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Abstract

Online learning can be useful as a means of preparing individual students for assigned readings and study With respect to programmes and modes of operation, engineering colleges and universities will be different in the future. The providers of engineering education will make extensive use of the Internet and powerful computer technologies to define the new methods of distance learning, the alternative methods of delivery of educational content, and the norms and standards for quantity and quality, as well as scale and breadth of online learning In this study, research was undertaken on the use of the Internet for online learning for the students of a regular class taught in a traditional way. A questionnaire was developed in order to establish the availability of computers at home, Learning through technology, using the Internet at home for first year engineering students L.G. Boussiakou † & E.C. Kalkani ‡ King Saud University, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia † National Technical University of Athens, Athens, Greece ‡ ABSTRACT: In the present study, the findings are presented from research that was undertaken for a course for first year students of a technological curriculum. The students were asked about the availability of computers at home, Internet connections, the use of the Internet for education and playing games, the use for access for course materials, and for communication with the instructor. The findings indicate that students can use multiple sites on the Internet, devote different percentages of their study time to online learning, while the availability and the use of the Internet does not predict the grade of the final examination attained for the course. Students also indicated the most popular sites that they use on the Internet, the benefits to their learning from their present use of the Internet and the expected benefits from future use. Based on the above findings, not only do certain university Web sites need re-evaluation to improve their usefulness, but also there needs to be a modification in the teaching of the courses that are available online