technology, education and arab youth in the uae 2013
DESCRIPTION
Empirical research into digital technology use by Emirati tertiary students, and implications for library services in the region. Data collected 2011/12.TRANSCRIPT
Digital Natives in the UAE?A report of research into digital technology
use by Emirati tertiary students,and implications for
academic library services in the region.
Janet Martin © 2013
The Digital Natives debate* Are innately skilful, expert, confident, intuitive when dealing with technology
* Have a short attention span
* Prefer non-linear, visual, interactive, collaborative learning
* Can multitask
* Have experienced brain changes
Digital Natives in Education* Education needs to radically change to remain relevant to students and society
* Education which is not technology-based is boring/obsolete
* They expect digital technologies to be an integrated part of education
* “Natives” vs “Immigrants”
A “piece of the evidence”
Policy decisions in education and in libraries in the UAE should be based upon the findings of valid and empirical investigation, rather than on anecdotal discussions.
Are young Emiratis Digital Natives?
Research in the UAEMixed method approach used 2011/121. Online survey (N=587)* Sample of Emirati nationals, attending tertiary education in the UAE, 18-25 yrs of age* Involved multiple institutions, all geographical locations, all disciplines, ages, genders2. Interviews (N=15)* Follow-up interviews also ensured very broad representation within Emirati students.
Major findings of research in the UAE
The UAE is technologically well established, and tertiary Emirati
students are generally well connected at home (80%
broadband) and at university (100% broadband)
Interview comments:
“I am always wired – I used to carry a BB [BlackBerry], iPod, iPhone. I haven’t
bought the iPad yet. The BlackBerry has
internet as well. I have laptop… everything.”
Interview comments:
“I didn’t use a computer before I came here [to university]. In my last year of high school I
started using a computer. Before that we didn’t
have, because we didn’t need it, so my parents
thought that. “
Major findings of research in the UAE
Most students have basic technology usage patterns
(e.g. little use of Web 2.0 or content creation)
Interview comments:
“I got a Blackberry, and iPhone, laptop. I write
notes, read emails, write messages, check my
calendar. I search all the time. I always Google
things up, YouTube and such things. I used to shop
online but not now.”
Major findings of research in the UAE
Students have VERY high self-reported skills and
confidencewhen using digital technologies
Interview comments:
“I have everything Googled… You just can’t live without Google, and
whatever you want to know, just type it”
Week (2011):
“A confusion by people of all ages between a wider digital
competence, and the communications and entertainment competence,
of young people”
Major findings of research in the UAE
EDUCATION
* Technology is highly valued – most important reason to use it is to “achieve better results”* Internet is the primary source of academic and non-academic information* Tertiary institutions are well placed to meet student needs and developments in technology
Interview comments:
“Live without the Internet? I could not do
that.”
“It’s really important for me I think. The life
without the Internet is like, … I don’t know how to tell you,… is like the car without wheels!”
Major findings of research in the UAE
EDUCATION
* Use of digital technologies is not well established in many UAE schools – both private and public.
* Transition to laptop universities and colleges is not an easy one for
many students
Interview comments:
“Some students couldn’t even move a mouse”
“Somehow we knew about the laptops but we didn’t know that we were going to use it that much. We
didn’t know that we have to use it
every day!!”
Interview comments:
“What happens when students who haven’t had
a computer come to university? They fail and
they leave. They were like… What is this? It’s a
completely new thing for them.”
Major findings of research in the UAE
EDUCATION
Variation identified in student confidence with faculty skill
and confidence with technologies
Interview comments:
“Some of them … use the PowerPoint slide. Sorry, they’re boring!
They just read the slides so I think they didn’t use the advantage of
technology.”
Major findings of research in the UAE
Consideration of the cultural and socio-economic context within
which technological changes have occurred was an integral part of
this research
Are young Emiratis Digital Natives?
Yes....and No.
What can academic libraries in the UAE take from this
research?
Research in the Library World?
American Library Association (ALA)Association of College and Research
Libraries (ACRL)OCLC Research
Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC)
PEW Research Center
Research in the Library World?
* Changes to information
* Changes to general characteristics of younger scholars
* Research characteristics of young people as they affect library services
Conclusions
This research has documented that most Emirati tertiary students are
wired and ready!
There is one of the best infrastructures
for digital technology access in the world.
Emirati students are not a homogenous group.
However...
Emirati students are likely to overestimate their research
skills, and will require more IL support than ever before.
Emirati students have not embraced more advanced
technology applications, and few are avid content
contributors.
Special Libraries AssociationArabian Gulf Chapter
Abu Dhabi, April 2013
©Janet Martin, MEdLibrarian, researcher and consultant
Janet Martin © 2013
References
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References Smith, A. (2008). The research library in the 21st century: Collecting, preserving and making accessible resources for scholarship. Core functions of the research library in the 21st century. Washington DC: Council on Library and Information Resources. Zickuhr, K., Rainie, L., & Purcell, K. (2013). Library services in the digital age. Washington, DC: PEW Research Center. Zimerman, M. (2012). Digital natives, searching behavior and the library. New Library World, 113(3/4), 174-201. Prensky, M. (2001a). Digital natives, digital immigrants. On the Horizon, 9(5), 1-6. Prensky, M. (2001b). Digital natives, digital immigrants, Part II: Do they really think differently? On the Horizon, 9(6), 1-9. Selwyn, N. (2013). Education in a digital world: Global perspectives on technology and education. New York: Routledge. Waters, J. (2011). Will the real digital native please stand up? Retrieved 7 October, 2012, from http://campustechnology.com/articles/2011/10/01/will-the-real-digital-native-please-stand-up.aspx Week, S. (2011). Digital Natives vs. Digital Immigrants: How do we rate? Research in progress. Paper presented at the World
Conference on E-Learning in Corporate, Government, Healthcare, and Higher Education (ELEARN) 2011, Chesapeake, VA.
Full PhD dissertation:Martin, J. (2013). Technology, education and Arab youth in the 21st century: A study of the UAE. (Doctoral dissertation), University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia. Retrieved from http://drjanetmartin.wordpress.com/research/