Parents’ and Students’ Attitudes Toward Tablet Integration in Schools

Authors

  • Sha Zhu Central China Normal University
  • Harrison Hao Yang Central China Normal University; State University of New York at Oswego
  • Jason MacLeod Central China Normal University
  • Yinghui Shi Central China Normal University
  • Di Wu Central China Normal University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.19173/irrodl.v19i4.2970

Keywords:

parent, student, attitude, tablet, technology integration, partial least square

Abstract

This study explored parents’ and students’ attitudes toward tablet usage in a formal educational setting. A total of 212 students from four 7th-grade classes, along with 145 of their parents, responded to the Tablet Acceptance Questionnaire. Quantitative methods including a t-test and partial least square (PLS) analyses were employed to examine students’ and parents’ attitudes toward tablet integration in schools, and to investigate factors influencing students’ and parents’ attitudes toward tablet usage, respectively. The results indicated significant differences between students’ and parents’ attitudes. Empirical findings suggested students hold more positive views than their parents with regard to tablet usage, tablet benefits for learning, and technical advantages and ease of use. Conversely, parents expressed greater concern over potential negative effects of tablet usage in education than do their children. This study also suggested educational benefits of tablet usage were the key factor influencing both students’ and parents’ attitudes. Based on the cross-examined understanding of parents’ and students’ attitudes, suggestions for large scale tablet initiatives are proposed.

Author Biographies

Sha Zhu, Central China Normal University

Sha Zhu is a Ph.D. candidate in the National Engineering Research Center for E-Learning of Central China Normal University.

Harrison Hao Yang, Central China Normal University; State University of New York at Oswego

Harrison Hao Yang is the Dean of the School of Educational Information Technology at Central China Normal University, China, and a professor of the School of Education at the State University of New York at Oswego, USA.

Jason MacLeod, Central China Normal University

Jason MacLeod is a Ph.D. candidate in the School of Educational Information Technology at Central China Normal University.

Yinghui Shi, Central China Normal University

Yinghui Shi is a research scientist  in the National Engineering Research Center for E-Learning of Central China Normal University.

Di Wu, Central China Normal University

Di Wu is a professor in the National Engineering Research Center for E-Learning of Central China Normal University

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Published

2018-09-26

How to Cite

Zhu, S., Yang, H. H., MacLeod, J., Shi, Y., & Wu, D. (2018). Parents’ and Students’ Attitudes Toward Tablet Integration in Schools. The International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, 19(4). https://doi.org/10.19173/irrodl.v19i4.2970

Issue

Vol. 19 No. 4 (2018)

Section

Research Articles

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