Masters Degrees (Educational Psychology)

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Browsing Masters Degrees (Educational Psychology) by Author "Anley, Casey"

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    Learner perceptions of the motivating role of learning technology in education
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2015-03) Anley, Casey; Louw, Charmaine; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Educational Psychology.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Twenty-first century youth have been privy to regular exposure to digital technology, both in their schools and in the home, which has resulted in a change of both lifestyle and educational practice from that enjoyed by prior generations. Parallel to the technology market trajectory that has arguably influenced the psychological and psycho-social development of contemporary youth is the burgeoning industry of learning technology. Integration of such technology into South African schools is relatively in its infancy when compared to global initiatives, and has sparked debate as to the place of technology within education in a country fraught with divided resources. In consideration of the influence of technology on education, research which investigates the motivating role of technology upon learning, particularly from the perspective of the learners themselves, is amiss. This study aimed to discover the extent to which technology tools used in education motivate the twenty-first century South African learner to learn, and whether the use of such technology would create a more engaging, relevant educational environment. In order to investigate the topic, exploratory qualitative research as underpinned by the constructivist paradigm and within a social constructivist theoretical framework was conducted as a case study. Purposive sampling was employed to select Grade 11 learners in order to gain their perspectives and those of their teachers who bear witness to their learning at one private co-educational high school in the Western Cape. Qualitative content analysis was utilised to interpret the data collected from a semi-structured focus group interview conducted with eight learners, as well as from learner and teacher questionnaires which provided valuable contextualisation for the focus group interview. The research findings from the study indicated that the learner participants could identify the role of intrinsic motivation to learn, and demonstrated awareness of the factors that contributed to the facilitation thereof, of which learning technology played a prominent role. The participants noted the importance of the complementary role of learning technology; a means to an end and not an end in itself. Important considerations were highlighted, such as the potential for distraction, personal learning preferences, and conceptualisations of learning required for technology to be successfully integrated into the twenty-first century learning environment.