Adoption, adaptation, and use of mobiles by university students: a Central American example

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 493-505
Author(s):  
Juan Aguirre ◽  
Sindy Chaves ◽  
Karen Burban
Keyword(s):  
University Students ◽  
Technology Acceptance ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
University Education ◽  
Mobile Technologies ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Material Development ◽  
Electronic Teaching ◽  
The University

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to identify the actual uses of smartphones for university students while they are in the university, whether in the classroom or outside, to facilitate the use of mobile technologies in the university and in classroom activities. Design/methodology/approach The site was the main campus of a university with a population of 10,000 undergraduate students; a convenience sample of 370 students was estimated for 246 usable surveys, with 95% confidence interval and 6.12 percent error. The proposed conceptual framework is based on the unified theory of technology acceptance. The instrument was developed on the basis of the literature and it was validated through a qualitative–quantitative process. The data were collected fact-to-face and the analysis consisted of the estimation of a general profile, mean and standard deviation and the development of the ordinal logistic regression model to test the hypothesis. Minitab 16 was the program used for the calculations. Findings The instrument was found to be acceptable with a 0.90 α. The uses associated with the academic activities are: p8_1 search what I do not understand in the class, p5_1 read digital books, pdf and other documents, p9_1 study, p11_1 share course information and p2_1 take photos of class blackboard and another type of materials. For non-academic uses, the uses were: p14 calendar, p4 listening to music, p9 telephone calls and p7 interacting with new students. The adaptation of mobiles to university education has to harmonize students’ use, professors’ objections and institutional concerns; therefore, four elements are needed before a decision is made: professors’ training, teaching material development, infrastructure adaptation and a sound plan. Research limitations/implications The selection of students was a convenience sample; therefore, the results cannot be extrapolated beyond the sample. Practical implications The study clarifies the traditional idea popular in the area, that is, students use the mobile only for entertainment, and suggests ways to managerially deal with the issue in an orderly fashion, by investing in human capital, infrastructure and electronic teaching tools. Originality/value The value is that the findings provide some ideas regarding the uses of smartphones for university students while they are in the university; such information can be used to orient strategies to develop educational uses of the smartphone.

The question of university graduates' employability: are the students aware of the employers' preferences

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Pambas Tandika ◽  
Laurent Gabriel Ndijuye
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Cognitive Skills ◽  
University Education ◽  
University Graduates ◽  
Exploratory Research ◽  
Design Data ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Adequate Knowledge ◽  
The World ◽  
The University

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to university students' awareness of the employers preferred competencies and the educational level capable of readying them satisfactory for the demands of the world of work.Design/methodology/approachUsing a qualitative approach exploratory research design, data were gathered in an informal and unstructured manner, researchers identified undergraduate students' awareness of employers' preferred competencies of the graduates.FindingsUndergraduate students overestimated academic credentials while ignoring soft skills as employers' preferences. Nevertheless, they were worried about their capability to compete adequately when seeking employment despite identifying university level of education as the most appropriate for developing and enhancing their employability.Research limitations/implicationsThe study involved mostly second-year students from one college of the seven colleges constituting the University of Dodoma.Practical implicationsThere is a need for university education to integrate and emphasize the non-cognitive skills for adequately and holistically preparing future employees with adequate knowledge and skills to thrive in the world of work demands.Social implicationsThere likelihood that a lack of confidence would impact their participation in academia and work/job. Hence, lower down their productivity and inadequately contribute to social and national economic growth.Originality/valueThe value of these findings is that they identify, inform and can be used to enhance university education programming for improved graduate's employability.

scholarly journals Assessing university students' perception of academic quality using machine learning

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alberto Guillén Perales ◽  
Francisco Liébana-Cabanillas ◽  
Juan Sánchez-Fernández ◽  
Luis Javier Herrera
Keyword(s):  
Service Quality ◽  
University Students ◽  
University Education ◽  
Teaching Staff ◽  
Second Phase ◽  
Academic Quality ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Optimization Methodology ◽  
Comparison Of The Results ◽  
The University

PurposeThe aim of this research is to assess the influence of the underlying service quality variable, usually related to university students' perception of the educational experience. Another aspect analysed in this work is the development of a procedure to determine which variables are more significant to assess students' satisfaction.Design/methodology/approachIn order to achieve both goals, a twofold methodology was approached. In the first phase of research, an assessment of the service quality was performed with data gathered from 580 students in a process involving the adaptation of the SERVQUAL scale through a multi-objective optimization methodology. In the second phase of research, results obtained from students were compared with those obtained from the teaching staff at the university.FindingsResults from the analysis revealed the most significant service quality dimensions from the students' viewpoint according to the scores that they provided. Comparison of the results with the teaching staff showed noticeable differences when assessing academic quality.Originality/valueSignificant conclusions can be drawn from the theoretical review of the empirical evidences obtained through this study helping with the practical design and implementation of quality strategies in higher education especially in regard to university education.

Learning with Technologies

2011 ◽  
pp. 142-162
Author(s):  
Anne Campbell
Keyword(s):  
Interpersonal Communication ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Formal Education ◽  
Eastern China ◽  
Student Response ◽  
University Education ◽  
Mobile Technologies ◽  
University Lecturers ◽  
The University

This study explores the perceptions of undergraduate students and their teachers towards the current and future role of learning with technologies in university education in China. Data from a survey completed by 1,740 undergraduate students from 12 universities and colleges throughout a rural province in north-eastern China was supplemented by an analysis of student response to learning with technology in Chinese classroom contexts using visual ethnography. The analysis of the data indicated that the use of technologies in the undergraduate classrooms in this study has had little effect on the way the university lecturers teach, but that their undergraduate students made extensive use of mobile technologies for interpersonal communication and learning outside the classroom, albeit not necessarily in relation to their formal education. These changes raise questions about the key role of socio-cultural expectations regarding effective education in determining the uptake of learning with technologies.

scholarly journals University students' preference regarding social media content, internet usage and online friendship patterns

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 239-249
Author(s):  
Asma Butt
Keyword(s):  
University Students ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Social Networking Sites ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
Survey Method ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Online Friendship ◽  
The University

PurposeThis study aimed to find out the web content accessed by university students and to compare the level of interaction with real-life friends and online friends.Design/methodology/approachIn this study, the quantitative research design used, and the researcher collected data through the survey method. The population comprises all undergraduate students at the University of the Punjab, Lahore. The sample of 320 students, age ranges from 18 to 22 years from eight selected departments, collected through a simple random sampling technique and after extraction 284 questionnaires evaluated by using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS).FindingsThe findings of the study showed that students preferred activities on the Internet is to access social networking sites. Additionally, the mobile phone is the most commonly used device among university students to access the Internet. Furthermore, students mostly used Facebook to keep in touch with their old friends and talk on different topics more easily with their online friends as compared to real-life friends. The study also shows that the results of both the hypothesis are significant; therefore, no difference exists regarding time spent on the Internet in real-life friendship patterns and online friendship patterns.Originality/valueThe research was used to find out the difference between the online friendship and real-life friendship patterns of the two groups who use the Internet for less time and who spend more time on the Internet among the university students.

Adoption of mobile technology for mobile learning by university students during COVID-19

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Syed Faizan Hussain Zaidi ◽  
Valmira Osmanaj ◽  
Omar Ali ◽  
S.A.H. Zaidi
Keyword(s):  
University Students ◽  
Technology Acceptance ◽  
Mobile Learning ◽  
Mobile Technology ◽  
Ease Of Use ◽  
Perceived Usefulness ◽  
Mobile Technologies ◽  
Perceived Ease Of Use ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Tam Model

PurposeDue to the eruption of the COVID-19 pandemic, many universities were forced to shift from the traditional learning practices to digital learning. Hence, the purpose of this study is to evaluate the factors that affect the university student's adoption of mobile technologies for mobile learning (m-learning) in their learning process.Design/methodology/approachTechnology acceptance model (TAM) is incorporated to study the adoption of mobile learning by university students. Quantitative research technique is used as core research approach in this study. Structural equation modelling (SEM), which is a part of quantitative research method, was employed on the congregated data via a set of questionnaire from 268 University students. SEM is used to explore the relationships among the hypothesized constructs. SPSS and AMOS software were used for the analysis of data.FindingsThis study validated the updated TAM model and assessed the students' adoption of mobile technologies for m-learning during COVID-19. All the constructs of proposed model were found to be significant with more than 50% average variance extracted. It was found that two external constructs mobile system efficacy and mobile service efficacy appended in technology acceptance model show the direct positive effect on perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use constructs. However, hypothesized relationships were found to be unsupported among perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use. Furthermore, perceived usefulness and ease of use during m-learning impact the students' usage attitude which consequently impact the students' adoption behaviour towards adoption of mobile technology.Research limitations/implicationsSix constructs were considered for this study; however, mobile information quality for mobile learning was not included which could affect students' adoption criteria. Additionally, this study is limited to a country where future study needs validation of propose constructs in different demographic settings.Originality/valueNo study allied to the students' adoption of mobile technology for m-learning has accomplished in the context of India during COVID-19. Furthermore, TAM model has been updated with regard to the students' adoption of mobile learning during COVID-19 in Indian higher education setting.

iMindMap as an innovative tool in teaching and learning accounting: an exploratory study

2016 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 71-82 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wan Noor Hazlina Wan Jusoh ◽  
Suraya Ahmad
Keyword(s):  
Technology Acceptance ◽  
Teaching Methods ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Accounting Students ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Course Content ◽  
University Of Technology ◽  
Conventional Teaching ◽  
Innovative Tool ◽  
The University

Purpose The purpose of this study is to explore the use of iMindMap software as an interactive tool in the teaching and learning method and also to be able to consider iMindMap as an alternative instrument in achieving the ultimate learning outcome. Design/methodology/approach Out of 268 students of the management accounting at the University of Technology MARA (Terengganu), 97 students have participated in this survey to evaluate the effectiveness of iMindMap in teaching and learning. Findings Results indicate that the majority of the students acknowledged that iMindMap is more attractive than conventional teaching methods and found that iMindMap shows clearly how the points are all associated and linked together. Students could find that learning is an exciting experience and were able to visualize the whole course content remarkably via iMindMap. Originality/value This study presents an alternative instrument, which is innovative and interactive in teaching and learning, especially for accounting students where the students’ technology acceptance could also be viewed.

scholarly journals Perceived value of social networking sites (SNS) in students' expressive participation in social movements

2014 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 56-78 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juan D. Borrero ◽  
Shumaila Y. Yousafzai ◽  
Uzma Javed ◽  
Kelly L. Page
Keyword(s):  
Social Movements ◽  
University Students ◽  
Social Networking ◽  
Technology Acceptance ◽  
Social Networking Sites ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Ease Of Use ◽  
Perceived Usefulness ◽  
Intention To Use ◽  
Content Type

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to determine the beliefs that influence university students to use social networking sites (SNS) for expressive participation in social movements. Design/methodology/approach – The original technology acceptance model (TAM), a quantitative methodological approach, and a survey were used to collect responses from 214 university students in Spain. Structural equation modelling was used to test the proposed relationships. Findings – Results confirm that the perceived ease of use (PEU) and perceived usefulness (PU) of SNS significantly affect a student's intention to use SNS for expressive social participation in social movements, with use intention significantly affecting actual participation. There was no significant moderating effect of students' gender on these relationships. Originality/value – Although there is much discussion in the popular press about how people use SNS, there is no published empirical research on the determinants that contribute to a person's intention to use and actual use of SNS in the context of social movements. This paper is one of the first studies to investigate young people's perception of the SNS usefulness and ease of the use for participation in social movements.

scholarly journals Relações com o saber, com o ensinar e com a aprendizagem em um projeto de formação inicial de professores de matemática no Brasil Relations with the knowledge, teaching and learning in a initial training Project of mathematic teachers in Brazil

2017 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Diego Fogaça Carvalho ◽  
Marinez Meneghello Passos ◽  
Sergio De Mello Arruda ◽  
Angela Marta Pereira das Dores Savioli
Keyword(s):  
Elementary School ◽  
University Students ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Analytical Instrument ◽  
Initial Training ◽  
School Students ◽  
Training Project ◽  
The University ◽  
The Relationship

ResumoNeste artigo analisamos as relações com o saber, com o ensinar e com o aprender em atividades desenvolvidas em um subprojeto de Matemática no Programa Institucional de Bolsas de Iniciação à Docência (PIBID). Os dados consistiram no registro das ações realizadas em sala de aula por um supervisor (professor), seis estudantes da licenciatura em Matemática e alunos do Ensino Fundamental de uma escola pública do estado do Paraná, Brasil. Para a interpretação dos dados foi utilizado um instrumento que possibilita evidenciar as relações com o saber na sala de aula denominado Matriz 3x3. As análises revelaram implicações da ação do supervisor na ação tanto dos estudantes universitários quanto dos alunos da escola e, consequentemente, nas relações que estes estabeleceram com o saber, o ensinar e o aprender.AbstractIn this article we analyze the relationship with knowledge, with teaching and with learning in activities developed in a subproject of Mathematics in the Institutional Program of Initiation to Teaching (PIBID). The data consisted of the registration of actions carried out in the classroom by a supervisor (teacher), six undergraduate students in Mathematics and students of the Elementary School of a public school in the state of Paraná, Brazil. For the interpretation of the data we used an analytical instrument called Matrix 3x3. The analyses revealed the implications of the supervisor's action on the actions of the university students and of the school students and consequently on the relationships they established with knowledge, teaching and learning.

scholarly journals Sport science college students and career stress

2019 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 580-589 ◽  
Author(s):  
Onur Mutlu Yasar ◽  
Murat Turgut
Keyword(s):  
University Students ◽  
Quantitative Research ◽  
University Education ◽  
Average Score ◽  
Stress Scale ◽  
Income Status ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Stress Levels ◽  
Science College ◽  
The University

The aim of this study is to examine the career stress levels of university students in different faculties according to age, gender, faculty, class and financial status variables. The research was conducted using a quantitative research design. The sample of this study consisted of 1,189 university students from Kastamonu University Education Faculty, School of Physical Education and Sports, Faculty of Arts and Faculty of Engineering and Architecture. Career Stress Scale consisting of 20 items and three sub-dimensions was used. Data were normally distributed and parametric analysis was used. According to the findings of this study, it was determined that the average score of the participants was 2.43 from the total score of the career stress scale. In this context, it was found that the career stress levels of the participants were moderate at the lower limit. According to the average scores of the participants, the lowest subscale was found to be an external conflict with 2.13 average and the highest subscale was found to be job anxiety with an average score of 2.82. A significant difference was found almost between all different groups in different ways (p > 0.05). As a result, it was found that the career stress levels of the university students participating in the research were moderate, as well as differences according to variables such as gender, class, age, faculty and income status. Among these differences, the most striking ones appear to be the variables of age and income. In this context, it was determined that university students who have lower age and lower-income status level have higher career stress level than age and income status variables. Keywords: Career, collage, stress, sport, students, university.

scholarly journals Effective social media marketing strategy: Facebook as an opportunity for universities

2017 ◽  
Vol 45 (5) ◽  
pp. 532-549 ◽  
Author(s):  
Costas Assimakopoulos ◽  
Ioannis Antoniadis ◽  
Oliver G. Kayas ◽  
Dragana Dvizac
Keyword(s):  
Marketing Strategy ◽  
Technology Acceptance ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Social Networking Sites ◽  
Education Institution ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Conceptual Background ◽  
Marketing Tool ◽  
The Republic

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the usage of university Facebook (FB) groups and sites by undergraduate students seeking information about their departments and the ways these pages could be used to acquire students. The factors that can intensify the FB group activities of a university are examined as well as how FB can be used as a marketing tool to improve marketing campaigns. Design/methodology/approach The study investigates and compares two universities: the University of Novi Sad of the Republic of Serbia and the Technological Educational Institute of Western Macedonia, Greece. A structured questionnaire was used with samples of 343 and 300 students gathered in this survey. Findings An enhanced technology acceptance model oriented toward FB is presented and it is the conceptual background of the paper. Student demographics and behavioral characteristics of the FB group they enrolled on were determined. Common behavioral patterns of the usage tension of the FB group are also identified. Additionally, five factors were determined that can be used by university marketers to intensify engagement with the FB group. Research limitations/implications Larger samples should be used for future research. Originality/value The paper proposes a marketing strategy a higher education institution should follow to more effectively use social networking sites as a marketing tool.

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