Technophobia, motivation and academic achievement in distance learning for grade 6 students in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24200/jonus.vol9iss1pp345-367Abstract
Background and Purpose: Limited research has explored the perceptions of technology use in distance learning education among grade six students and its potential influence on academic achievement. Addressing this gap, this study aims to investigate the relationship between technophobia, motivation and academic achievement in the context of distance learning for sixth-grade students in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
Methodology: Data were collected through a questionnaire distributed among grade six students in Abu Dhabi, resulting in 399 responses. The respondent pool comprised 173 female students and 269 male students. The collected data underwent analysis using SPSS and the Structural Equation Model through SMART-PLS.
Findings: The study found that technophobia negatively impacts students’ academic achievement in distance learning, while motivation positively affects technophobia and academic achievement in distance learning.
Contributions: The findings provide insights for educational stakeholders, teachers, and leaders in the Ministry of Education to develop policies and support students in their distance education experience.
Keywords: Technophobia, motivation, distance learning, educational technologies, academic achievement.
References
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Akos, P. (2006). Extracurricular participation and the transition to middle school. Research in Middle-Level Education Online, 29(9), 1-9.
Akos, P., & Martin, M. (2003). Transition groups for preparing students for middle school. Journal for Specialists in Group Work, 28(2), 139-154.
Ajlouni, A. O., & Rawadieh, S. M. (2022). Technophobia and technophilia among undergraduates: Cross-national research in Jordan, Qatar, and Egypt. Journal of Social Studies Education Research, 13(4), 24-55.
Alamri, H., Lowell, V., Watson, W., & Watson, S. L. (2020). Using personalized learning as an instructional approach to motivate learners in online higher education: Learner self-determination and intrinsic motivation. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 52(3), 322-352.
Almaiah, M. A., Hajjej, F., Lutfi, A., Al-Khasawneh, A., Shehab, R., Al-Otaibi, S., & Alrawad, M. (2022). Explaining the factors affecting students’ attitudes to using online learning (Madrasati platform) during COVID-19. Electronics, 11(7), 1-15.
AlMahdawi, M., Senghore, S., Ambrin, H., & Belbase, S. (2021). High school students’ performance indicators in distance learning in chemistry during the COVID-19 pandemic. Education Sciences, 11(11), 1-26.
Almaiah, M., & Al Mulhem, A. (2020). Thematic analysis for classifying the main challenges and factors influencing the successful implementation of e-learning system using NVivo. International Journal of Advanced Trends in Computer Science and Engineering, 9(1), 142-152.
Almuraqab, N. (2020). Shall universities at the UAE continue distance learning after the Covid-19 pandemic? Revealing students’ perspective. International Journal of Advanced Research in Engineering and Technology, 11(5), 226–233.
Al Shamari, D. (2022). Challenges and barriers to e-learning experienced by trainers and training coordinators in the Ministry of Health in Saudi Arabia during the COVID-19 crisis. Plos One, 17(10), e0274816.
Artino, A. R. (2009). Think, feel, act: Motivational and emotional influences on military students’ online academic success. Journal of Computing in Higher Education, 21(1), 146–166.
Bagheri, A., & Pihie, Z. A. L. (2014). The factors shaping entrepreneurial intentions. Cambridge Scholars Publishing.
Bawa'aneh, M. S. (2021). Distance learning during COVID-19 pandemic in UAE public schools: Student satisfaction, attitudes and challenges. Contemporary Educational Technology, 13(3), 1-13.
Cohn, M. A., & Fredrickson, B. L. (2010). In search of durable positive psychology interventions: Predictors and consequences of long-term positive behavior change. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 5(5), 355-366.
Cook, P., MacCoun, R., Muschkin, C., & Vigdor, J. (2007). Should sixth grade be in elementary school? An analysis of grade configuration and student behavior. (Working paper series). National Bureau of Economic Research.
Churchill, G. A. (1979). A paradigm for developing better measures of marketing constructs. Journal of Marketing Research, 16(1), 64–73.
DiMattio, M. J. K., & Hudacek, S. S. (2020). Educating generation Z: Psychosocial dimensions of the clinical learning environment that predict student satisfaction. Nurse Education in Practice, 49(1), 102901.
Diwakar, S., Kolil, V. K., Francis, S. P., & Achuthan, K. (2023). Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation among students for laboratory courses-assessing the impact of virtual laboratories. Computers & Education, 198(1), 104758.
Duncan, T. G., & McKeachie, W. J. (2005). The making of the motivated strategies for learning questionnaire. Educational Psychologist, 40(2), 117-128.
Elyakim, N., Reychav, I., Offir, B., & McHaney, R. (2019). Perceptions of transactional distance in blended learning using location-based mobile devices. Journal of Educational Computing Research, 57(1), 131-169.
Erlback, A. (2003). The middle school survival guide. Walker Publishing Inc.
Faloye, S., Ranjeeth, S., & Ako-Nai, S. (2022). Understanding age differences in technophobia: A South African case study. South African Computer Journal, 34(1), 33-60.
Fredrickson, B. L. (1998). What good are positive emotions? Review of general psychology, 2(3), 300-319.
Fredrickson, B. L. (2004). The broaden–and–build theory of positive emotions. Philosophical Transactions of The Royal Society of London. Series B: Biological Sciences, 359(1449), 1367-1377.
Fredrickson, B. L. (2005). The broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions. In F. A. Huppert, N. Baylis, & B. Keverne (Eds.), The science of well-being (pp. 803-855). Oxford University Press.
Gerli, P., Clement, J., Esposito, G., Mora, L., & Crutzen, N. (2022). The hidden power of emotions: How psychological factors influence skill development in smart technology adoption. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 180(1), 121721.
Göksu, İ., Ergün, N., Özkan, Z., & Sakız, H. (2021). Distance education amid a pandemic: Which psycho‐demographic variables affect students in higher education? Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 37(6), 1539-1552.
Hair, J. F., Hult, G. T. M., Ringle, C., & Sarstedt, M. (2017). A primer on partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) (2nd ed.). Sage.
Henderson, J., & Corry, M. (2021). Teacher anxiety and technology change: A review of the literature. Technology, Pedagogy and Education, 30(4), 573-587.
Heilat, M. Q., & Seifert, T. (2019). Mental motivation, intrinsic motivation and their relationship with emotional support sources among gifted and non-gifted Jordanian adolescents. Cogent Psychology, 6(1), 1587131.
Henseler, J., Ringle, C. M., & Sarstedt, M. (2015). A new criterion for assessing discriminant validity in variance-based structural equation modeling. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 43(1), 115-135.
Hobson, T., & Puruhito, K. (2019). Going the distance - Online course performance and motivation of distance-learning students. Online Learning, 22(4), 129-140.
Jarrah, A., & Almarashdi, H. (2019). Mathematics teachers’ perceptions of teaching gifted and talented learners in general education classrooms in the UAE. Journal for the Education of Gifted Young Scientists, 7(4), 835-847.
Juutinen, S., Huovinen, T., & Yalaho, A. (2011). Technophobia as an emotional obstacle in e-learning. International Journal for e-Learning Security, 1(2), 104-109.
Kan, S. G., Çaltikusu, Ç., & Sensoy, S. (2021). The views of university students about the achievements and motivations of the distance education process during the pandemic period. Journal of Educational Psychology - Propositos y Representaciones, 9(3), e1165.
Khasawneh, O. Y. (2022). Technophobia: How students’ technophobia impacts their technology acceptance in an online class. International Journal of Human–Computer Interaction, 39(13), 2714-2723.
Khasawneh, O. Y. (2020a). Transformational leaders help their employees overcome their technophobia. International Journal of Technology and Human Interaction, 3(16), 70–85.
Khasawneh, O Y. (2020b). Technical knowledge and ability: Expectation verses reality the dunning-kruger effect. International Journal of Business Management and Commerce, 2(5), 21-29.
Khasawneh, O. Y. (2018a). Technophobia: Examining its hidden factors and defining it. Technology in Society, 54(1), 93-100.
Khasawneh, O. Y. (2018b). Technophobia without borders: The influence of technophobia and emotional intelligence on technology acceptance and the moderating influence of organizational climate. Computers in Human Behavior, 88(1), 210–218.
Konecki, M. (2020). Impact of distance learning on motivation and success rate of students during the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020 43rd International Convention on Information, Communication and Electronic Technology (pp. 813-817). IEEE.
Lembani, R., Gunter, A., Breines, M., & Dalu, M. T. B. (2020). The same course, different access: The digital divide between urban and rural distance education students in South Africa. Journal of Geography in Higher Education, 44(1), 70-84.
Magen-Nagar, N., & Shonfeld, M. (2018). The impact of an online collaborative learning program on students’ attitude towards technology. Interactive Learning Environments, 26(5), 621-637.
MOE. (2018). Reports and statistics. https://www.moe.gov.ae/En/OpenData/Pages/ReportsAndStatistics.aspx
MOE. (2020a). The launch of the distance learning initiative targeting all students in the country for two weeks. https://www.moe.gov.ae/Ar/MediaCenter/News/pages/elearning2.aspx
MOE. (2022b). Digital transformation journey in education. https://www.moe.gov.ae/En/ImportantLinks/Pages/DigitalTransformation.aspx
Mohammadipour, M., Rashid, S. M., Rafik-Galea, S., & Thai, Y. N. (2018). The relationships between language learning strategies and positive emotions among Malaysian ESL. International Journal of Education and Literacy Studies, 6(1), 86-96.
Ndibalema, P. (2022). Constraints of transition to online distance learning in higher education institutions during COVID-19 in developing countries: A systematic review. E-Learning and Digital Media, 19(6), 595-618.
Nguyen, T. M., Nham, T. P., Froese, F. J., & Malik, A. (2019). Motivation and knowledge sharing: A meta-analysis of main and moderating effects. Journal of Knowledge Management, 23(5), 998-1016.
Oliveira, E. C., Bittencourt, R. A., & Trindade, R. P. (2019). Introduction to computational thinking for K-12 educators through distance learning. In 2019 IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference (pp. 1-9). IEEE.
Pallant, J. (2016). SPSS survival manual: A step by step guide to data analysis using SPSS. Open University Press.
Picard, R., & Klein, J. (2002). Computers that recognize and respond to user emotion: Theoretical and practical implications. Interacting with Computers, 14(1), 141-169.
Pihie, Z. A. L., Sadeghi, A., & Elias, H. (2011). Analysis of head of departments leadership styles: Implication for improving research university management practices. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 29(1), 1081-1090.
Pintrich, P. R., Smith, D. A. F., Garcia, T., & McKeachie, W. J. (1991). A manual for the use of the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ) (Report No. NCRIPTAL-91-B-004). University of Michigan, National Center for Research to Improve Postsecondary Teaching and Learning.
Rink, J., & Hall, T. (2008). Research on effective teaching in elementary school physical education. The Elementary School Journal, 108(3), 207-218.
Schauffel, N., Schmidt, I., Peiffer, H., & Ellwart, T. (2021). Self-concept related to information and communication technology: Scale development and validation. Computers in Human Behavior Reports, 4(1), 100149.
Shaheen, M. (2022). Self-determination theory for motivation in distance music education. Journal of Music Teacher Education, 31(2), 80-91.
Shorey, S., Chan, V., Rajendran, P., & Ang, E. (2021). Learning styles, preferences and needs of generation Z healthcare students: Scoping review. Nurse Education in Practice, 57(1), 103247.
Szymkowiak, A., Melović, B., Dabić, M., Jeganathan, K., & Kundi, G. S. (2021). Information technology and Gen Z: The role of teachers, the internet, and technology in the education of young people. Technology in Society, 65(1), 101565.
Tabachnick, B. G., & Fidell, L. S. (2013). Using multivariate statistics (6th ed.). Pearson.
Ulfert-Blank, A. S., & Schmidt, I. (2022). Assessing digital self-efficacy: Review and scale development. Computers & Education, 191(1), 104626.
Weare, K. (2004). Developing the emotionally literate school. Paul Chapman Publishing Ltd.
Akos, P. (2006). Extracurricular participation and the transition to middle school. Research in Middle-Level Education Online, 29(9), 1-9.
Akos, P., & Martin, M. (2003). Transition groups for preparing students for middle school. Journal for Specialists in Group Work, 28(2), 139-154.
Ajlouni, A. O., & Rawadieh, S. M. (2022). Technophobia and technophilia among undergraduates: Cross-national research in Jordan, Qatar, and Egypt. Journal of Social Studies Education Research, 13(4), 24-55.
Alamri, H., Lowell, V., Watson, W., & Watson, S. L. (2020). Using personalized learning as an instructional approach to motivate learners in online higher education: Learner self-determination and intrinsic motivation. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 52(3), 322-352.
Almaiah, M. A., Hajjej, F., Lutfi, A., Al-Khasawneh, A., Shehab, R., Al-Otaibi, S., & Alrawad, M. (2022). Explaining the factors affecting students’ attitudes to using online learning (Madrasati platform) during COVID-19. Electronics, 11(7), 1-15.
AlMahdawi, M., Senghore, S., Ambrin, H., & Belbase, S. (2021). High school students’ performance indicators in distance learning in chemistry during the COVID-19 pandemic. Education Sciences, 11(11), 1-26.
Almaiah, M., & Al Mulhem, A. (2020). Thematic analysis for classifying the main challenges and factors influencing the successful implementation of e-learning system using NVivo. International Journal of Advanced Trends in Computer Science and Engineering, 9(1), 142-152.
Almuraqab, N. (2020). Shall universities at the UAE continue distance learning after the Covid-19 pandemic? Revealing students’ perspective. International Journal of Advanced Research in Engineering and Technology, 11(5), 226–233.
Al Shamari, D. (2022). Challenges and barriers to e-learning experienced by trainers and training coordinators in the Ministry of Health in Saudi Arabia during the COVID-19 crisis. Plos One, 17(10), e0274816.
Artino, A. R. (2009). Think, feel, act: Motivational and emotional influences on military students’ online academic success. Journal of Computing in Higher Education, 21(1), 146–166.
Bagheri, A., & Pihie, Z. A. L. (2014). The factors shaping entrepreneurial intentions. Cambridge Scholars Publishing.
Bawa'aneh, M. S. (2021). Distance learning during COVID-19 pandemic in UAE public schools: Student satisfaction, attitudes and challenges. Contemporary Educational Technology, 13(3), 1-13.
Cohn, M. A., & Fredrickson, B. L. (2010). In search of durable positive psychology interventions: Predictors and consequences of long-term positive behavior change. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 5(5), 355-366.
Cook, P., MacCoun, R., Muschkin, C., & Vigdor, J. (2007). Should sixth grade be in elementary school? An analysis of grade configuration and student behavior. (Working paper series). National Bureau of Economic Research.
Churchill, G. A. (1979). A paradigm for developing better measures of marketing constructs. Journal of Marketing Research, 16(1), 64–73.
DiMattio, M. J. K., & Hudacek, S. S. (2020). Educating generation Z: Psychosocial dimensions of the clinical learning environment that predict student satisfaction. Nurse Education in Practice, 49(1), 102901.
Diwakar, S., Kolil, V. K., Francis, S. P., & Achuthan, K. (2023). Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation among students for laboratory courses-assessing the impact of virtual laboratories. Computers & Education, 198(1), 104758.
Duncan, T. G., & McKeachie, W. J. (2005). The making of the motivated strategies for learning questionnaire. Educational Psychologist, 40(2), 117-128.
Elyakim, N., Reychav, I., Offir, B., & McHaney, R. (2019). Perceptions of transactional distance in blended learning using location-based mobile devices. Journal of Educational Computing Research, 57(1), 131-169.
Erlback, A. (2003). The middle school survival guide. Walker Publishing Inc.
Faloye, S., Ranjeeth, S., & Ako-Nai, S. (2022). Understanding age differences in technophobia: A South African case study. South African Computer Journal, 34(1), 33-60.
Fredrickson, B. L. (1998). What good are positive emotions? Review of general psychology, 2(3), 300-319.
Fredrickson, B. L. (2004). The broaden–and–build theory of positive emotions. Philosophical Transactions of The Royal Society of London. Series B: Biological Sciences, 359(1449), 1367-1377.
Fredrickson, B. L. (2005). The broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions. In F. A. Huppert, N. Baylis, & B. Keverne (Eds.), The science of well-being (pp. 803-855). Oxford University Press.
Gerli, P., Clement, J., Esposito, G., Mora, L., & Crutzen, N. (2022). The hidden power of emotions: How psychological factors influence skill development in smart technology adoption. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 180(1), 121721.
Göksu, İ., Ergün, N., Özkan, Z., & Sakız, H. (2021). Distance education amid a pandemic: Which psycho‐demographic variables affect students in higher education? Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 37(6), 1539-1552.
Hair, J. F., Hult, G. T. M., Ringle, C., & Sarstedt, M. (2017). A primer on partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) (2nd ed.). Sage.
Henderson, J., & Corry, M. (2021). Teacher anxiety and technology change: A review of the literature. Technology, Pedagogy and Education, 30(4), 573-587.
Heilat, M. Q., & Seifert, T. (2019). Mental motivation, intrinsic motivation and their relationship with emotional support sources among gifted and non-gifted Jordanian adolescents. Cogent Psychology, 6(1), 1587131.
Henseler, J., Ringle, C. M., & Sarstedt, M. (2015). A new criterion for assessing discriminant validity in variance-based structural equation modeling. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 43(1), 115-135.
Hobson, T., & Puruhito, K. (2019). Going the distance - Online course performance and motivation of distance-learning students. Online Learning, 22(4), 129-140.
Jarrah, A., & Almarashdi, H. (2019). Mathematics teachers’ perceptions of teaching gifted and talented learners in general education classrooms in the UAE. Journal for the Education of Gifted Young Scientists, 7(4), 835-847.
Juutinen, S., Huovinen, T., & Yalaho, A. (2011). Technophobia as an emotional obstacle in e-learning. International Journal for e-Learning Security, 1(2), 104-109.
Kan, S. G., Çaltikusu, Ç., & Sensoy, S. (2021). The views of university students about the achievements and motivations of the distance education process during the pandemic period. Journal of Educational Psychology - Propositos y Representaciones, 9(3), e1165.
Khasawneh, O. Y. (2022). Technophobia: How students’ technophobia impacts their technology acceptance in an online class. International Journal of Human–Computer Interaction, 39(13), 2714-2723.
Khasawneh, O. Y. (2020a). Transformational leaders help their employees overcome their technophobia. International Journal of Technology and Human Interaction, 3(16), 70–85.
Khasawneh, O Y. (2020b). Technical knowledge and ability: Expectation verses reality the dunning-kruger effect. International Journal of Business Management and Commerce, 2(5), 21-29.
Khasawneh, O. Y. (2018a). Technophobia: Examining its hidden factors and defining it. Technology in Society, 54(1), 93-100.
Khasawneh, O. Y. (2018b). Technophobia without borders: The influence of technophobia and emotional intelligence on technology acceptance and the moderating influence of organizational climate. Computers in Human Behavior, 88(1), 210–218.
Konecki, M. (2020). Impact of distance learning on motivation and success rate of students during the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020 43rd International Convention on Information, Communication and Electronic Technology (pp. 813-817). IEEE.
Lembani, R., Gunter, A., Breines, M., & Dalu, M. T. B. (2020). The same course, different access: The digital divide between urban and rural distance education students in South Africa. Journal of Geography in Higher Education, 44(1), 70-84.
Magen-Nagar, N., & Shonfeld, M. (2018). The impact of an online collaborative learning program on students’ attitude towards technology. Interactive Learning Environments, 26(5), 621-637.
MOE. (2018). Reports and statistics. https://www.moe.gov.ae/En/OpenData/Pages/ReportsAndStatistics.aspx
MOE. (2020a). The launch of the distance learning initiative targeting all students in the country for two weeks. https://www.moe.gov.ae/Ar/MediaCenter/News/pages/elearning2.aspx
MOE. (2022b). Digital transformation journey in education. https://www.moe.gov.ae/En/ImportantLinks/Pages/DigitalTransformation.aspx
Mohammadipour, M., Rashid, S. M., Rafik-Galea, S., & Thai, Y. N. (2018). The relationships between language learning strategies and positive emotions among Malaysian ESL. International Journal of Education and Literacy Studies, 6(1), 86-96.
Ndibalema, P. (2022). Constraints of transition to online distance learning in higher education institutions during COVID-19 in developing countries: A systematic review. E-Learning and Digital Media, 19(6), 595-618.
Nguyen, T. M., Nham, T. P., Froese, F. J., & Malik, A. (2019). Motivation and knowledge sharing: A meta-analysis of main and moderating effects. Journal of Knowledge Management, 23(5), 998-1016.
Oliveira, E. C., Bittencourt, R. A., & Trindade, R. P. (2019). Introduction to computational thinking for K-12 educators through distance learning. In 2019 IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference (pp. 1-9). IEEE.
Pallant, J. (2016). SPSS survival manual: A step by step guide to data analysis using SPSS. Open University Press.
Picard, R., & Klein, J. (2002). Computers that recognize and respond to user emotion: Theoretical and practical implications. Interacting with Computers, 14(1), 141-169.
Pihie, Z. A. L., Sadeghi, A., & Elias, H. (2011). Analysis of head of departments leadership styles: Implication for improving research university management practices. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 29(1), 1081-1090.
Pintrich, P. R., Smith, D. A. F., Garcia, T., & McKeachie, W. J. (1991). A manual for the use of the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ) (Report No. NCRIPTAL-91-B-004). University of Michigan, National Center for Research to Improve Postsecondary Teaching and Learning.
Rink, J., & Hall, T. (2008). Research on effective teaching in elementary school physical education. The Elementary School Journal, 108(3), 207-218.
Schauffel, N., Schmidt, I., Peiffer, H., & Ellwart, T. (2021). Self-concept related to information and communication technology: Scale development and validation. Computers in Human Behavior Reports, 4(1), 100149.
Shaheen, M. (2022). Self-determination theory for motivation in distance music education. Journal of Music Teacher Education, 31(2), 80-91.
Shorey, S., Chan, V., Rajendran, P., & Ang, E. (2021). Learning styles, preferences and needs of generation Z healthcare students: Scoping review. Nurse Education in Practice, 57(1), 103247.
Szymkowiak, A., Melović, B., Dabić, M., Jeganathan, K., & Kundi, G. S. (2021). Information technology and Gen Z: The role of teachers, the internet, and technology in the education of young people. Technology in Society, 65(1), 101565.
Tabachnick, B. G., & Fidell, L. S. (2013). Using multivariate statistics (6th ed.). Pearson.
Ulfert-Blank, A. S., & Schmidt, I. (2022). Assessing digital self-efficacy: Review and scale development. Computers & Education, 191(1), 104626.
Weare, K. (2004). Developing the emotionally literate school. Paul Chapman Publishing Ltd.
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2024-02-29
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Technophobia, motivation and academic achievement in distance learning for grade 6 students in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (2024). Journal of Nusantara Studies (JONUS), 9(1), 345-367. https://doi.org/10.24200/jonus.vol9iss1pp345-367
