Attitudes towards Technology and 21st Century Skills: A study among B.Ed TESL Undergraduates in IPGKS
Doris Chelam Kasturi (A135733), Tie Yin Yin (A135724)
B.Ed TESL UKM-IPGKS Twinning Programme
Institut Pendidikan Guru Kampus Sarawak, 98000 Miri, Sarawak, Malaysia.
Tel: 085-442427
ABSTRACT
Five female and five male undergraduates at Institut Pendidikan Guru Kampus Sarawak (IPGKS), from the B.Ed TESL UKM-IPGKS Twinning Programme completed a survey about Attitudes towards Technology and 21st Century Skills. This survey research investigated. Three formats of surveys were used – scale, multiple choice, and checkbox. The findings suggest that the undergraduates had a reasonably positive attitude towards the use of technology in education, and a high regard towards the importance of 21st Century Skills. However, they have a moderate to low attitude towards the amount of effort put in by the education ministry in developing these skills. It is also noted that most of these undergraduates consider themselves as “computer natives” and have a moderate to high level of computer literacy, which does influence their positive attitudes towards technology in education.
Keywords
Computer in education, Technology in education, 21st Century Skills, Attitudes towards technology
INTRODUCTION
Technology is challenging the boundaries of the educational structures that have traditionally facilitated learning (Bonk & King, 1998). Recent advances in computer technology have resulted in new and innovative teaching strategies. Educators who advocate technology integration in the learning process believe it will improve learning and better prepare students to effectively participate in the 21st century workplace (Butzin, 2000; Hopson, Simms, & Knezek, 2002; Reiser, 2001).
A survey of first-year students by Sax, Astin, Korn, and Mahoney (1998) indicated that computer network use has become a way of life for the majority of the students. They use computers around the clock to accomplish a wide range of academic tasks (Green, 1998; Romiszowski & Mason, 1996). Many prepare course assignments, make study notes, search for various information, and process data for research projects. Most also exchange e-mails with peers, and lecturers They keep up-to-date in their fields on the Internet, accessing newsgroups (YahooGroups), official network sites (Facebook) and blogs for academic purposes. This is mostly held true to the B.Ed TESL UKM-IPGKS group that participated in this survey.
Furthermore, 9/10 of the respondents consider themselves as “computer natives”, which can be paralleled to their computer literacy skills. However, in integrating computers in learning institutions, positive attitudes towards computers and technology do help people learn computer skills more effectively, and thus developing the 21st century skills in today’s society.
LITERATURE REVIEW
The 21st century skills are not something new in the Malaysian education system but an extension of the traditional skills of adopting new technology and work environment. According to Ruskoff (1996), "Students are natives to cyberspace, where the rest of us are immigrants." Technology has become part of today’s generation, thus the term “New Millennium Learners” were coined by Pedro (1996).
The 21st century is an era in which workers are required to possess skills including problem solving, critical thinking, team work and willingness to learn something new (National Institute of Literacy and the Small Business Administration, 1999).
"Unfortunately," says Margaret Honey, vice president and director of EDC's Center for Children and Technology, "in the schools that have the most pressure on them to improve scores and grades in exams, technology often takes a back seat. Academic excellence comes first”.
However, research proves otherwise. Marc Brill, in his report on Mott Hall’s laptop computer programme (something similar to our 1Malaysia notebook programme), points out in particular, to writing skills; which have improved through the use of technology and collaborative editing. "We are finding that students revise their work more often and can better organize their work and assignments."
With all these advancements, the nature of literacy too has now been broadened as a result of the availability of the technologies of globalisation. To be able to use computer applications at workplace is as critical as being able to read, write and having typing skill.
RESEARCH APPROACH
This study employed a survey research design to investigate Attitudes towards Technology and 21st Century Skills among B.Ed TESL Undergraduates in IPGKS.
Sample
The subjects for this study were 10 undergraduates at Institut Pendidikan Guru Kampus Sarawak (IPGKS). The subjects are all voluntarily involved in this survey, and are 20 years of age. Half of the respondents are male, whereas the other half are females, making it a balance ratio of gender.
Research instruments
A survey method was used to collect data for this study. The survey was divided into three types, namely the checkbox format, multiple choice, and scale. For the scale, the format is as follows: (1=Strongly disagree, 2=Disagree, 3=Less agree, 4=Agree, and 5=Strongly agree).
Data collection and data analysis procedures
The questionnaire was distributed to the subjects on the last week of July 2011. Data analyses were carried out using Statistical Packages for Social Sciences (SPSS).
FINDINGS
Frequency Tables
(Note: Results can be viewed via YahooGroup:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/A135733_DorisChelamKasturi_GE1155/files/Week%204%20Assignments/
DISCUSSION
In general, the results suggest that the respondents had a positive attitude towards the use of technology in education, and a high regard towards the importance of 21st Century Skills.
Similar to findings reported by Green (1998) and Romiszowski and Mason (1996), the B.Ed TESL undergraduates also use the Internet extensively for educational purposes such as doing research, e-mail communications, and peer-to-peer interaction (via Facebook, YahooGroups, and blogs).
According to the data, the majority of students are aware of the 21st century skills and its importance, as well as the role of the education ministry in preparing students to face challenges of the 21st century. An encouraging 90% of them also see themselves as “computer natives”, rated their computer literacy skills from moderate to advanced, and agreed that the need to be computer literate is just as important as the four basic literacy skills (reading, writing, listening, & speaking) in today’s world. This is an encouraging sign that the current generation realises the importance of ICT and 21st century skills in this day and age.
However, there are a few who felt that ICT has made their lives busier and more complicated, and an average number of undergraduates also responded that it would be burdensome to both students and educators when the 21st century skills are incorporated into the education system. A high number of students also responded that insufficient effort is being done by the education ministry to develop students’ 21st century skills, especially in terms of funding and facilities. Interestingly, half of the respondents also felt that the 21st century skills are not as important as achieving academic excellence. Although the data shows that these undergraduates realise the importance of ICT today, why do they still feel this way? Further elaboration would be hypothesised in the following section.
RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONCLUSION
These are a few recommendations to improve the attitudes and 21st century skills amongst undergraduates. First, they must acknowledge that 21st century skills are essential to the education of today’s learner, not only for academic purposes, but it goes as far as lifelong learning. The mentality that certain few has should be changed, and it can only be achieved once they realise the degree of importance that technology has in our lives, and at the rate we are moving, it would most probably be an integral part for us as future educators in the teaching profession. Simply put, we will need ICT to teach.
Second, institutions of higher learning should provide ample support to their undergraduates in terms of facilities. The wireless connection should be accessible throughout the institute’s compound, without restrictions to important sites like YahooGroup, Google Doc, etc. Computer labs should also be equipped with enough desktops to cater for students needs’, besides the consistent maintenance of facilities (e.g. modems, LCD projectors), and readily available technical support.
Thirdly, the education ministry should place more emphasis on 21st century skills, especially in institutions of higher learning (including teacher training institutes) as youths are the ones who will lead the nation one day. Therefore, support in terms of facilities, funding, and training is required from the ministry’s part.
According to Khir (2006), most Malaysian graduates now are lacking in both technical know-how and generic skills. So another suggestion is also to include ICT-learning skills as an additional course for students, so that they would improve on their basic computer literacy skills before they enter a course that requires them to fully incorporate ICT skills into their assignments and projects. This would greatly reduce the anxiety that students face when they do not have sufficient knowledge on technological know-hows, thus increasing their confidence and improving their perception towards technology.
Another step further would be for the faculties in the institutions of higher learning to make a regularly available and interactive hands-on workshops and demonstrations, in which undergraduates can be given individual attention. This could enhance exposure and high levels of practice, besides building on interests, which is highly necessary to increase competence.
Thus, we can conclude that the attitude of undergraduates is interdependent on their computer abilities and 21st century skills. Students should understand the gravity of technology and 21st century skills, not only in their academic field, but also towards the development of our country. Once this is achieved, and ample support is given from the learning institution and the government, then there is no excuse that the current generation could not thrive in this increasingly competitive global environment.
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