STUDENTS’PERCEPTIONS OF DIGITAL LEARNING TOOLS AND THEIR IMPACT ON ACADEMIC ENGAGEMENT IN HIGHER EDUCATION
Keywords:
Digital learning tools, academic engagement, higher education, student perceptions, technology-enhancedlearningAbstract
The integration of digital learning technologies has transformed higher education by enabling flexible and technology-supported learning environments.However, the extent to which these tools influence students’academic engagementremains unclear. This study aimed to examine students’perceptions of digital learning tools and analyze their relationshipwith academic engagement in higher education institutions. A quantitative cross-sectional research design was employedusing a structured questionnaire. Data were collected from 80 university students representing different academic levelsand disciplines. The questionnaire included demographic questions and Likert-scale items measuring digital tool usage,students’perceptions, academic engagement, and satisfaction. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, includingfrequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation. Inferential statistical techniques such as Chi-square analysis,Pearson correlation, and multiple regression analysis were applied to examine relationships among the variables. Theresults indicated that students reported moderate perceptions of digital learning technologies. The meanscores for digitaltool usage, perception, and academic engagement suggested that digital platforms were viewed as useful learningresources but not strongly transformative educational tools. Chi-square analysis showed no significant associationbetween gender and digital tool usage. Additionally, correlation and regression analyses revealed weak relationshipsbetween digital tool usage, students’perceptions, and academic engagement, indicating limited predictive influence ofthese variables. The findingshighlight the importance of integrating digital technologies with effective pedagogicalstrategies to enhance student engagement in higher education.
Downloads
References
Ab Rahman, R., Ahmad, S., & Hashim, U. R. (2018).The effectiveness of gamification technique for higher
education students engagement in polytechnic Muadzam Shah Pahang, Malaysia.International Journal ofEducational Technology in Higher Education,15(1), 1-16.
Annamdevula, S., & Bellamkonda, R. S. (2016).Effect of student perceived service quality on student satisfaction,
loyalty and motivation in Indian universities: Development of HiEduQual.Journal of Modelling inManagement,11(2), 488-517.
Baleni, Z. G. (2015). Online formative assessment in highereducation: Its pros and cons.Electronic Journal of e-
Learning,13(4), pp228-236.
Buckley, P., Doyle, E., & Doyle, S. (2017). Game on! Students’perceptions of gamified learning.Journal of
Educational Technology & Society,20(3), 1-10.
Dagiliūtė, R., Liobikienė, G., & Minelgaitė, A. (2018). Sustainability at universities: Students’perceptions from
Green and Non-Green universities.Journal of Cleaner Production,181, 473-482.
Dixson, M. D. (2015). Measuring student engagement in the online course: The Online Student Engagement scale
(OSE).Online Learning,19(4), n4.
Dumford, A. D., & Miller, A. L. (2018).Online learning in higher education: exploring advantages and disadvantages
for engagement.Journal of computing in higher education,30(3), 452-465.
Eom, S. B., & Ashill, N. (2016). The determinants of students’perceived learning outcomes and satisfaction in
university online education: An update.Decision sciences journal of innovative education,14(2), 185-215.
Gray, J. A., & DiLoreto, M. (2016).Theeffects of student engagement, student satisfaction, and perceived learning
in online learning environments.International Journal of Educational Leadership Preparation,11(1), n1.
Henderson, M., Selwyn, N., & Aston, R. (2017).What works and why? Studentperceptions of‘useful’digital
technology in university teaching and learning.Studies in higher education,42(8), 1567-1579.
Hussain, M., Zhu, W., Zhang, W., & Abidi, S. M. R. (2018).Student engagement predictionsin an e‐learning System
and their impact on student course assessment scores.Computational intelligence and neuroscience,2018(1),6347186.
Kaliisa, R., & Picard, M. (2017). A systematic review on mobile learning in higher education: The African
perspective.TOJET: The Turkish Online Journal of Educational Technology,16(1).
Kim, H. J., Hong, A. J., & Song, H. D. (2019).The roles of academic engagement and digital readiness in students’
achievements in university e-learning environments.International Journal of Educational Technology in HigherEducation,16(1), 1-18.
Licorish, S. A., Owen, H. E., Daniel, B., & George, J. L. (2018). Students’perception of Kahoot!’s influence on
teaching and learning.Research and Practice in Technology Enhanced Learning,13(1), 9.
Mandernach, B. J. (2015). Assessment of student engagement in higher education: A synthesis of literature and
assessment tools.International Journal of Learning, Teaching and Educational Research,12(2), 1-14.
Martin, F., & Bolliger, D. U. (2018).Engagement matters: Student perceptions on the importance of engagement
strategies in the online learning environment.Online learning,22(1), 205-222.
Martínez-Caro, E., Cegarra-Navarro, J. G., & Cepeda-Carrión, G. (2015). An application of the performance-
evaluation model for e-learning quality in higher education.Total Quality Management & Business Excellence,26(5-6), 632-647.
Morris, N. P., Lambe, J., Ciccone, J., & Swinnerton, B. (2016). Mobile technology: students perceived benefits of
apps forlearning neuroanatomy.Journal of Computer Assisted Learning,32(5), 430-442.
Northey, G., Bucic, T., Chylinski, M., & Govind, R. (2015). Increasing student engagement using asynchronous
learning.Journal of Marketing Education,37(3), 171-180.
Ramnanan, C. J., & Pound, L. D. (2017).Advances in medical education and practice: student perceptions of the
flipped classroom.Advances in medical education and practice, 63-73.
Schindler, L. A., Burkholder, G. J., Morad, O. A., & Marsh, C. (2017).Computer-based technology and student
engagement: a critical review of the literature.International journal of educational technology in highereducation,14(1), 25.
Serrano, D. R., Dea‐Ayuela, M. A., Gonzalez‐Burgos, E., Serrano‐Gil, A., & Lalatsa, A. (2019).Technology‐
enhanced learning in higher education: How to enhance student engagement through blended learning.Europeanjournal of education,54(2), 273-286.
Subhash, S., & Cudney, E. A. (2018). Gamified learning in higher education: A systematic review of the
literature.Computers in human behavior,87, 192-206.
Zainuddin, Z., & Attaran, M. (2016). Malaysian students’perceptions of flipped classroom: A case study.Innovations
in Education and Teaching International,53(6), 660-670.
Zogheib, B., Rabaa’i, A., Zogheib, S., & Elsaheli, A. (2015). University student perceptions of technology use in
mathematics learning.Journal of information technology education:Research,14.
