e-ISSN 2231-8526
ISSN 0128-7680
Jumoke Iyabode Oladele, Musa Adekunle Ayanwale and Mdutshekelwa Ndlovu
Pertanika Journal of Science & Technology, Volume 31, Issue 1, January 2023
DOI: https://doi.org/10.47836/pjst.31.1.15
Keywords: Higher education, online teaching and learning, STEM education, students’ experiences, technology adoption
Published on: 3 January 2023
Challenges of a lack of formal technology-embeded teacher training, collaborative learning models, adequate technology know-how, and internet access are barriers to adopting technological-enabled teaching and learning STEM subjects in the African context. This study examined technology adoption for STEM in higher education while evaluating students’ experiences with evidence and implications for less developed countries. The survey research design was adopted for the study. The study population was students in higher learning institutions in selected countries in the sub-Saharan African region using a multi-stage sampling procedure consisting of convenience and purposive sampling techniques. A self-developed questionnaire titled Technology Adoption for Teaching and Learning Questionnaire “TATLQ” premised on the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) model was used for data collection. The instrument had an overall reliability coefficient of 0.96. The collated data were analysed using descriptive of the median and a network chart to answer the research questions. In contrast, the inferential statistics of t-test and Analysis of Variance statistics were used to test the hypothesis generated for the study and implemented in the psych package of R programming language version 4.0.2 software. Findings revealed that students had a positive experience with online teaching and learning and concluded that technology adoption for STEM education online teaching and learning is feasible in sub-Sahara Africa, with the need for improvements in internet access and technical support on the basis for which recommendations were made.
Abahussain, M. M. (2017). Examining gender differences toward the adoption of online learning and predicting the readiness of faculty members in a Middle-Eastern recently established public university (Doctoral dissertation). Northern Illinois University, USA. https://commons.lib.niu.edu/bitstream/handle/10843/20740/Abahussain_niu_0162D_12948.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
Adegoke, Y. (2017). Africa’s internet economy needs more data servers on the continent. Quartz Africa. https://qz.com/africa/1138104/africas-internet-economy-needs-more-content-data-servers-on-the-continent/
Aikman, D. (2017). The fourth industrial revolution. World Economic Forum. https://www.jmfrri.gr.jp/content/files/Open/2017/20171130_Isynpo/AM1%20Mr.%20David%20Aikman_presentation.pdf
Alturki, U., & Aldraiweesh, A. (2021). Application of learning management system (LMS) during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A sustainable acceptance model of the expansion technology approach. Sustainability, 13(19), 10991. https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/19/10991/pdf
Ayanwale, M. A., & Oladele, J. I. (2021). Path modeling of online learning indicators and learners’ satisfaction during COVID-19 pandemic. International Journal of Innovation, Creativity and Change, 15(10), 521-541. https://www.ijicc.net/images/Vol_15/Iss_10/151038_Ayanwale_2021_E1_R.pdf
Bailey, A., Kaufman, E., & Subotić, S. (2015). Education technology and the 21st-century skills gap. Boston Consulting Group. https://www.bcg.com/publications/2015/public-sector-education-technology-21st-century-skill-gap
Barr, B. A., & Miller, S. F. (2013). Higher education: The online teaching and learning experience. Online Teaching and Learning.
Boe, M. V., Henriksen, E. K., Lyons, T., & Schreiner, C. (2011). Participation in science and technology: Young people’s achievement-related choices in late-modern societies. Studies in Science Education, 47(1), 37-72. https://doi.org/10.1080/03057267.2011.549621
Breiner, J. M., Harkness, S. S., Johnson, C. C., & Koehler, C. M. (2012). What is STEM? A discussion about conceptions of STEM in education and partnerships. School Science and Mathematics, 112(1), 3-11.
Chesky, N. Z., & Wolfmeyer, M. R. (2015). Philosophy of STEM education: A critical investigation. Springer.
Dalton, W. (2019). What is STEM? Pearson. https://pearsonaccelerated.com/blog/stem
Dogan, B. & Robin, B. (2015). A practice-based model of STEM Teaching: STEM students on the stage. Springer.
Drijvers, P., Gitirana, V., Monaghan, J., Okumus, S., Besnier, S., Pfeiffer, C., Mercat, C., Thomas, A., Christo, D., Bellemain, F., Faggiano, E., Orozco-Santiago, J., Ndlovu, M., van Dijke-Droogers, M., da Silva Ignacio, R., Swidan, O., Filho, P. L., de Albuquerque, R. M., Hadjerrouit, S., … & Rodrigues, A. (2019). Transitions Toward Digital Resources: Change, Invariance, and Orchestration. In The’Resource’Approach to Mathematics Education (pp. 389-444). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-20393-1_12
Fakinlede, C. O., Yusuf, M. O., Mejabi, O. V., & Adegbija, V. M. (2014). Readiness for online learning in higher education: A mixed-methods assessment of students at a Nigerian university. Malaysian Journal of Distance Education, 16(1), 37-57.
Forson, I. K., & Vuopala, E. (2019). Online learning readiness: Perspective of students enrolled in distance education in Ghana. The Online Journal of Distance Education and e-Learning, 7(4), 277-294.
Hasanah, U. (2020). Key definitions of STEM education: Literature review. Interdisciplinary Journal of Environmental and Science Education, 16(3), 1-7. https://doi.org/10.29333/ijese/8336
IOS. (2017). Evaluation of UNESCO’s Programme Interventions on Girls’ and Women’s Education. Internal Oversight Service. www.unesco.org/.../PI_165_Rev_Evaluation_of_UNESCOs_Programme_Intervention
Ismail, Z. (2018). Benefits of STEM education. https://opendocs.ids.ac.uk/opendocs/bitstream/handle/20.500.12413/14258/418_Benefits_of_STEM_Education.pdf?sequence=1
Junus, K., Santoso, H. B., Putra, P. O. H., Gandhi, A., & Siswantining, T. (2021). Lecturer readiness for online classes during the Pandemic: A survey research. Education Sciences, 11(3), Article 139. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci11030139
Kamaruzaman, F. M., Sulaiman, N. A., & Shaid, N. A. N. (2021). A study on perception of students readiness towards online learning during Covid-19 Pandemic. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 11(7), 1536-1548. http://dx.doi.org/10.6007/IJARBSS/v11-i7/10488
Kärkkäinen, K., & Vincent-Lancrin, S. (2013). Sparking innovation in STEM education with technology and collaboration: A case study of the HP Catalyst Initiative. Centre for Educational Research and Innovation. https://www.oecd.org/education/ceri/OECD_EDU-WKP(2013)_%20Sparking%20Innovation%20in%20STEM%20education.pdf
Kemp, S. (2021). Digital 2021: South Africa. Data Reportal. https://datareportal.com/reports/digital-2021-south-africa
Kessler, G. (2018). Introduction to teaching and technology. In The TESOL Encyclopedia of English Language Teaching (pp. 1-2). John Wiley & Sons. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118784235.eeltv06b
Kubat, U., & Guray, E. (2018). To STEM or not to STEM? That is not the question. Cypriot Journal of Educational Sciences, 13(3), 388-399.
LaForce, M., Noble, E., King, H., Century, J., Blackwell, C., Holt, S., Ibrahim, A. & Loo, S. (2016). The eight essential elements of inclusive STEM high schools. International Journal of STEM Education, 3(1), 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40594-016-0054-z
Lee, K., Fanguy, M., Bligh, B., & Lu, X. S. (2021). Adoption of online teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic analysis of changes in university teaching activity. Educational Review, 74(3), 460-483. https://doi.org/10.1080/00131911.2021.1978401
Lichoro, D. M. (2015). Faculty preparedness for transition to teaching online courses in the Iowa Community College Online Consortium (Doctoral dissertations). Iowa State University, USA. https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/etd/14376
Marwala, T. (2020). Closing the gap: The fourth industrial revolution in Africa. Macmillan.
Ndlovu, M. C., & Mostert, I. (2018). Teacher perceptions of Moodle and throughput in a blended learning programme for in-service secondary school mathematics teachers. Africa Education Review, 15(2), 131-151. https://doi.org/10.1080/18146627.2016.1241667
Ndlovu, M., & Meyer, D. (2019). Readiness of teachers to teach mathematics with technology: A case study of a school in Gauteng. Academia.
Oladele, J. I., Koledafe, O. S., & Daramola, D. S. (2021). Prospects for online instructional delivery using google classrooms: Implications for higher education in sub-Sahara Africa. Journal of Digital Learning and Education, 1(3), 92-108. http://dx.doi.org/10.52562/jdle.v1i3.227
Palloff, R. M., & Pratt, K. (2013). Lessons from the virtual classroom: The realities of online teaching. John Wiley & Sons.
Parkes, M., Stein, S., & Reading, C. (2015). Student preparedness for university e-learning environments. The Internet and Higher Education, 25, 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iheduc.2014.10.002
Qazaq, M. N. A. (2012). A study on readiness and implementation of e-learning among academic staff at Jordanian Institutions of Higher Education (Doctoral dissertation). Universiti Utara Malaysia, Malaysia. http://etd.uum.edu.my/2975/3/Mahmoud_Nayif_Ali_Qazaq.pdf
Ramírez-Hurtado, J. M., Hernández-Díaz, A. G., López-Sánchez, A. D., & Pérez-León, V. E. (2021). Measuring online teaching service quality in higher education in the COVID-19 environment. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(5), Article 2403. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18052403
Rasouli, A., Rahbania, Z., & Attaran, M. (2016). Students’ readiness for e-learning application in higher education. Malaysian Online Journal of Educational Technology, 4(3), 51-64. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1106478.pdf
Sabharwal, R., Chugh, R., Hossain, M. R., & Wells, M. (2018). Learning management systems in the workplace: A literature review. In 2018 IEEE International Conference on Teaching, Assessment, and Learning for Engineering (TALE) (pp. 387-393). IEEE Publishing.
Schwab, K. (2016). The fourth industrial revolution. World Economic Forum. https://bit.ly/3Aypuf5
Siekmann, G. (2016). What Is STEM? The need for unpacking its definitions and applications. National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER). https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED570651.pdf
Škobo, M. (2020). Modern technologies in teaching literature. In Sinteza 2020 International Scientific Conference on Information Technology and Data Related Research (pp. 86-92). Singidunum University.
Stohlmann, M., Moore, T. J., McClelland, J., &Roehrig, G. H. (2011). Year-long impressions of a middle school STEM integration program. Middle School Journal, 43, 32-40.
Tanenbaum, C. (2016). STEM 2026: A vision for innovation in STEM education. US Department of Education, Washington, DC. https://www.air.org/system/files/downloads/report/STEM-2026-Vision-for-Innovation-September-2016.pdf
The Glossary of Education. (2014). Learning Experience. https://www.edglossary.org/learning-experience/
UNESCO. (2021). Qingdao declaration promotes use of ICT to achieve education targets in new sustainable development goals. https://en.unesco.org/news/qingdao-declaration-promotes-use-ict-achieve-education-targets-new-sustainable-development
UNESCO, U., UNPFA, U., UNICEF, U., & UN, W. (2015). Incheon Declaration and Framework for Action for the Implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 4. http://uis.unesco.org/sites/default/files/documents/education-2030-incheon-framework-for-action-implementation-of-sdg4-2016-en_2.pdf
Vahidy, J. (2019). Enhancing stem learning through technology. Press Books.
Venkatesh, V., Morris, M. G., Davis, G. B., & Davis, F. D. (2003). User acceptance of information technology: Toward a unified view. Management Information Systems Quarterly, 27(3), 425-478. https://doi.org/10.2307/30036540
White, W. D. (2014). What is STEM education, and why is it important? Florida Association of Teacher Educators Journal, 1(14), 1-9.
Widodo, S. F. A., Wibowo, Y. E., & Wagiran, W. (2020). Online learning readiness during the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 1700(1), 012-033. https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/1700/1/012033
Young, S. (2006). Student views of effective online teaching in higher education. The American Journal of Distance Education, 20(2), 65-77. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15389286ajde2002_2
ISSN 0128-7680
e-ISSN 2231-8526