The smartboard as a Teaching & Learning (T&L) tool from the diffusion theory

• Main Authors: Isa, Fazli Syah, Hashim, Jamalludin Helmi
• Format: Conference or Workshop Item
• Language: English
• Published: 2018
• Subjects: LB Theory and practice of education
• Online Access: http://repo.uum.edu.my/24707/1/SKTSEWU%202018%20341.pdf; http://repo.uum.edu.my/24707/
• Institution: Universiti Utara Malaysia

As technological innovations appear to be a major part of a comprehensive system in lifelong education, the application of smart board in schools is revolved as one of the most important steps at the secondary level.The present study is motivated to seek the factors that contribute to the diffusing of smart board in teaching and learning process.The objectives of the present study are : (i) to investigate the possibility to diffuse the “Smart board” as an effective tool in teaching and learning process in a classroom, (ii) to determine the significant relationship between several selected factors (namely teachers’ knowledge of handling smart board, time management, technical support and type of subject) and the diffusion of Smart board as an innovation in the T&L process, and (iii) to investigate the possible differences perception towards the benefit of using the Smart board that may exist between teachers and students. Using only three (of five) characteristics from the Diffusion Theory developed by Roger, 2003, the survey using questionnaires was done with 137 respondents (72 students : 65 teachers) from Tsung Wah Secondary School in Kuala Kangsar District, Perak Darul Ridwan Malaysia.The result showed positive attributes of three characteristics from the Diffusion Theory in adopting Smart board as a T&L innovation tool.The statistical analysis indicates that three variables (namely, (i) Knowledge of handling material, (ii) Time management, and (iii) Technical support), have significant relationship towards the diffusion of Smartboard.Finally, the findings also show that there is a significant difference of the perception between the teachers and the students towards the implementation of Smart board in a classroom.However, the present study is limited to several limitations, namely (i) only three of five diffusion elements proposed by Roger (1983, 2003) were tested, and (ii) the usage of questionnaires is always subject to limited explanatory information.Thus, these lead for future research of not only the full elements of Diffusion Theory are extended but also combination of questionnaires to be followed with interviews.