PEDAGOGICAL APPROACH IN TEACHING WITH ICT: IMPLICATION TOWARDS SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS‟ INTRINSIC MOTIVATION IN
JEDDAH, SAUDI ARABIA
BY
HAIFA IBRAHIM HALAWANI
A thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Education
Institute of Education
International Islamic University Malaysia
July 2012
ii
ABSTRACT
Many researches have proven that teaching with ICT provide positive motivational impact (Wegerif & Dawes, 2004; Cooper & Brra, 2002). Research has also established that intrinsic motivation will promote and autonomous learning (Deci &
Ryan, 2004) and student achievement (Galvan, 2012; Almaghlouth, 2008). However, little is known about the effect of teachers‟ characteristics (affection, managing the classroom and knowledgeability) on student‟s intrinsic motivation. Therefore, this study examined factors that influenced student‟s intrinsic motivation to learn.
Specifically a hypothesised Effective Teaching Model (ETM) which examined Teacher Pedagogy (TP) and Teacher Quality (TQ) on Intrinsic Motivation (IM) in ICT learning environment was employed as a framework for the study. Moreover, student gender (130 male, 156 female) was considered as a possible variable to affect the model. The current study employed a mixed qualitative and quantitative, though a greater part of it utilized the latter approach. A 40-item self-constructed questionnaire assessed on a 5-point Likert-type scale was administered, and a semi-structured group interview (4 students) was conducted to collect data. Data was collected from 286students from two secondary schools who participated in the “laptop for each student program” in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 16 and descriptive with inferential statistical tools (MAR and Independent t-test) were utilized to generate the findings.
Results from the study indicate that using ICT in learning intrinsically motivates students to learn. The hypothesised model showed a statistically significant fit to the data as a whole that signifies a good explanation of the predictors. Teacher Pedagogy and Teacher Quality were statistically significant predictors to Intrinsic Motivation.
Moreover, the result shows a significant gender difference, favoring the female students in: 1) Project-Based Learning (PrBL), 2) Problem-Based Learning (PBL) and 3) Affection of teacher. Recommendations and Implications for Further Research were discussed in chapter five.
iii
ثحبلا ةصلاخ
بيايجإ يرثتأ الذ لاصتلااو تامولعلدا ةينقت مادختسبا ميلعتلا نأ تتبثأ ثابحلأا نم يرثك ( Wegerif & Dawes, 2004; Cooper & Brra, 2002 )
. ثابحلأا تدكأ و
تياذلا ميلعتلا ززعت ةيلخادلا عفاودلا نأ (
Deci & Ryan, 2004 )
بلاطلا زالصإ و
( Galvan, 2012; Almaghlouth, 2008 )
يرثتأ نع ليلقلا لاإ فرعُي لا نكل .
ملعلدا صئاصخ ضعبو ميلعتلا في لاصتلااو تامولعلدا ةينقت مادختسا (
ةرادإ ،ةدولداو فطعلا
ةدالدبا مالدلإا و لصفلا )
بلاطلل ةيلخادلا عفاودلا ىلع .
تيلا لماوعلا ةساردلا هذى ثحبت ،كلذل
ةيلخادلا عفاودلا في رثؤت املعتل
بلاطل سيردتلا ةيلاعف جذونم ضترفُا ديدحتلا وجو ىلع .
( ETM )
يرثتأ رابتخلا :
ميلعتلاةئيب في ةيلخادلا عفاودلا ىلع ملعلدا صئاصخو سيردتلا قرط
ةساردلل اراطإك لاصتلااو تامولعلدا ةينقت مادختسبا .
نكلش يرغتمك بلاطلا سنج رابتعا تم امك
جذومنلا ىلعرثؤي نأ .
طلتلس جنه ةيلالحا ةساردلا تمدختسا (
يمكلاو يعونلا )
في زيكترلا عم
يمكلا جهنلا مادختسا .
نم ةنابتسا ميمصت تم تناايبلا عملج 40
تركيل سايقبم ةناعتسلااو دنب
نم 5 ةعوملر عم ةيصخشلا ةلباقملل اقبسم ةدعلدا ةلئسلأا تمدختسا امك ،طاقن (
4 تابلاط )
.
جمنارب نمض ةجردلدا ةيوناثلا سرادلدا تابلاطو بلاط نم ةساردلا هذى عمتلر نوكت (
لكل لوملز
بلاط ) ةيدوعسلا ةيبرعلا ةكلملدا ،ةدج ةنيدم في (
286 اًابلاط )
. تم تيلا تناايبلا ليلتح تم دقو
ةيعامتجلاا مولعلل ةيئاصحلإا ةمزلحا جمنارب مادختسبا اهعجم (
SPSS )
رادصلإا 16
تاودلأا تمدختساو (
independent t-test
&
MRA )
ةيفصولا ةيئاصحلإا
جئاتنلا جارختسلا ةيجاتنتسلااو .
لاصتلااو تامولعلدا ةينقت مادختسا نأ لىإ ةساردلا جئاتن يرشت
ملعتلل بلاطلا دنع ةيلخادلا عفاودلا ززعي ميلعتلا في .
ةللادب مئلام ضترفلدا جذومنلا نأ امك
ةماع ةفصب تناايبلل ةيئاصحإ .
ملعلدا صئاصخ و سيردتلا قرط نأ لىإ جئاتنلا تراشأ امك
قورف دوجو ةساردلا تنيب ،كلذ لىإ ةفاضلإبا ، ةيلخادلا عفاودلل ةيئاصحإ ةللاد تاذ تائبنم ولض ثنالإا لحاصل ثنالإاو روكذلا ينب ةيئاصحإ ةللاد تاذ :
1 ) تاعورشلدا ةقيرطب ميلعتلا
PrBL ،
2 ) لكاشلدا لح ةقيرطب ميلعتلا PBL
و 3 ) ةدومو فطعب ملعلدا لماعت .
تتم امك
سمالخا لصفلا في ةيلبقتسم تاساردل تاحاترقلإاو تايصوتلا ضعب ةشقانم
.
iv
APPROVAL PAGE
I certify that I have supervised and read this study and that in my opinion, it conforms to acceptable standards of scholarly presentation and is fully adequate, in scope and quality, as a thesis for the degree of Master of Education.
………..
Sharifah Sariah Syed Hassan Supervisor
I certify that I have read this study and that in my opinion it conforms to acceptable standards of scholarly presentation and is fully adequate, in scope and quality, as a thesis for the degree of Master of Education.
………..
Che Noraini Hashim
Examiner
This thesis was submitted to the Institute of Education and is accepted as a fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Education.
………..
Rosnani Hashim
Director of Institute of Education
v
DECLARATION
I hereby declare that this dissertation is the result of my own investigations, except where otherwise stated. I also declare that is has not been previously or concurrently submitted as a whole for my other degrees at IIUM or other institutions.
HAIFA IBRAHIM HALAWANI
Signature……… Date………..
vi
INTERNATIONAL ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY MALAYSIA
DECLARATION OF COPYRIGHT AND AFFIRMATION OF FAIR USE OF UNPUBLISHED RESEARCH
Copyright © 2011 by International Islamic University Malaysia. All rights reserved
PEDAGOGICAL APPROACH IN TEACHING WITH ICT:
IMPLICATION TOWARD SECONDARY SCHOOLS STUDENTS‟ INTRINSIC MOTIVATION IN JEDDAH,
SAUDI ARABIA
I hereby affirm that the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) hold all rights in the copyright of this work and henceforth any reproduction or use in any form or by means whatsoever is prohibited without the written consent of IIUM. No part of this unpublished research may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without prior written permission of the copyright holder.
Affirmed by
HAIFA IBRAHIM HALAWANI……… ………
Signature Date
vii
Dedication
I would like to dedicate this work to my parents, may Allah bless them To my husband, children, brothers and sisters
viii
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
In the Name ofAllah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
I thank Almighty God for giving me the inspiration, patience, strength, courage, and wisdom to complete this work. With Allah‟s will and mercy I was able to achieve this.
My sincere gratitude and appreciation are to the many people who contributed encouragement, information, suggestions and guidance for this study.I am particularly indebted to the Ministry of Education in Saudi Arabia and Jeddah educational district for sponsoring and facilitating this research. I would like to thank my advisor and my committee for the help they have given me throughout.
I would like to express my appreciation and thanks to my supervisor for her motivation, encouragement and patience. I sincerely appreciate her generous support and constructive comments and suggestions for organizing the research. My thanks to Dr. Ismaiel Hassanein for checking the Arabic translation. Special thanks and appreciation are due to my beloved husband Abdulazi zAlYami who has stood beside me and tolerated me and provided endless encouragement, support, and patience throughout my studies. My love and gratitude to my children Eng. Mohammad, Dr Ahmad and Eng. Noha. My special thanks to my brothers and sisters who believed in knowledge and considered the success of its individuals a success for all.
ix
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Abstract ... ii
Abstract in Arabic ... iii
Approval Page ... iv
Declaration Page ... v
Copyright Page... vi
Dedication ... vii
Acknowledgements ... viii
List of Tables ... xi
List of Figures ... xii
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION ... 1
Background of the Study ... 1
Pedagogical Approaches Using ICT in Teaching and Learning ... 4
Teacher Pedagogy (TP)... 5
Teacher Quality (TQ) ... 9
Intrinsic Motivation (IM) ... 10
The Educational System In Saudi Arabia ... 11
The Fifty and Ibn-Khaldun Secondary School in Jeddah ... 12
Conceptual Framework ... 14
Purpose of the Study ... 17
Research Question and Hypotheses ... 18
Statement of the Problem ... 20
Significance of the Study ... 21
Definition Of Terms ... 22
Chapter Summary ... 25
CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW ... 26
Introduction ... 26
The Importance of the Pedagogy Using ICT ... 26
The Educational System in Saudi Arabia ... 28
ICT in the Saudi Educational System ... 29
ICT Research in Saudi Arabia ... 30
Effective Teaching ... 34
Teacher Pedagogy ... 35
Teacher Quality ... 50
Intrinsic Motivation ... 61
Chapter Summary ... 67
x
CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY ... 68
Introduction ... 68
Research Design... 68
The Setting ... 69
Population and Sample ... 70
Sampling Technique ... 71
Instrumentation ... 72
Questionnaire ... 73
Interview ... 79
Data Collection Procedure ... 80
Data Analysis Procedure ... 82
Chapter Summary ... 84
CHAPTER FOUR: RESULT ... 85
Introduction ... 85
Respondents Rate ... 86
Descriptive Statistics ... 87
The Reliability of Effective Teaching Model (ETM) Instrument .... 90
Analysis of the Questionnaire Items ... 92
Inferential Statistics Analysis ... 95
Chapter Summary ... 107
CHAPTER FIVE: DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION ... 109
Introduction ... 109
Recommendations ... 119
Limitations ... 122
Conclusion ... 122
BIBLIOGRAPHY ... 125
APPENDIX ... 133
xi
LIST OF TABLES
Table No. Page No.
1.1 Similarities and Differences of the Three Approaches 9 1.2 Summary of the Research Question and Hypotheses of the study 19
3.1 The Population of the Study 70
3.2 The Sample of the Study 71
3.3 Teacher Pedagogy items 74
3.4 Teacher Quality items 75
3.5 Intrinsic Motivation items 76
3.6 Instruments Validation and Reliability 80
3.7 Research Question, Hypotheses, and Types of Analysis 83
4.1 Response Rates Summaries 86
4.2 Demographic Variables of the Respondents 87
4.3 Gender and Age of Participants 88
4.4 Means and Standard Deviation of the Questionnaire Variables 89
4.5 The Reliability of Intrinsic Motivate 91
4.6 The Reliability of Teacher Pedagogy 91
4.7 The Reliability of Teacher Quality 92
4.8 Means, Standard Deviation, Skewness and Kurtosis of the
Questionnaire 93
4.9 Frequency of Utilizing ICT in Subject 95
4.10 Using ICT to Promote Intrinsic Motivation 97
4.11 Utilizing ICT in the Classroom 98
4.12 Multiple Regression Model Summary 101
4.13 Coefficients (a) of Multiple Regression Analysis 102 4.14 Comparison of Gender Means on Teacher Quality, Teacher
Pedagogy and Intrinsic Motivation 103
4.15 Comparison of Gender Means on Different Teacher Quality 105 4.16 Comparison of Male and Female Means on Different Teacher
Pedagogy 107
xii
List of Figures
Figure No. Page No.
1.1 Model of Effective Teaching using ICT in Teaching and Learning
(ETM) 17
4.1 Gender and Age of Participants 88
1
CHAPTER ONE
INTROUDUCTION
BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
ىَلَعَهَّللاَّنِإَةَرِخلآاَةَأْشَّنلاُئِشْنُيُهَّللاَّمُثَقْلَخْلاَأَدَبَفْيَكاوُرُظْناَفِض ْرلأايِفاوُريِسْلُق
“Say: Travel in the earth and see how He makes the first creation, then Allah creates the latter creation; surely Allah has power over all things” (Qur‟an, Al-Ankaboot: 20).
The above verse clearly stresses mankind to seek new knowledge and encourage reflecting in Allah‟s creation. Many other verses in the Holy Quran address the issue of the importance of expanding and enhancing our knowledge, "say: My Lord!
Increase me in knowledge" (Qur‟an, Ta-Ha: 114). Furthermore, it emphasizes people‟s use of their senses for empirical knowledge and their qalb for wisdom. "O my father! Hire him! Verily, the best of men for you to hire is the strong, the trustworthy." (Qur‟an, Al-Qasas: 26). In addition, being strong is not only physical but also intellectual, because with intellectual strength a person is able to accomplish the tasks that challenge him. Knowledge in Islam is not limited to religious matters alone, but it covers all of the sciences and technology known to mankind.
With the rapid advances in the development of information technology, information access has become crucial to life in the 21st century. Information Communication Technology (ICT) penetrates every corner of our world. The impact
2
of ICT in the economy, government, education, social and personal lives of citizens is pervasive. Nowadays, terms such as „The Information Society‟ and „Virtual Culture‟, etc., reflect the ubiquitous use of ICT in everyday activities (Loveless, 2003).
According to Pulkkinen (2007), the growth and development of ICT has significantly impacted the basic teaching and learning components in educationreading, writing and numeracy. Therefore, it is imperative that teachers master its use and application and encourage students to use ICT tools to enhance their learning, to acquire the benefits and advantages of ICT and to expand their knowledge. Using ICT tools such as YouTube, Facebook, iTunes, can deliver the information and concepts of the subject matter through simulations and authentic examples. Berk (2009) states that to illustrate a concept or stimulating learning activity using YouTube videos can be beneficial in motivating students. Furthermore, a YouTube video is the best way for the students to learn about different cultures and gain insights into its civilization, history, artifacts and politics (Terantino, 2011).
Educators can introduce constructive learning techniques such as Problem-Based Learning (PBL) and Project-Based Learning (PrBL) in order to infuse ICT in the learning more effectively.
ICT usage in the classroom conforms quite nicely with the essential features of learning theories. The Engagement Theory by Kearsley and Shneiderman (1999) emphasized the student‟s engagement in learning activities using technology such as ICT through meaningful tasks and the interaction with others. Moreover, the engagement theory shares several features with the constructivist and problem-based learning approaches. Constructivist instructional design emphasizes that the student
3
should attain their own knowledge while exploring to find a solution to a situation they are exposed to. The logical breakdown of a topic into a set of structured cognitive tasks is supported by constructivist theories of Dewey, Piaget and the developed works of Bruner, Vygotsky and Papert (Neo, 2007; Bell & Winn, 2000;
Brown & Green, 2006).The logical breakdown can include discovery tasks, troubleshooting, and problem diagnosis. In the cognitive frameworks, gaining the knowledge comes from an active, learner-driven outcome. For more active learning, the constructivist approach is most appropriate.
The Constructivist approach and the tools of teaching such as the Internet resources, software and multimedia can be designed according to the students‟
cognitive level to help them to be creative and think critically. Learning through visual presentation allows in-depth understanding of the subject content. Hence, students absorb knowledge, build it and construct it on the basis of their prior knowledge and experiences (Piaget, 1971). By constructing new knowledge to meaningful and personally relevant knowledge, learners are engaged in higher-order, mindful thinking and learning (Sulaiman, 2010). Furthermore, Vygotsky (1978) in social constructivism approach emphasizes that learning is influenced by cultural influences and social context. He believes that the learner‟s cognitive development can be achieved through interaction with other people. Therefore, constructivists believe that knowledge is not transferred from teachers, but constructed by the learners. Integrating ICT in the classroom with the appropriate pedagogy will allow students to build and construct their knowledge. On the other hand, the behaviorist uses online drills and practice as ICT instructional technology design to build skills (Ebert, 2009; Tinio, Force, & Programme, 2003).
4
The latest theories of learning emphasise the use of technology-enhanced blended learning such as ICT. For example, the constructivist believes that discovery learning is best for learners to discover facts and relationships for themselves (Rieber, Tzeng, &Tribble, 2004). Moreover, the cognitive theory of multimedia learning introduced by Mayer states that, “people learn more deeply from words and pictures than from words alone” (Mayer, 2001: 47). Therefore, to achieve students understanding, teachers need more than adding words to pictures. The goal of using instructional media such as ICT tools will help students to process information easily.
PEDAGOGICAL APPROACHES USING ICT IN TEACHING AND LEARNING
Instructional technology can be defined as “the theory and practice of design, development, utilization, management, and evaluation of processes and resources for learning” (Seels& Richey 1994: 1). Furthermore, Reiser (2001) believes it is also the
“soft” technologies sprouting and tools that instructional technologists use in their craft, the problem analysis, solution design, development, implementation, management, and evaluation of instructional processes and resources to improve learning and performance in education”; and “the effective use of technology to support teaching and learning” (Georgia Professional Standards Commission, 2010:
1). In education, researches have shown that by using ICT with the correct pedagogical approach motivated students and allow them to widen and exceed their cognitive limitation and engage in higher-order thinking (Johnson, 2008; Lim &Tay, 2003; Rieber et al., 2004). Thus, with the presence of ICT in the classroom and
5
methods such as Problem-Based Learning (PBL) and Project-Based Learning (PrBL), teachers can capture, motivate, and anchor learner attention, and render understandable topics. In addition, using ICT in the classroom changes the learning style from teacher-centered to students-centered, which demands the teachers to be more of a facilitator than lecturer. Student-centered pedagogy should be applied in the class, where students work in groups, encouraged to set their own learning goals, have a role in decision making, be a critical thinker and a problem solver, learn about a subject in the context of complex, multifaceted, and realistic problems. Teachers can engage students in active learning by giving them a project so learners can be involved in teamwork, discussion, discovery learning. Moreover, Problem-Based learning, which allows the student to discover knowledge by doing activities like surfing the web, looking and searching for information.
Teacher Pedagogy (TP)
Direct Instruction (DI)
Direct Instruction (DI) is what is commonly used in public school settings in most countries today. It is a teacher-centered pedagogy of classroom education. Usually it involves some explication of a skill or subject matter to be taught. Teachers transfer the knowledge through lectures or PowerPoint and guide the students to goals that are already set. During the lecture, the instructors expect students to remain seated and passive. The students listen to the lecture; follow directed work for forty-five to fifty minutes, which is typical for a class period. They are not involved in higher-order
6
thinking, they only remember and understand the learned information by recalling, restating and interpreting and translating what has been learned (Noble, 2004). There is very little discussion or interaction among students or between students and the teacher; students will simply learn what they are told. Typically, students are not engaged in the course and tend to rely on short-term memorization strategies rather than learning the material with understanding. Learning takes place in the classroom most of the time. To evaluate students, teachers give an exam to test the transfer of knowledge or skills.
Direct Instruction is an effective way of teaching especially to introduce new topics. There are varieties of learning methods that learners prefer to use to establish the learning process. Some learners rely on their sense of sight or sound to process information, visual or auditory learners. Furthermore, it has been proven the success of (DI) method for some students when combined with experiential education (Miller, 2011), inquiry-based learning and computer supported collaborative learning (Philips, 2005).
Problem-Based Learning (PBL)
The Problem-based learning approach is among the most frequently used by constructivists. The PBL approach is recognized as a method and an area of study within the field of instructional design. It has been used globally in educational reform and curricular innovation. Problem-based learning has been used successfully with a variety of learners in different learning environments, including K-12 settings, distance learners and higher education. Students are presented with real-life problems
7
that can have a wide range of solutions. In order to solve the problem, students are engaged in higher-order thinking. They are responsible for their own education by searching for information, applying it with the information they have to analyze the problem and to evaluate and present the solution. In PBL, the teachers facilitate and guide the learner when they need it. Furthermore, using ICT with PBL helps the learner understand the concepts better. According to Sulaiman(2010), students became independent learners and felt more motivated during the intervention when implementing online PBL in a physics course. Moreover, using PBL online allows students to use the new technology of the Internet to solve physics problems and also helped them increase their view of modern physics in the real world. Therefore students are motivated because they learned by different ways to obtain information via multimedia.
Project-Based Learning (PrBL)
Project-based learning (PrBL) was introduced in the early twentieth century as a student-centered pedagogy when educators were constantly seeking innovative ways to motivate students self-learning and improve learning outcomes (Hafner & Ellis, 2004; Lewis, Alacaci, & O‟Brien, 2002; Marina, 2009). There are different definitions of project-based learning (PrBL). According to Moursund (2001), project- based learning can be an individual or group activity, within a defined period of time, where students can present or perform the project results. It is an instructional method that allows students to have an in-depth investigation trying to answer a question or solve a problem in real life (Harris & Katz, 2001). Chang and Lee (2010)
8
state that “The method calls for learners to acquire and develop core learning concepts through collaborative projects that require the learning and application of contextual knowledge” (p: 961). Finally, project-based learning is a learning approach that organizes students‟ learning activities around projects (Kose, 2010).
Project-based learning (PrBL) produces a "constructivist" learning environment where students construct their knowledge. PrBL is an instructional strategy that encourages effective and active learning, it improves student thinking and understanding, which increases involvement in learning. It involves group interactions during a specific time or the whole semester. Through group activities such as problem solving strategies, searching to answer questions that resolve real life issues will motivate students to learn and understand the content. PrBL allows students to engage in real life situations, where learning takes place outside the four- walls of the classroom. Moreover, it increases collaborative and social solidarity and information sharing by responding to the others in the group. PrBL gives the students the chance to implement different learning strategies like planning their learning, designing their own inquiries, organizing their research to solving real-world problems (Musa, Mufti, & Amin, 2011). PrBL gives the opportunity to utilize and measure the higher-order thinking skills of students by applying the information they have already gathered and to analyze the problem, evaluate the solution and creating a new meaning or structure for the problem given (Noble, 2004).Implementing ICT in PrBL as technology-supported learning can be used as a project management tool, communication tool, research tool and production tool that enable students to organize and present their research work (Dougal, 2011).
9
As a summary, Table 1.1 reveals the similarities and differences of the three approaches.
Table 1.1
Similarities and Differences of the Three Approaches
DI PBL PrBL
Group No yes yes
Teacher Role Guide and direct Facilitator Autonomous
Student Role Guided by teacher Free with little guidance Free, independent learners Setting the Goals Teacher Teacher and students Students
Cognitive Level
Knowledge and Understanding
Understand, Apply, Analyze and Evaluate
Understand, Apply, Analyze, Evaluate and Create new meaning Meta cognitive Not available Before starting the task Before starting the project
Location
Classroom orientated
Classroom orientated/
Real Life Context Real Life Context
Teacher Quality (TQ)
The Islamic View of the Teacher as a Murabbi
Islam affirms that the teacher has an important role in the life of the learner, and that is why the educator, since the early period of Muslim civilization, was called Murabbi. “Murabbi” is a conjugation of the Arabic verb “tarbiyah” which means giving the best to have a good and great person by educating, caring, and teaching with love. Kazmi(1999) defines murabbi as a person who is not only knowledgeable, caring, affectionate, wise but also pious, kind, compassionate, enthusiastic, responsible and considerate. The prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him) is the best example of a murabbi; all Islamic educators (Ibn al-Haitham, Al-Attas) consider
10
him as the role model of a teacher because of his exemplar character and attitude when dealing with all matters in life. The prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him) was enacting the word of Allah in his life. Allah says, addressing the Prophet (peace be upon him):
And by the Mercy of Allâh, you dealt with them gently. And had you been severe and harsh-hearted, they would have broken away from about you; so pass over (their faults), and ask (Allâh’s) Forgiveness for them; and consult them in the affairs. Then when you have taken a decision, put your trust in Allâh, certainly, Allâh loves those who put their trust (in Him). (Qur‟an, Al-Imran: 159).
Having the prophet as a role model, clear the misconception about the relationship between teachers and their students for example, the teacher being tough and harsh with the students, and what makes the students love and respect a teacher inside or outside the class.
Intrinsic Motivation (IM)
People are motivated when they are satisfied with their level of knowledge and understanding in order to reach self-actualization, the highest need in Maslow‟s Hierarchy of Needs (Huitt, 2007). Motivation is an important concept in our life; it explains why people behave the way they do. Teachers should know and understand how students respond to different kinds of motivation because they can either aid or hinder the students‟ learning (Johnson, 2008). Motivation can be divided into two basic types: intrinsic motivation and extrinsic motivation Deci and Ryan (2004).
“Intrinsic Motivation refers to the innate energy that people demonstrate when they pursue a goal or an activity because it is
11
interesting or fun. Intrinsic Motivation is manifest as curiosity, pursuit of challenge, and competence development” (Ibid., :101).
Although extrinsic motivation is useful, the focus of this study is on learner motivation derived from an authentic desire and interest to learn, that is intrinsic motivation. Intrinsic motivation is essential to students and teachers since it affects learning outcomes. Therefore, educators should attempt to enhance the intrinsic motivation of students.
THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM IN SAUDI ARABIA
Saudi Arabia, among other Arab and other developing countries, recognize the importance of ICT in education. The Ministry of Education (MOE) recognizes the importance of integrating educational technology into the curriculum which started since the Second Educational Development Plan (1975-1980). However; real changes have been materialized only during the Fourth Development Plan (1985- 1990), when the General Administration for Educational Technology department was established by the Ministry in order to develop and improve the quality of education by the use of technology in education (Oyaid, 2009). The latest development in general education is the King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Public Education Development Project (tatweer) with a budget of eleven billion riyals ($293 million). The MOE identified thirty-nine goals for that project which include among others, the development of the curriculum, educational environment, and professional development programs for the teachers (Ministry of Education, 2008). One of the objectives of the project is to prepare students to live in a technological environment and encouraging the expansion of computers and use of database technology.
12
Therefore, the MOE is in the process of piloting a program which is to provide a Laptop for each Student (LFES) in one school (both boys‟ and girls‟ schools) in each large city. As a result, students in those schools are required to use it during and after school for educational purposes (Ministry of Education, 2005a)
General Education is offered for all Saudi citizens and residents, in Saudi Arabia, between the ages of 6 to 18 years; it provides the students with books and health services for free. General education is divided into three stages: primary school, elementary school, six years for students between the ages of six and twelve.
Adolescents between the ages of twelve and fifteen attend the intermediate school, which last for three years; the last stage in the general education is the secondary, duration of three years, for adolescents between the ages of fifteen and eighteen. The Secondary Stage is considered the most important stage in the general education system because it is a preparation for studying in higher education institutions.
Therefore, it is essential for them to have a strong background. The Saudi government‟s goal, presented by the MOE, is to combine ICT with education. As a result, most of the schools were equipped with Computer Labs and high technological devices such electronic microscopes and other ICT tools. Those labs are for students‟
hands-on activities in scientific experiments to have the opportunity to observe, examine and investigate (Ministry of Education, 2007).
The Fifty Secondary Schools and Ibn-Khaldun Secondary School in Jeddah In accordance with the Islamic law practiced in Saudi Arabia, the girls‟ and boys‟ education is strictly segregated in terms of school buildings and teaching staff.
Therefore, when the MOE decided to implement the project, a Laptop for each
