a mobile application is exceptionally useful in monitoring students’ perceptions and mitigating academic dishonesty. Additionally, it facilitates the digitization of handwritten scripts for plagiarism detection and automates attendance tracking to optimize valuable classroom time. Furthermore, several potential applications of computer vision technology for educational institutions have been proposed to enhance students’ learning processes in various faculties, such as engineering, medical science, and others. Moreover, the technology can also aid in creating a safer campus environment by automatically detecting abnormal activities such as ragging, bullying, and harassment

Exploring barriers to accessing healthcare services for older indigenous people in the Chittagong Hill Tract, Bangladesh

We aim to investigate the obstacles faced by elderly indigenous individuals in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, Bangladesh when accessing healthcare services. A qualitative research approach was utilized, and data collection was carried out in three distinct regions of the aforementioned area. A total of 30 in-depth, semi-structured interviews and participant observations were conducted to achieve the research objectives. Thematic analysis utilizing both a deductive and inductive approach was employed to analyze the data. The Granheim method and Nvivo-12 software were utilized to process, analyze and code the data. The study's findings indicate that a lack of knowledge about healthcare needs, geographical barriers, poor financial conditions, higher cost of medical services, scarcity of hospitals nearby and communication barriers all contribute to inadequate access to healthcare services. By recognizing the factors that impede access to healthcare services in this region, this study offers valuable insight for policymakers and healthcare providers on how to enhance healthcare services for the indigenous population, especially the elderly. Furthermore, the government can adopt a more efficient approach to include these elderly individuals in various social safety net programs

Acceptance of E-Learning Among University Students During Covid-19 Crisis: Bangladesh Perspective

COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically transformed the global education system to a great extent. In a short period, e-learning has been adopted globally as an al-ternative teaching-learning medium. However, this sudden transition raises many concerns about e-learning acceptability. To make a clear inference, this study investigated the acceptance of e-learning (perceived usefulness, and perceived ease of use) among university-level students using the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). The empirical analysis was performed on a sample of 694 university students in Bangladesh during the COVID-19 crisis. Findings revealed that students' overall e-learning acceptability was not adequate (32.8%), a significant number of students (46.8%) were not satisfied with e-learning experience and that majority (70.2%) of students preferred face-to-face education systems for their future study. The study also highlighted the underlying factors that negatively affect students' e-learning acceptance such as lack of technological skills, less familiarity with e-learning, lack of simplicity, low productivity, inefficiency, and so on. The overall findings of this study are intended to assist stakeholders to understand the gaps that need to be addressed immediately to increase students ’e-learning acceptability in the future

Students’ Experiences of E-learning Practices During COVID-19: A Qualitative Study

COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted schooling globally. Affecting millions of students, the conventional face-to-face (F2F) education system has been replaced by e-learning overnight. As the advantages, disadvantages, and technical challenges of this abrupt transformation were already well-documented, this study aimed to intensely scrutinize university students' experiences of e-learning practices in this new normal situation. Methods: Adopting the Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), a smaller sample of respondents (N=25) was observed to gain deeper insights using semi-structured interviews. Data were analyzed and interpreted through thematic analysis. Findings revealed that most of the students have had unfavorable experiences with e-learning. The majority of students feel that e-learning has ruined their social relationships by isolating them from their peers and instructors. A significant number of students were observed to be anxious about their future due to unstable financial status, poor learning outcomes, and unfair evaluation processes. Moreover, poor self-esteem, anxiety, and depressive symptoms have been observed among a significant portion of the students. The overall findings of this study are meant to assist stakeholders in taking the necessary steps to address the aforementioned issues and ensure an improved learning experience, particularly in an e-learning environment

Students’ Experiences of E-learning Practices During COVID-19: A Qualitative Study

COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted schooling globally. Affecting millions of students, the conventional face-to-face (F2F) education system has been replaced by e-learning overnight. As the advantages, disadvantages, and technical challenges of this abrupt transformation were already well-documented, this study aimed to intensely scrutinize university students' experiences of e-learning practices in this new normal situation. Methods: Adopting the Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), a smaller sample of respondents (N=25) was observed to gain deeper insights using semi-structured interviews. Data were analyzed and interpreted through thematic analysis. Findings revealed that most of the students have had unfavorable experiences with e-learning. The majority of students feel that e-learning has ruined their social relationships by isolating them from their peers and instructors. A significant number of students were observed to be anxious about their future due to unstable financial status, poor learning outcomes, and unfair evaluation processes. Moreover, poor self-esteem, anxiety, and depressive symptoms have been observed among a significant portion of the students. The overall findings of this study are meant to assist stakeholders in taking the necessary steps to address the aforementioned issues and ensure an improved learning experience, particularly in an e-learning environment

Perception and Preference of the Students for Online Education during COVID-19 in Bangladesh: A Study Based on Binary Logistic Regression

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on both public health, and the global educational system. In response to the concerns surrounding the spread of the disease, many educational institutions, including those in Bangladesh, have shifted to online learning. This study aimed to investigate the perceptions and preferences of university students in Bangladesh towards online classes during the COVID-19 pandemic. The research was based on Binary Logistic Regression (BLR) and was conducted on a sample of 1116 university students in Bangladesh. The results of the study showed that while students faced a range of challenges while participating in online classes, including technical issues and limited access to study materials, they still preferred to participate in online courses due to the ongoing pandemic and the support of their teachers. Furthermore, the study revealed that there were differences in students’ attitudes toward online learning based on gender, geographic location, and type of university. The findings of this study are of great significance to governments, policymakers, technology developers, and university administrators, as they provide valuable information for the development of effective policies for online education in the future. These findings should be taken into consideration as a crucial guide to making in-formed decisions in the area of online education