Akademska digitalna zbirka SLovenije - logo
(UL)
  • Examining the contemporary digital divide of university students with specific reference to students with special educational needs [Elektronski vir]
    Lebeničnik, Maja ; Istenič, Andreja, profesor didaktike
    The contemporary digital divide is characterised by the uneven distribution of access to information communication technology (ICT), originating in the different motivation, physical access and ... skills of users. We synthesised existing theories and frameworks to develop and then empirically validate a theoretical model to predict university students' use of online learning resources (OLRs) at the crossroads of formal and informal learning. Because access to digital content may be a bigger issue for students with special educational needs (SEN), we also examined OLR use among this group. Fifty-six students with SEN and 1642 mainstream students participated in the survey. Our main conclusions are as follows. In the whole sample, personal socio-cognitive factors (beliefs, self-efficacy) are the only significant predictors of OLR use. The results suggest that motivational and skills-related differences between students contribute more to the digital divide than do either differences related to unpleasant environmental conditions (eg, inaccessibility, high prices, etc.) or personal context (eg, study-fit, learning preferences, etc.). Separate regressions show that beliefs were significant predictors for both SEN students and their peers, while self-efficacy was a significant predictor for the mainstream students only. Measuring unpleasant environmental factors as a continuum (environmental and contextual barriers) explained OLRs better than solely differentiating between SEN and mainstream students.The contemporary digital divide is characterised by the uneven distribution of access to information communication technology (ICT), originating in the different motivation, physical access and skills of users. We synthesised existing theories and frameworks to develop and then empirically validate a theoretical model to predict university students' use of online learning resources (OLRs) at the crossroads of formal and informal learning. Because access to digital content may be a bigger issue for students with special educational needs (SEN), we also examined OLR use among this group. Fifty-six students with SEN and 1642 mainstream students participated in the survey. Our main conclusions are as follows. In the whole sample, personal socio-cognitive factors (beliefs, self-efficacy) are the only significant predictors of OLR use. The results suggest that motivational and skills-related differences between students contribute more to the digital divide than do either differences related to unpleasant environmental conditions (eg, inaccessibility, high prices, etc.) or personal context (eg, study-fit, learning preferences, etc.). Separate regressions show that beliefs were significant predictors for both SEN students and their peers, while self-efficacy was a significant predictor for the mainstream students only. Measuring unpleasant environmental factors as a continuum (environmental and contextual barriers) explained OLRs better than solely differentiating between SEN and mainstream students.
    Source: British journal of educational technology [Elektronski vir]. - ISSN 1467-8535 (Letn. 51, št. 6, mar. 2020, str. 2422-2441)
    Type of material - e-article ; adult, serious
    Publish date - 2020
    Language - english
    COBISS.SI-ID - 9100897

    Link(s):

    https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/bjet.12920
    https://doi.org/10.1111/bjet.12920
    https://repozitorij.uni-lj.si/IzpisGradiva.php?id=116754
    DOI

Shelf entry