Internet contribution to the engineering students’ learning

• Autores: Hoda Baytiyeh
• Localización: The International journal of engineering education, ISSN-e 0949-149X, Vol. 30, no. Extra 3, 2014, págs. 523-532
• Idioma: inglés
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• Resumen

  • Nowadays, the internet represents an essential tool that enables students to not only communicate but also access vast amount ofinformation on a broad range of topics. This study investigates the impact of internet use on engineering students and how it hascontributed to their academic advancement. The study offers an analysis of the responses of engineering students (n = 1376)enrolled in three major universities in Lebanon. Participants completed a survey that collected various data related todemographics, how long they have been using the internet, how many hours/week they spend on the internet, and the purpose ofthese activities. Participants were also asked to rate, using a 4-point Likert-type scale (1 = very little, 4 = very much), 22 items thatreflected the degree to which their internet use affected their skills. An exploratory factor analysis was applied to the 22 items thatgenerated four knowledge factors involved in internet use: non-formal, informal, professional, and social. Informal was shown tobe the most important knowledge factor for participants, followed by non-formal, social, and professional. This study contributesin general to the literature of engineering education and in particular to the contribution of technology use in learning.