Whole Research Proposal

Investigation of the quality of teacher-student relationships based on the time spent on digital

technology in high schools in Saudi Arabia

_______________________

A Research Proposal

Presented to

The Graduate and Continuing Studies

Department of ……………………….

Pittsburg State University

Pittsburg, Kansas

______________________

In Partial Fulfillment

of the Requirements for the Degree

_______________________

Ali

November, 2017

 2017

Keywords: Technology, relationship, teaching, learning, teacher-student relationship

ABSTRACT

In today’s world, technology has made a huge impact in almost every sector of the

economy such as education, agriculture, transportation, tourism, among others. Digital

technology has become an area of particular interest in the field of education. Studies have been

conducted on how this kind of technology impacts the education sector with regards to learning

and teaching. In addition, current studies are still ongoing with regards to the same issue.

Therefore, this present research aims at examining the quality of teacher-student relationships

based on the time spent on digital technology in high schools in Saudi Arabia. The study was

conducted at King Faisal High School in Saudi Arabia. Ten participants were chosen for the

research and this included 5 teachers and 5 students. The age range for students was 16 to 19

years while the age range for teachers was 28 to 60 years. A case study research design was used.

A semi-structured interview process was utilized to collect data where the participants were

asked open-ended questions. An open coding technique was used to analyze the results.

Triangulation method was used to test the validity and reliability of the results.

DEFINITION OF TERMS

Computer technology – refers to the use and study of databases, computer languages, networks,

and computers in any sector of the economy to find solutions to real problems (Rooney, 1997).

Correlation – relationship between two or more variables in a given study

Digital device- it is a tangible unit of equipment that contains a microcontroller or computer

Digital technologies-refers to the electronic systems, equipment, resources, and devices that

generate, store, or process data (Singer, 2011).

Education – process of giving or receiving systematic instruction, especially in a school.

Technology – refers to the use of scientific knowledge for practical purposes in any sector of the

economy (Christensen, 2002).

Technology-based academic interventions – refers to the concept of using technology to

facilitate student learning.

Table of Contents

ABSTRACT ..................................................................................................................................... i

DEFINITION OF TERMS ............................................................................................................. ii

CHAPTER 1 ................................................................................................................................... 1

1.1. Introduction ...................................................................................................................... 1

1.2. Purpose of the Study ........................................................................................................ 1

1.3. Significance of the Study ................................................................................................. 2

1.4. Research Question and Hypothesis .................................................................................. 2

1.5. Assumptions ..................................................................................................................... 3

1.6. Limitations ....................................................................................................................... 3

CHAPTER 2 ................................................................................................................................... 5

LITERATURE REVIEW ............................................................................................................ 5

Challenges encountered while Integrating Computer Technology into Teaching .................. 5

How the Access to Technology affects Teaching and Learning ............................................. 7

How Teachers Integrate Technology in Teaching ................................................................. 10

Relationship between Student-teacher Interaction on the Social Media ............................... 10

Relationship between the Use of Technology and its impact on student outcome ............... 11

Enhancing Student Exploration using Technology ............................................................... 12

Teachers’ Views on the Use of Technology in the Classroom .............................................. 13

CHAPTER 3 ................................................................................................................................. 16

3.1 Research Design .................................................................................................................. 16

3.2 Population and Sample ........................................................................................................ 18

3.3 Instrumentation.................................................................................................................... 20

3.4 Data Collection .................................................................................................................... 21

3.5 Data Analysis Procedures ................................................................................................... 21

3.6 Role of the Researcher ........................................................................................................ 21

3.7 Validity and Reliability ....................................................................................................... 22

References ..................................................................................................................................... 23

APPENDIX A ............................................................................................................................... 26

CHAPTER 1

1.1. Introduction

The role of technology in education became visible in the 1960s with the growth of

computer technology. The issue is still in debate as researchers want to identify the impact of

technology on today’s society. Today, most people can quickly access information on the

internet. This access has been made faster due to the improved technology of using digital

devices such as tablets, laptops, and smartphones. The digital technology has become a vital part

of young people’s emotional, physical and social development. The world has reached a time

when people need to pause and look back at the stock of what is known related to the impact of

technology on education. Also, there is a need to review a significant body of knowledge

concerning the impact of information technology on the human society during the last decades.

1.2. Purpose of the Study

The purpose of this study is to investigate the positive and negative perceptions of high

school teachers and students toward the use of digital technology in the classroom. The reason

for this is that some researchers who have investigated the impact of technology on student

learning have not clearly brought out the effect on time on this impact (Statham and Torell,

1996). This research will examine the effects of technology on the teacher-student interaction in

comparison to achievement and motivation. The study will explore how often the students spend

time doing some constructive class-related activities such as research on the online sources. The

study will also look at the time spent by the participants doing unconstructive activities on the

internet such as visiting some social media sites. The research will relate how the time spent on

both constructive and irrelevant activities affects students’ performance in the classroom as well

as how the teachers teach. In that manner, the study will be able to answer the research question.

The participants will include 5 students and 5 teachers. The students will be aged between 16 to

19 years while the teachers’ age will range between 28 to 60 years. Interviews will be conducted

on both the students and teachers.

1.3. Significance of the Study

There is the need to research on this topic because it has raised a major concern in the

recent past. Some debatable issues have revolved around this topic. For example, some studies

argue that technology has positively affected the teacher-student relationship (Statham and

Torell, 1996). In contrast, others claim that it poses a negative impact on the teacher-student

relationship (Mazer et al., 2007). Therefore, this study will attempt to weigh both the negative

and positive effects of technology on teacher-student relationship. The outcome of this research

will, in turn, help in mitigating the negative impacts and embracing the positive ones. This

research will be of great help in the education sector in general. Through the study’s outcome,

teachers will have knowledge of how to use technology in the most appropriate way so that it can

yield positive results. Students will also benefit from the study since they will understand some

of the ways they can incorporate technology in their learning for good performance.

1.4. Research Question and Hypothesis

The following research question will guide the study:

What is the impact of the time spent on digital technologies on the relationship between

teachers and students in Saudi Arabia high schools?

A close interaction between students and educators is a basic prerequisite to learning.

Students need to have a positive attitude towards whatever they are being taught as well as the

teacher who is teaching them. Such attitudes will enable students to gain the most out of what is

presented in the class material. As a result, the teacher-student relationship may potentially be

improved to a great extent. While attempting to find the answer to the research question raised

above, the question will be broken down into the following hypotheses;

H0: There is no impact of the time on teacher-student relationship.

HA1: The time spent on digital technologies impacts the teacher-student relationship in a

positive way.

HA2: The teacher-student relationship is negatively affected by the time spent on digital

technologies.

1.5. Assumptions

 Teachers and students respond honestly to the interview questions.

 The sample size and data collection method are appropriate for this study design.

 Students and teachers volunteered to participate in this study without being coerced, or

given better grades. Both groups agreed to participate in this research willingly.

 It is assumed that students and teachers frequently use the latest technology.

 That the use of digital technology has positively affected students’ learning.

 It is assumed that both the students and teachers have embraced digital technology in

learning.

1.6. Limitations

 The sample size for this specific group is limited to 10 people only.

 The age of participants will range between 16 to 19 years for students and 28 to 60 years

for teachers.

 The study will only be conducted in King Faisal High School.

 Meanwhile, it is possible that conducting the research on the current technology may be

changed.

 There is a possibility that different technologies are being used at school and home.

 There was no direct correlation between the use of digital technology and students’

perception towards learning.

 The cultural setting of at King Faisal High School may have an impact on the interview

responses.

 Personal expressions of the researcher may affect the interview responses of participants.

CHAPTER 2

LITERATURE REVIEW

Research from multiple studies have indicated the impact of digital technologies on

learning and teaching in the education sector. This particular literature review assesses the

relevant literature that is related to the quality of teacher-student relationships based on the time

spent on digital technology in high schools in Saudi Arabia. The review looks at challenges

encountered while integrating computer technology into teaching and how access to such

technology affects learning and teaching. The review will also look at how teachers integrate

technology in teaching and the relationship between student-teacher interaction on the social

media. It will review the relationship between the use of technology and its impact on student

outcome as well as how to enhance student exploration using technology. Lastly, this literature

reviews the teachers’ views on the use of technology in the classroom.

Challenges encountered while Integrating Computer Technology into Teaching

Over the past few years, research has proven that integrating computer technology in

teaching is one of the efficient ways of widening opportunities in education. Despite this fact,

Bauer & Kenton (2005) postulate that the majority of teachers neither utilize technology as a

system for instructional delivery nor integrate it into their curriculum. Research by Bauer &

Kenton (2005) indicate that the two main issues that need to be addressed in order to make

technology integration effective is providing students with enough time at computes and

ensuring that teachers have additional time to plan for technology lessons.

Bauer & Kenton (2005) suggest that the point of concern is how to effectively integrate

technology into learning in order to understand the impact it will have on education. Concerns

such as student skill levels, lack of appropriate software, outdated hardware, and technical

difficulties are also associated by consistent integration of technology in learning. Schools have

not yet reached the threshold requirement with regards to true integration of technology due to

these concerns (Bauer & Kenton, 2005). Even if the teachers possess sufficient knowledge with

regards to implementing technology for student learning, the time spent in integrating it is a key

concern that needs to be addressed. Administrators, teachers, and teacher educators have to

understand what it takes to ensure that a given technology works efficiently in the classroom.

Otherwise, the qualitative research by Bauer & Kenton (2005) indicates that failure of computer

technology will have a negative impact on teaching. Other external barriers that have an impact

on technology integration include the absence of in-service training, restricted curriculum, and

the absence of available technology (Ruggiero & Mong, 2015). Internal barriers that can be

overcome to make technology integration become easier include peer support, students’ attitude

towards technology, and personal investment in technology (Ruggiero & Mong, 2015).

Research from previous studies have indicated that the teaching styles of teachers did not

match the way technology is being integrated in teaching practice (Ruggiero & Mong, 2015). It

is due to some external barriers that hindered teachers from utilizing technology in ways that

were similar to their practiced style of teaching. According to Bauer & Kenton (2005), many of

such hindrances have reduced in the last few years due to the increased strategies aimed at

enhancing technology in both primary and secondary schools in Saudi Arabia.

Research carried out by Ruggiero & Mong (2015) reports the technology used by

teachers and the way they utilize such technology in facilitating student learning. These authors

found out that teachers who use student-centric technology taught as well as compared to those

who used other kinds of technologies. Student-centered technologies tend to exhibit the need to

come up with learning opportunities that will enhance the skills of students which is required in

the 21

century. Technology integration practice in teaching can also face some hindrances just

like Ruggiero & Mong (2015) argue. For instance, external barriers that have an impact on

technology integration include the absence of in-service training, restricted curriculum, and the

absence of available technology (Ruggiero & Mong, 2015). Internal barriers that can be

overcome to make technology integration become easier include peer support, students’ attitude

towards technology, and personal investment in technology. However, technology tools need to

be exploited to ensure the professional development of teachers. Tools such as collaborative

learning and blended learning enhance the professional development of teachers.

How the Access to Technology affects Teaching and Learning

Having access to technology will eventually beg the question of how much time is spent

on it. It is often assumed that when students and teachers have access to the software and

hardware, their teaching and learning will greatly improve because technology makes learning

become easier and faster. There is also an assumption that buying the hardware and software for

students will eventually lead to their abundant use in the classroom by both teachers and

students. Cuban et al. (2001) hypothesized these arguments while carrying out a study

concerning the access to technology in two high schools. The outcome of this study indicated

that access to both software and hardware does not necessarily lead to the widespread use of

technology by teachers. In fact, Cuban et al. (2001) argue that technology access rarely leads to

widespread student and teacher use.

According to Cuban et al. (2001), “when they used computers for classroom work, more

often than not their use sustained rather than altered the existing patterns of teaching practice.”

These authors suggest that the lack of sufficient teaching time using technology is the main

reason. Teachers do not have sufficient time during the school day or home to carry out all the

tasks that they are supposed to do and then allocate some time to incorporate technology in

classroom routines. Hence, Cuban et al. (2001) point out that the issue of insufficient time

continues to be a major concern in implementing technology in the classroom.

Computers can help in facilitating the knowledge-constructed classroom where the

students play a significant role in learning through group discussions. Using computers in the

classroom makes schools to become student-centered since it encourages individualized learning.

The use of computers today enables students to collaborate using knowledge in critical thinking

so that they can find solutions to problems. Even though computers enhance collaboration, Muir-

Herzig (2004) suggests that shifting from teacher-centered delivery system of teaching to a

student-centered one causes resistance to change. The problem with student-centered teaching is

that it challenges educators to redesign their methods of teaching. Computers can be utilized for

collaboration in all areas of teaching and teachers need to consider the different ways of teaching

and the students who get involved in the process of learning.

There are negative and positive factors associated with the effects of technology on

student learning. The impact on student-teacher relationship is one of the effects that technology

has in the educational sector. Muir-Herzig (2004) confirmed that the teacher and student use of

technology does not have a considerable impact on the attendance and grades of at-risk students.

At-risk students in this case refers to those students who require a sense of urgency. The findings

of the authors also revealed that the use of technology among teachers for the chosen sample is

low. The implementation of classroom curriculum depends on many factors such as teachers’

motivation, willingness of students to learn, technology, and many other factors. Among these

factors, technology has been found to be the most effective in enhancing the learning process in

the classroom (Muir-Herzig, 2004).

Many high schools in the Saudi Arabia currently offer online teaching services.

Therefore, there is a need to look at the impacts of such courses on education. Several authors

such as Graziano & Feher (2016) have carried out studies that aim to compare the performance

of students who do online courses and those who physically attend classes.

The perception of teachers is what really matters with regards to teaching online classes.

Graziano & Feher (2016) investigated how teachers perceive these classes and found out that

teachers valued the idea of not having to write down the online classes’ curriculum but rather

posting it on the website so that every student can access it. According to Graziano & Feher

(2016), minimum disturbances online makes students have a convenient learning environment.

Hence, this in turn improves the teacher-student relationship.

The problem that arises in online learning is that the students might not perform as

expected since there are certain things that the teacher might mention in the classroom which

they might not get online in case of verbal instructions. This becomes a huge problem especially

when learning technical courses. However, Graziano & Feher (2016) counteract this claim

suggesting that there are certain identified online resources and tools that help teachers

differentiate their lessons. There is also high parental involvement in online classes. Despite of

that finding, Graziano & Feher (2016) also found out that teachers faced difficult time trying to

encourage their online students to manage time resourcefully. The issue of efficient time

management runs across all online courses regardless of the nature of the course. As education

continues to change, teacher educators also need to change. As a result, teacher preparation

programs need to be altered to meet the increasing demand of proper education. Online as well

as blended programs for teacher development require resources that might be unavailable online.

How Teachers Integrate Technology in Teaching

Implementing computer technology in teaching is the major concern that researchers

attempt to address. Some researchers argue that students spend different amounts of time

learning various subjects using digital technologies. Some subjects take more or less (Hoyles et

al., 2004). But it depends on learning capabilities of students. Some of them may learn slowly

whereas others faster.

Even if the spent time using technology is different and depends on the subject, the

question is how does this affects the student-teacher relationship? The study conducted by

Hoyles et al. (2004) explores the use of digital technology in mathematics in orchestration.

According to the authors, cultural components have an impact on the use of digital technology.

Students with different backgrounds possess distinct cultures but the problem arises when such

students meet in one place such as a classroom. Hoyles et al. (2004) acknowledges the fact that

some of the students might have knowledge about digital technology, whereas others have

limited knowledge about that. Therefore, it creates some difficulties for the teacher to engage the

class in learning mathematics effectively. As a result, the need to orient every student so that

they become familiar with the kind of technology that is being used in the classroom is

mandatory for effective learning (Hoyles et al., 2004). Student orientation does not only improve

the performance of the students, but it also enables students to spend time less time learning

using a given technology since they become motivated to learn.

Relationship between Student-teacher Interaction on the Social Media

Some authors recognize social media as a helpful tool for establishing good relationship

with students although these opinions are controversial. The use of social media has dramatically

impacted the communication patterns in all contexts of people’s daily lives including the sector

of education more so in the classroom setting. The perceptions of teacher credibility do not

demonstrate a significant relationship between Twitter behavior of the students except for

students who frequently use Twitter. McArthur & Bostedo-Conway (2012) postulate that

students who frequently use Twitter often regard it as an interesting tool that ensures that

classroom activities remain active. Teachers should incorporate Twitter into classroom to

efficiently teach the students so that they improve in their performance. This platform creates a

friendly environment that ensures an effective student-teacher interaction. There is a positive

correlation between the use of Twitter and the perceptions of students towards the behavior of

teachers. This communication channel creates a student-instructor shared experience for efficient

teaching (McArthur & Bostedo-Conway, 2012). Teachers also perceive Twitter as a useful tool

that saves time. They can give students some class assignments without necessarily having to

physically attend the classroom. Teachers also find an ample opportunity to explain to the

student what they are required to do. On the other hand, students can ask the teacher any

question without fear. In addition, Twitter creates a suitable tool for online discussions.

Relationship between the Use of Technology and its impact on student outcome

Quality and quantity are two important aspects that rely on one another at some point.

Therefore, to have a deep understanding of the impact of the time spent on digital technology on

the teacher-student relationship, it is quite important to look at how these two concepts are

related. Lei (2010) points out that in order to examine the link between the use of technology and

student outcomes, the quality of technology use is a more important factor as compared to the

quantity of technology use. This author suggests that the quality of technology use entails what

and how technology is used whereas the quantity looks at how much technology is used.

When Lei (2010) examined the quality of technology used, he found out that indeed there

exists a close relationship between all student outcomes and technology use. According to this

author, students become more proficient with technology when they use different types of

technology rather than subject-specific technology. Social communication technology use has a

significant positive relationship with developmental student outcomes like positive attitude

towards school as well as self-esteem. Student leaning habits have a positive relationship with

exploration and entertainment technology. The findings of Lei (2010) are controversial to the

previous authors since he reveals that none of the mentioned technologies influenced the

academic outcomes of students. Sometimes students rely on technology to do some activities that

are not related to the classroom work. The worst-case scenario is when they use computer

technology to do some unconstructive activities while inside the classroom since it negatively

affects the student-teacher relationship.

Enhancing Student Exploration using Technology

Teachers can rely on technology applications to stimulate the environment of the real-

world and come up with environments that they can actually use for experimentation. The

purpose of such stimulation is to enable students to carry out genuine tasks just like real life

workers would do. They can also meet people of different cultures as well as utilize several tools

in gathering information that is needed for problem solving. As a result, students are readily

motivated such that it makes them acquire knowledge and advanced skills to become problem

solvers rather than ordinary learners (Means, 1993).

The use of computers enables students to come up with simulations of real life situations.

These simulations are student centered since it allows the students to make decisions and see the

outcome of the decision which they make. On the other hand, the teacher plays the role of a

coach who utilizes discussions to provoke the students to find out various ways of solving

various problems in the real world. The teacher answers the questions raised by students and

motivates them to intricate their thinking and listens to the points of view of other students.

Means (1993) suggests that all this can be done through utilizing technology since it simplifies

the process of learning and makes it faster. This author highlights ‘the Voyage of Mimi’ as one

of the important computer technologies that has ever been used by teachers to enhance student

learning. This kind of technology creates an exploration environment for students in the

scientific field. Through this tool, students can apply navigation concepts using four computer

modules. Hence, students find themselves spending less time that they would spend while using

other ordinary exploration techniques, thus making learning become faster (Means, 1993).

Teachers’ Views on the Use of Technology in the Classroom

While conducting the current study, it is important to look at the view of various teachers

concerning the use of technology in classroom. Various researchers have expressed positive as

well as negative perceptions concerning the teachers’ use of technology in the classroom. Such

views are crucial with regard to examining the impact of the time spent on the digital

technologies on the student-teacher relationship since the teachers are individuals who

experience the educational practices that result from the introduction of technology in the

classroom. Research by Levin & Wadmany (2008) indicates that digital technology can alter the

way the teachers think, feel, and function in their classrooms. These authors suggest that both the

conditions teachers perceive will simplify using technology in teaching and the modifications

that take place in their practices and beliefs are connected to the dissimilar patterns of teachers’

learning. Levin & Wadmany (2008) argue that it is crucial to formally learn from experts,

dialogical learning with students, and self-learning based on a teacher’s classroom practices.

The teachers’ points of view concerning the factors that inhibit and encourage teaching

and learning in the technology-rich environment depict that the perceptions arise from the notion

that student activities are not just confined to the mind of the student. Humans beings learn from

their actions and utilize whatever lesson they have learned to plan and conduct other actions,

which eventually have an impact on their behaviors and beliefs. Levin & Wadmany (2008)

support this argument through the finding of their study that depicts that not only digital

technology is needed to make sure that digital technology is successfully used in a classroom

with the expected impact, but a sophisticated web of factors that are related within an educational

mindset. The beliefs of teachers are shaped by daily school and classroom experiences and that

students meditate the teachers’ connection to reality. According to Levin & Wadmany (2008),

these meditating activities continually evolve and change leading to the provision of a personal

profile of how any teacher can develop a certain situation. As a result, these authors support the

use of computer technology as a way of promoting the transmission and accumulation of social

knowledge since it influences both the outward behavior of the teacher and their mental

performance.

In conclusion, multiple studies conducted on the effect of digital technologies on the

student-teacher relationship have depicted various outcomes. The two main issues that need to be

addressed in order to make technology integration become effective is the issue of providing

students with enough time at computes and ensuring that teachers have additional time to plan

for technology lessons. Internal barriers that can be overcome to make technology integration

become easier include peer support, students’ attitude towards technology, and personal

investment in technology. Technology access rarely leads to widespread student and teacher use.

There are limited classroom disturbances online that make students have a convenient learning

environment. The use of social media is another aspect of technology that poses an impact on the

teacher-student relationship. Teachers can rely on technology applications to stimulate the

environment of the real-world and come up with environments that they can actually use for

experimentation. Digital technology can alter the way the teachers think, feel, and function in

their classrooms.

CHAPTER 3

3.1 Research Design

The case study format is chosen for the present research. The case study type of

qualitative research is useful in describing the in-depth experience of one person, family, or

community. It helps researchers to understand a complicated issue and can extend experience as

well as add strength to what is already known from previous studies. This type of research design

stresses on a detailed contextual assessment of few conditions or events as well as the

relationship between the two. This case study will help in examining a situation which will be

used to apply in solving the research problem. By definition, a case study research design refers

to an empirical review that examines a current situation within the context of real life; when the

boundary between the context and the situation are not undoubtedly proven; and in which several

sources of proof are utilized (Yin, 1984). Critics of this method of research design perceive that

studying few cases issues no grounds for proving that the outcome is reliable. Others perceive

that studying the case while intensely exposing it results in its biases.

While using the case study research design, the researcher will follow the following steps

that were suggested by Yin (1984);

 The first step will entail selection of the case and determine the techniques of data gathering

and analysis. The chosen case study area is King Faisal High School. The data gathering

technique that will be used for this research is the semi-structured interview procedure. The

source of the information for my research will include five teachers and five students who

will be interviewed.

 The second step will involve preparation of data collection by receiving the approval of

IRB. After approval, the researcher will request the high school principal to contact

teachers and students to participate in the study. the teachers for permission to participate

in the study. Messages will be sent through WhatsApp application inviting the students and

teachers to participate in the interview. Selection of the participants will be done using the

purposive sampling technique. The researcher will arrange the appropriate time and

schedule for the selected participants to be interviewed.

 The third step while using the case study design will involve the actual collection of data

in the field. Data will be collected using the semi-structured interview process.

 Fourthly, data will be analyzed using the open coding technique. While using this method,

data will be, first of all, organized in such a way that the researcher will attempt to make

some sense of it.

 The final step in this case study will entail preparing the report of findings. This will include

the responses to the interview questions by both the teachers and students involved in the

interview process.

The above procedure will be utilized in setting up this study to observe the hypothesized

relationship.

Four units of measurements will be used in carrying out this study. The first units will be

looking at the attitude of students towards digital technology. This unit of measurement will be

measured in terms of the kind of responses that the teachers give to the interview questions. The

second one will be measuring the performance of the students since the introduction of technology.

Previous records of the way students have been performing will be revealed and the performance

measured. The teachers will also be crucial in looking at how the students have been performing

since the introduction of technology in the school. The third one will be the perception of both

teachers and students towards technology. This perception will be quantified with regards to both

the teachers’ and students’ responses to the interview questions. The last unit of measurement will

be the frequency of interaction between the teachers and students in and out of the classroom.

3.2 Population and Sample

The population size will include ten participants from King Faisal High School. It will

comprise of five teachers and five students. The rationale for the selection of ten participants

including five teachers and five students was because previous qualitative studies have suggested

that an appropriate sample size that should be used while carrying out research using interviews

data collection method should range between 10-20 participants (Latham, 2014). Therefore, ten

participants would be convenient because of the issue of time constraint. Ten participants are

selected since it is convenient for the researcher. The administration of King Faisal High School

only allowed me to choose five teachers and five students because of the kind of schedule they

had. These participants will be selected based on the purposive sampling technique. This method

of sampling was used because the sample that will be studied does not represent the whole

population. Rather, this method was used specifically to help me pursue the qualitative research

in the most convenient way. This sampling method is quite useful since it minimizes the time

spent on the selection of participants and sampling for proportionality was not a major concern.

Purposive sampling concentrates on sampling techniques where the selection of units that need

to be investigated is based on the researcher’s judgment. The main aim of this type of sampling

technique is to concentrate on given population characteristic in that area of interest, which will

best help in the researcher in answering the formulated research questions. In this particular

study, the homogeneous kind of purposive sampling will be used since the selection of units of

measurement is based on similar characteristics that they possess. These characteristics are of

particular interest to the researcher.

The student participants had an age range of 16-19 years whereas the age range for the

teachers was 28-60 years. The rationale for the particular age range of students was because such

participants are the ones who have been exposed to the current technology since they have been

actively using it for the past few years before and after they joined high school. These students

have also been using the same kind of technology in learning at home, thus this particular age

group would be convenient in carrying out the research since it would yield the best results

which represent a bigger population. On the other hand, the age group of the teachers was

decided based on the experience of the teachers in teaching as well as in using technology.

Teachers who were younger had been exposed to technology in the recent past few years.

Therefore, they had the required experience in using technology. Such teachers could greatly

help in sharing the kind of experience that they have had with regards to using technology in

teaching. Teachers aged between 28 to 60 years had enough teaching experience with or without

the use of technology, thus they formed a good population sample.

Systematic error is one type of error that might occur as a result of biases. The researcher

might be biased in selecting the sample size, especially the student sample. This error will prove

tricky to discover, thus affect the data collection. It will cause a flawed data collection design.

This study will also be vulnerable to errors because of the researcher’s judgment which might be

biased in terms of selecting the participants. This sampling error will affect the responses to the

interview questions since it will make some of the responses to be unreliable. For example, it

might be possible that the correct sample size for participants aged between 16 to 19 years might

not be found in the given population. Hence, this will result in the selection of another age group

of students, which will ultimately affect the outcome of the study.

3.3 Instrumentation

The main assessment instrument that will be used in conducting this study includes

teachers’ and students’ semi-structured interviews. Just like Kajornboon (2005) suggests,

interviews are useful in gathering perception, attitudes, and opinions of participants. In this

particular study, a semi-structured interview process will be used to collect data. According to

Kajornboon (2005), these types of interviews are non-standardized such that the interviewer does

not carry out the study to test a particular hypothesis. A list of important issues, questions, and

themes that the researcher will cover will be formulated. The interview questions will be altered

depending on the direction in which the interview will follow. The interview will be documented

by tape recording and taking notes. This will enable me to probe for opinions as well as views of

the interviewees. Probing will help the interview in exploring some new paths that were

previously not considered in evaluating the data collection methods. The researcher will

compose some key themes and sub-questions in advance so that they can help in having some

sense of order from which the researcher will be able to draw questions that the researcher had

not planned to encounter. A semi-structured interview will be used since it allows the researcher

to probe and prompt deeper into the situation at hand. For instance, the researcher might find

some respondents who are more computer literate as compared to others. Hence, this will force

me to ask more detailed questions rather than just adhering to the questions on the interview

guide. The researcher will also have a chance to rephrase the questions if some of them are not

clear to the respondents. Appendix A shows the interview questions for both students and

teachers.

3.4 Data Collection

This research will be conducted at King Faisal High School for a whole week starting

from 20

January 2018. Data collection will start by seeking permission from the IRB

(Institutional Review Board) at the Pittsburg State University. Once granted the permission,

focus will be done on the patent and copyright issues that the researcher might face by ensuring

that the research is original. The interview will comprise of open-ended questions and will take

30 minutes. There will be at least four questions for the respondents. Collection of data will be

done during the time when students are not in session. The researcher will find the most

appropriate time by looking at the schedule of the teachers on the timetable to determine the

appropriate time for the interview. Collection of data will only be done once for every student

and teacher then the researcher will proceed to data analysis. The period for data collection will

be a maximum of two days. After that, the researcher will proceed to analyze the collected data.

Findings from previous studies will also be compared to the outcome of this study.

3.5 Data Analysis Procedures

The interview responses will be analyzed using an open coding process. The response

from each student and each teacher will be inputted in an open coding software to identify the

frequency of words in each response. Similarities among the responses will also be identified as

well as the differences. The results obtained from the open coding process will be compared to

the outcome of previous studies and a conclusion will be made based on this.

3.6 Role of the Researcher

The researcher will play a major role especially in asking the interview questions. Since

the type of interview that will be used in this study us a semi-structured type of interview, the

researcher will play a great role in coming up with open ended questions that will help draw

more useful information from the respondents. The interview questions formulated in Appendix

A are not fixed because of the kind of interview that will be used to conduct this study.

Therefore, it will be at the researcher’s own discretion to change the questions in such a way that

it fits the study and that the respondents will be capable of understanding it.

The researcher will also play a great role in reviewing the relevant literature that is

related to the topic for the present study. He will examine the various multiple previous studies

that are related to the same topic. These studies will provide a starting point for the present

research since it will be based on things that have been discussed but relating to the research

topic.

3.7 Validity and Reliability

The triangulation method was used in ensuring that the results were reliable and credible.

Errors were minimized by interviewing five teachers and five students. Responses from each

student were compared to test the validity. A comparison of the responses from teachers was also

done to ensure trustworthiness. The teachers who were selected had different levels of

qualifications and experience. The results of this study will be compared with findings from

previous studies. Any similarities will prove the validity of these findings.

References

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APPENDIX A

The following are some the interview questions for students;

 How have you been performing since you started using digital technology in learning?

 If you compare the way you used to learn with how you learn today using technology,

which way do you prefer? Why?

 Do you feel like you spent a lot of time doing unconstructive things on the internet?

Why? Or why not?

 How does the use of technology affect the relationship between you and your teachers?

 What is your perception with regards to the teachers’ use of technology in teaching? I

mean what is your take?

 Do you thing the introduction of technology in teaching was a good idea in the first

place? Why? Or why not?

Below are some of the interview questions for teachers;

 How does the use of digital technology affect the relationship between you and your

students?

 In your experience in teaching, do you feel as if technology has changed anything? How?

 Highlight how the students perform since technology was introduced in learning?

 How much time do you spend in teaching students using the current technology?

 Has technology enhanced teaching? How?

 Well, some teachers often complain about the students’ behavior while incorporating

technology in teaching. From your experience, how exactly have your students been

behaving since the introduction of technology in teaching?

 Has digital technology affected your teaching skills in any way? If so, kindly elaborate

how?

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