A Scoping Review on the Implementation of Autonomous Learning at the University Level in Kuwait: PAAET as a Case Study (Published)
This paper is mainly a scoping review that explores the current body of knowledge related to the presence and growth of autonomous learning at the university level in Kuwait. The review was conducted to answer the research question “Can we implement autonomous learning at the university level in Kuwait?” To support this scoping review, a questionnaire consisting of eight opened-ended questions was designed that asked professors who teach in different colleges in The Public Authority for Applied Education and Learning (PAAET), one of the main and oldest universities in Kuwait, about their opinions on autonomous learning at the university level. The questionnaire served to allow the study to gather valuable primary data that contextualized the scoping review and added real time insights. One of the findings of the paper is that the initiation of the promotion of autonomous learning in Kuwait partially occurred because of the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic required universities to engage in digital and remote learning so students’ academic progress could stay on schedule as much as possible. This phase naturally developed some university students’ ability to study in their own time and complete their assignments without an excessive amount of prodding from teachers. However, the literature published after the pandemic does not present a state of widespread proficiency when it comes to university students’ autonomy. Another finding is that current research stressed the effectiveness of interventions that directly target students’ lack of autonomy. However, there is little knowledge about the frequency in which these interventions are recommended or implemented. From a practical perspective, university level teachers will need to improve their communication skills so they can learn how to connect with students as individual learners. In addition, teachers at the university level should develop a line of communication with secondary school teachers in Kuwait. University students’ lack of preparation for autonomous learning is a sign that they are not being properly developed as scholars in their younger years. Teachers at the university level must communicate with secondary teachers to identify where the current gaps in practice are.
Keywords: Autonomous Learning, Educational Technology, PAAET, digital learning
The Contribution of Technological Innovations to Enhance Education for Sustainable Development (Published)
Technological innovations have revolutionized numerous sectors, including education, by providing new tools and methodologies that enhance learning experiences and outcomes. Governments worldwide made teaching and learning educational technology compulsory during the COVID-19 pandemic in all educational fields. Despite the numerous advantages, integrating technological innovations into the educational process is challenging. There remains a significant gap between the potential of these technologies and their actual implementation in classrooms and educational fields. Issues such as inadequate infrastructure, lack of teacher training, and resistance to change hinder the effective use of technology in education. Moreover, the rapid movement of technological advancements often exceeds the ability of educational institutions to adapt, leading to underutilization of available resources and missed opportunities for enhancing the educational process. While there is a growing body of literature on the subject, much of the existing research is fragmented and lacks a comprehensive framework that connects theory with practice. This study employs qualitative analysis to obtain information about the experiences, benefits, and discusses the challenges that may arise using educational advancements and techniques in language learning. It aims to provide teachers and educators with a better understanding of the impacts of using technology in the educational process and the development of language learning. In the paper, the researcher defines technology, in addition to Information Communication Technology (ICT), and reviews previous studies on the effective use of technological tools across educational settings. Furthermore, the study sheds light on the role of using modern technological innovations that can be effectively utilized and integrated into education, not only for learners but also for their instructors who need to achieve professional development, by increasing the engagement of using technology in educational settings, motivation, as well as improving accessibility and convenience.
Keywords: Educational Technology, Innovations, Professional Development, Technology
Institutional Academic Culture and Effective Implementation of Educational Technology Curriculum in Tertiary Institutions in Cross River State, Nigeria (Published)
This study investigated institutional academic culture influences educational technology curriculum implementation in tertiary institutions in Cross River State, Nigeria. To achieve the purpose of the study, two research questions were posed and two null hypotheses were formulated and tested at 0.05 level of significance. The study adopted the ex-post facto research design. The population of the study comprises of two thousand seven hundred and seventy-one (2,771) students of educational technology studying in the University of Calabar, the Cross River University of Technology, Calabar College of Education Akamkpa and College of Education Obudu, all in Cross River State. A total sample of six hundred and eighty-two (682) students was used for the study. The collected data was analyzed using One-Way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) with LSD Post-hoc analysis for the two hypotheses. The findings of the study revealed that institutional academic culture significantly influence educational technology curriculum implementation in tertiary institutions in Cross River State Nigeria, it was recommended among other things that every school should make it compulsory to have regular laboratory experience to enhance the learning experiences and also promote creative culture through adherence to students centered learning method.
Keywords: Cross River State, Curriculum, Educational Technology, Effective Implementation, Tertiary Institutions, institutional academic culture
Educational Technology in Saudi Arabia: A Historical Overview (Published)
This paper is a descriptive paper on the emergence of the new and relatively new phenomena on e-learning in Saudi Arabia. The purpose of this paper is to highlight key phases and changes towards e-education in general. Also, it highlights the history of using educational technology in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia since the mid-1900s, the beginning, the improvements, and the current status. Finally, it also describes the rapid increases in using technology in schools, institutes and universities, and presents the attitudes of Saudi people towards this global phenomenon, so-called e-learning. The paper serves as a literature review of e-leaning/e-education in Saudi Arabia.
Keywords: E-education, E-learning, Educational Technology, Saudi Arabia
MODERN TRENDS IN THE USE OF EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN THE CLASSROOM (Published)
Educational technology as a term and as a field of specialization is considered to be a relatively new field in education. Based on this, the concept sounds new to a lot of people including a good number of teachers and learners. It is yet to be well rooted in the Nigerian educational system. However, it should be noted that its newness is in terms of terminology, in the redefinition of concepts, in the realignment of child learning psychology with behavioural oriented classroom activities and in the matching together of curriculum and human resources. It is important to note that elements of Educational Technology have always been present in educational practices in the Nigerian schools which brought about gradual changes in the use of educational technology in the classroom. This paper therefore examines the application of educational technology to teaching and learning in the classroom and educational technology as a solution to the problem of curriculum practices in the Nigerian education system. Some generalizations on the effective use of educational technology in the classroom settings, conclusion and recommendations were made
Keywords: Classroom, Educational Technology