Students’ Attitude and Smart Learning in Public Secondary Schools of Bugesera District-Rwanda

Abstract

The use of ICT creates a powerful learning environment and it transforms the learning and teaching process in which students deal with knowledge in an active, self-directed and constructive way (Volman & Van Eck, 2001). This study investigated students’ attitudes towards smart learning in selected public secondary schools in Bugesera district, Rwanda. The objectives of the study were to: ascertain the students’ attitude towards learning using ICT tools in smart classroom, assess the factors that influence students’ attitudes towards smart learning. The sample size of 185 respondents was selected. The participants of the study were 8 head teachers, 8 deputy head teachers, 48 teachers and 121 students who were selected from 8 public secondary schools of Bugesera district, Rwanda. The schools and teachers were selected through a purposive sampling technique while students were selected using a simple random sampling technique. This study adopted a descriptive design where quantitative and qualitative approaches were used.  Quantitative data were analysed, presented in tables and graphs, through descriptive statistics with the SPSS version 16.1. Qualitative data were analysed and presented in categories and themes through content analysis. Findings were summarized, general conclusion drawn and recommendation forwarded. It was found that 96.6 % of students liked the idea of using ICTs in learning, and even interact with ICTs when provided with homework and other activities to search on internet by teachers. The teachers (52.4 %) corroborated the students’ views. Results from the analysis of qualitative data suggest 4 major sub-themes (heavy workload, accessibility of tools and, school rules and regulations, teachers’ self-efficacy and lack of full learner engagement) on factors that influence students’ attitudes towards learning using ICT tools. The important recommendations are that Ministry of Education should develop pre-service and in-service staff training programs that are tailored to the school programs to keep raising teachers’ self-efficacy in order to enable the full integration of ICT in the teaching and learning process. Schools should plan for other places to access the computers from, like library and staffroom.

Keywords: Smart learning, Students’ perception, Students’ attitude, ICT, E-Learning, Smart classroom.