Planned behaviour

Student attitudes towards the use of ICT interactions in higher education

Abstract

A pilot study was undertaken to collect data from a small group of undergraduate students in a higher education setting to determine their attitudes towards their use and engagement of ICT interactions. The study employed a mixed methods approach with the intention of combining the strengths of both quantitative and qualitative paradigms. The students were asked to complete a questionnaire, individually work though a brief ICT interaction activity and then participate in an informal interview. The questionnaire gathered data on each on the components of the Theory of Planned Behaviour, which is commonly used psychological research, in order to determine the students planned use of ICT. While the collected quantitative data revealed that students believed that interacting with ICT was pleasant, helpful and easy, the qualitative findings showed that some experienced feelings of anxiety and intimidation when working through the ICT interaction. Planned follow up studies will continue to investigate the causalities and relationships between variables to determine likely influences on ICT interaction behaviour.