Abstract

Objective

This study was conducted to in vestigate the poss ible relation ship between s tudents' use of technology and their achievements in phy siology courses at five health colleges of the University of Dammam.

Methods

This study was conducted on 231 students study ing phy siology during their 2nd y ear at one of five health colleges (Medicine, Dental, Clin ical Pharmacy , Applied Medical Sciences, and Nursing). A n online survey was sent to the s tudents regarding their use of technology and the devices they use. The Pearson correlation coefficient and descriptive statis tics were implemented to study the frequency of, and rela tionship between, technology and learning achievement in phy siology courses.

Results

This study observed a significant relationship between studen ts' use of technolo gy and their achievements in health colleges. The s tudy also demonstrated that the most-used devices are laptops (50%) and phones (42%) followed by tablets (7%) and des ktop computers (0.5%). This paper reports on the resul ts of the survey , documenting what was revealed regarding how techno logy is used among students at the health colleges, as well as the important benefits o n their achievements during p hy siology courses.

Conclusions

Technology usage might produce comparatively more significant increases in academic achievement than would non-u sage. Further research is warranted to examine its effects.

Introduction

Incorporating technology usage with in Saudi un iversity education is an initiative of relatively new provenance and one that has been struggling to secure rights and recognition, s imilar to how a new coun try struggles to establis h in ternationally recognized so vereign boundaries.1 I t has been sugges ted that the application of techno logy should indeed encouraged and even be incorporated, routine part of s tudents' daily activities within clinical activ ities and bas ic sciences.2 The most important element that supports the use of technology in the educatio nal sy stem is the Internet. E-learning has become one of the fastest-moving trends in education and p oses a promising a lternative to traditio nal learning.3 Stu dies have shown that peop le learn considerably better from a combination of both words and images (which technology enables) than merely from words alone.4 Technology helps studen ts become independent, proficient member and researchers.

The changing role of phy sicians in the new health care environment provides a s tronger impetus than ever before for these ideas to be incorporated. Nevertheless, u sing technology in the classroom is a methodology not w idely implemented in Saudi universities. Abo uchedid and Eid stated that “The overwhelming traditional knowledge delivery sy stem for higher education in the Arab world demonstrates the prono unced information (IT) gap between Arab countries and the developed w orld”.5

Research has indicated a need to change and revise the curriculum within health colleges to cope with th is revolu tion in technology 6 because technology is becoming a highly important so urce of maintaining currency and gaining kn owledge within the health professio n.7 Research has demonstrated that smartphone application s and the Internet are introducin g a new degree of responsiveness and fle xib ility within educational processes. Th is respons iveness is facilitated by the ease with which con tent can be updated, instruction can be personalized, information can be accessed, information can be distrib uted, a nd content can be standardized.7, 8

This approach would shift education from the

Increased implementation of technology will increase students' comprehension of content and development of s kills in such areas as analy tical reasoning, problem solv ing, information evaluation, and creative thin king.9 In K SA, there is a dire dearth and paucity of information regarding the effect of technology usage on learning achievement. Rather, studies con ducted with in K SA have found that stu dents are used to a comparatively more traditional model of learning.6, 10 H owever, the comprehensive use of technology would create a good environment facilitative of learning.

classical approach (which has not prioritized students' pursuit of understanding) toward the deep-
meaning approaches that would help students seek a true understanding of the central principles,
themes, and applications of any given area of study.11 Using technology would support the active
learning of students in an educational environment designed to help students achieve meaningful
learning – which, in turn, could result in positive, cumulatively progressive gains in learning
outcomes.12

Technology has been argued as having a positive impact on our way of thinking. Steve Johnson
(2005), in his nationally bestselling book Everything Bad is Good for You, posited that
technology is making us more intelligent due our means of obtaining, interpreting, and
processing information. Many studies have discussed how technology affects our brains and
impacts how much its use affects the way that we think and perform.13, 14

The present study involves physiology courses taught in five University of Dammam colleges of
health: The College of Medicine, College of Dentistry, College of Nursing, College of Applied
Medical Sciences, and College of Clinical Pharmacy. Lectures using PowerPoint presentations
are used regularly in the classroom. The presentations are then uploaded on Blackboard (an
online system). Course websites function as resource centres, providing access to all related
documents along with links to additional resources, as well as group e-mail lists and an
interactive discussion board. In addition, AD instrument recordings have become an integral
component of laboratory teaching sessions, making them comparatively more interactive and
even more valuable learning experiences than previously.15
Chapter 1
INTRODUCTIO
N
This chapter
serves as an
introductory
chapter. It contains
the Background of
the Study,
Statement of the
Problem, Scope
and Delimitation,
Significance of the
Study and
Definition of
Terms.
Background of the
Study
In today’s
generation,
technology has
affected and
changed the way
people live.
Technology has
made people’s
lives more pro
ficient and at ease.
There is hardly
anyone who has
not been changed
by the advances in
technology and
computers of
today’s

society. In today’s
civilization,
transportation,
communication,
and education
have been greatly
developed from
new technological
advancements.
Many people have
lesser stress in
their lives because
there are new
useful hi-tech
inventions created
each day to help
them do things
quicker and easier.
Some of these
helpful
technologies are
cell phones,
computers, and the
Internet.
Technology also
has negative
effects in the lives
of the user, and in
his/her or her
immediate friends
and family
members. It
affects the
individuals’
personal health,
family, social,
financial, and
academic life.
Over using
gadgets negatively
affects the mind of
an individual. The
individual loses
focus as he/she
only concentrates
on using gadgets
or technology.
He/she tends to
forget other