The perceived usefulness of mobile phone technology for learning by distance education students at the University of Eswatini

Abstract

The use of mobile phone technology for learning is currently quite topical in higher education systems, globally. The current Covid-19 pandemic and the resultant restriction on gatherings have occasioned rapid transition of higher education programme offerings from face to face to online delivery. Mobile phone technology contributes to the flexibility and convenience of online learning, as students are able to learn on the go. The present study sought to establish the perceived usefulness of mobile phone technology for learning by distance education students at the University of Eswatini. The Technology Acceptance Model informed the study, which was located within a positivist research paradigm. A quantitative research approach was followed, and a descriptive research strategy was utilised. A stratified random sample of 337 students was selected to respond to a structured questionnaire that was administered online. Data were analysed using the SPSS software. Descriptive statistics were utilised in analysing data to respond to the main research question. The Chi-square test was used to respond to the research hypotheses. Results of each one of the six different sections of the questionnaire, with the six identified learning attributes, were presented. In the first section on communication, respondents were generally agreeable that mobile phone technology was useful for learning. On the issue of accessing content on the Moodle LMS, respondents were generally agreeable on most items except on the usefulness of mobile phone technology in allowing the respondents to join live lesson streaming through Zoom, and for games in learning. Overall, mobile phone technology was perceived as useful for accessing content on the Moodle LMS. On the issue of accessing information on the internet, the respondents were generally agreeable on most of the issues except that mobile phone technology enabled storage of information online using Google drive/Cloud. However, mobile phone technology was perceived as useful in accessing information on the internet. Most of the respondents perceived mobile phone technology as useful in interaction with the course instructors and with fellow students. Mobile phone technology was also perceived as useful for enabling students to learn collaboratively. The mean response provided for all the constructs led to the conclusion that mobile phone technology was perceived as useful for learning. Results on the four tested hypotheses revealed that there was no association found between gender and perceived usefulness, but there was an association between students‟ age and perceived usefulness. There was no association found between students‟ programme of study and perceived usefulness, and there was an association found between students‟ level of study and perceived usefulness.

Ukusetyenziswa kobuchwepheshe beefowuni eziphathwayo ekufundeni ngumba osematheni kwiinkqubo zemfundo ephakamileyo ehlabathini jikelele. Ubhubhane ogqubayo weCovid-19 nodale ukulawula amanani eendibano zabantu, ubangele ukuba kubekho utshintsho olukhawulezileyo kwiinkqubo zokufundisa kumaziko emfundo ephakamileyo, kushenxwe ekufundiseni ubuso ngobuso, koko kufundiswe ngokusebenzisa amaza omoya. Ubuchwepheshe beefowuni eziphathwayo buyanceda ekuthambeni nasekufumanekeni lula kwezifundo, ngoba abafundi bafunda behamba. Esi sifundo sifuna ukuqiniseka ngeembono zabafundi ngoncedo lobuchwepheshe beefowuni eziphathwayo kubafundi abafunda bekude kwiYunivesithi yaseSwatini. Inkqubo yezifundo ekuthiwa yiTechnology Acceptance Model ibe sisisekelo sesi sifundo, kwaye sibekelelwe kwixesha lokukholelwa kufundo ngokuqwalasela nokuzathuza, (ipositivist research paradigm). Kuqhutywe uphando ngokuqwalasela ubuninzi bamanani nokucacisa. Kwakhethwa isampulu yabafundi abangama-337 nabanikwa uluhlu lwemibuzo eqingqiweyo neyaphendulwa kumaza eintanethi. Iinkcukacha zolwazi zahlalutywa ngokusebenzisa ubuchwepheshe ekuthiwa yiSPSS software. Kwasetyenziswa izibalo ezicacisayo xa kwakuhlalutywa iinkcukacha zolwazi ngenjongo yokuphendula umbuzo wophando ongundoqo. Uvavanyo oluyiChi-square lwasetyenziselwa ukusabela kwizimvo zophando ezingekabi nabungqina. Kwanikezelwa iziphumo zecandelo ngalinye kwamathandathu oluhlu lwemibuzo, nelalineempawu ezintandathu lilinye. Kwicandelo lokuqala elingonxibelelwano, abaphenduli bavumelana ukuba ubuchwepheshe beefowuni eziphathwayo buluncedo ekufundeni. Kumba wokufumaneka kwezifundo kwiMoodle LMS, abaphenduli babevumelana kwimibuzo emininzi ngaphandle kwalo wokuba luncedo kobuchwepheshe beefowuni eziphathwayo ekuvumeleni ukuba abafundi bangenelele xa kufundiswa ngqo ngenkqubo yeZoom, nakwimidlalo ekufundeni. Ngokufutshane, ubuchwepheshe beefowuni eziphathwayo babonwa buluncedo ekufikeleleni kwizifundo kwiMoodle LMS. Kumba wokufikelela kulwazi ngamaza eintanethi, abaphenduli bavumelana kwimibuzo emininzi ngaphandle kwalo wokwazi ukugcina ulwazi ngokusebenzisa ubuchwepheshe beGoogle drive/Cloud kwiifowuni eziphathwayo. Noxa kunjalo, ubuchwepheshe beefowuni eziphathwayo babonwa njengobuluncedo ekufumaneni ulwazi kumaza eintanethi. Abaphenduli abaninzi baba noluvo lokuba ubuchwepheshe beefowuni eziphathwayo buluncedo ekunxibelelaneni nabahlohli kwanabanye abafundi. Ubuchwepheshe beefowuni eziphathwayo baphinda babonwa buluncedo ekwenzeni ukuba abafundi bakwazi ukufunda bencedisana. Umndilili weempendulo wakhokelela kwisigqibo sokuba ubuchwepheshe beefowuni eziphathwayo bubonwa buluncedo ekufundeni. Iziphumo zezimvo ezine, ezingekabi nabungqina zadiza ukuba akukho nxulumano phakathi kwesini nokubonwa njengoncedo kobu buchwepheshe, kodwa lwabakho unxulumano phakathi kobudala babafundi nokubonwa njengoncedo kobu buchwepheshe. Akubangakho nxulumano phakathi kwenkqubo yezifundo nokubonwa njengoncedo, kanti lubekho unxulumano phakathi kwezinga lezifundo akulo umfundi nokubona njengoncedo obu buchwepheshe.

Die gebruik van mobielefoon-tegnologie vir leer, is tans ‟n taamlik aktuele onderwerp in hoëronderwysstelsels wêreldwyd. Die huidige covid-19 pandemie en die voortspruitende beperkings op byeenkomste het die vinnige oorgang van hoëronderwysprogramme vanaf kontak- na aanlynlewering genoodsaak. Mobielefoon-tegnologie lewer ‟n bydrae tot die buigsaamheid en gerieflikheid van aanlynleer aangesien studente in staat is om sommer daar waar hulle is, te leer. Die huidige studie het ten doel gehad om die persepsie dat mobielefoon-tegnologie nuttig is vir leer by afstandonderrigstudente aan die Eswatini Universiteit te bepaal. Die studie is deur die Tegnologie Aanvaardingsmodel (Technology Acceptance Model) geïnspireer wat in ‟n positivistiese navorsingsparadigma gesetel is. ‟n Kwantitatiewe navorsingsbenadering is gevolg en ‟n beskrywende navorsingstrategie is aangewend. ‟n Gestratifiseerde ewekansige steekproef van 337 studente is gekies om op ‟n gestruktureerde vraelys te reageer. Die vraelys is aanlyn afgeneem. Data is deur middel van die SPSS programmatuur ontleed. Beskrywende statistiek is gebruik om die data te ontleed ten einde die hoofnavorsingsvraag te beantwoord. Die Chi-square-toets is gebruik om op die navorsingshipoteses te reageer. Die resultate van elk van die ses verskillende afdelings van die vraelys met die ses geïdentifiseerde leerattribute word aangebied. In die eerste afdeling wat oor kommunikasie handel, het die respondente oor die algemeen saamgestem dat mobielefoon-tegnologie nuttig is ten opsigte van leer. Oor die kwessie om toegang te verkry tot inhoud op die Moodle LBS (Moodle-leerbestuurstelsel), het die respondente oor die algemeen met die meeste items saamgestem, behalwe oor die nuttigheid van mobielefoon-tegnologie as dit kom by respondente in staat stel om by regstreekse videostroming van lesse sowel as leerspeletjies deur Zoom in te skakel. Mobielefoon-tegnologie is oor die algemeen as nuttig ervaar ten opsigte van toegangverkryging tot inhoud op die Moodle LBS. Ten opsigte van toegang tot inligting op die internet, was die respondente oorwegend in ooreenstemming oor die meeste van die kwessies behalwe dat mobielefoon-tegnologie die aanlynberging van inligting deur die gebruik van die Google-aandrywer/Cloud moontlik maak. Mobielefoon-tegnologie is egter as nuttig ervaar om toegang tot inligting op die internet te verkry. Die meeste van die respondente het mobielefoon-tegnologie nuttig gevind in hul interaksie met die kursusinstrukteurs en hul medestudente. Mobielefoon-tegnolgie is ook as nuttig ervaar om studente te help met koöperatiewe of samewerkende leer. Die gemiddelde respons wat vir al die konstrukte gebied is, het tot die gevolgtrekking gelei dat mobielefoon-tegnologie wel as nuttig vir leer ervaar word. Die resultate van die vier getoetste hipoteses het aan die lig gebring dat daar geen verband was tussen studente se geslag en die persepsie van nuttigheid nie, maar dat daar wel ‟n verband was tussen studente se ouderdomme en die persepsie van nuttigheid. Geen verband is gevind tussen studente se studieprogramme en die persepsie van nuttigheid nie, maar daar is wel ‟n verband tussen studente se vlak van studie en die persepsie van nuttigheid gevind.