A framework for implementing social computing in higher education in the gulf states

Hussein, KAN

Abstract

This study sets out to develop a framework for implementing social computing (SC) tools in higher education (HE) to enhance both the teaching and learning processes, with a particular focus on HE institutions in the Gulf States. Among other things, it reviews and addresses the known problems of HE in the Gulf States, discusses available SC platforms, and identifies the most appropriate of these based on the extant literature about user acceptance of technology.
SC platforms are quickly emerging as important new technologies that can support a variety of businesses. Many publications on SC discuss its definition and its associated tools, but while studies of this kind are an important part of the development of any new trend or technology, additional research is also necessary to determine the proper use of these phenomena in particular contexts, and as yet, no clear study exists that discusses the proper use of SC tools in HE.
The research in this study contributes to the fields of technology acceptance and SC research. It also demonstrates that the unified model of technology acceptance (UTAUT) can serve as theoretical basis for implementing SC in HE.
It employs a multi-methodological approach at all of its stages, including data collection and analysis. Questionnaires, interviews, observations, focus groups, and evaluations were all conducted in order to obtain the data on which the study was based. The final analysis of this data was used to develop a new conceptual framework for implementing SC in HE. The research findings are validated through the development and implementation of a new system prototype for using SC in HE.
This study recommends that stakeholders of HE in the Gulf States deploy SC technologies in HE to enhance generated outcomes by modernizing, supporting, and simplifying the teaching process while keeping students more engaged with customisable content. Online collaboration is also highlighted for its potential to enhance student learning and to transform education into a more user-centred process. In its summation, this study also includes a model for ensuring that research objectives are achieved and that defined knowledge gaps are covered.

Citation

Hussein, K. A framework for implementing social computing in higher education in the gulf states. (Thesis). University of Salford

• Thesis Type: Thesis
• Deposit Date: Dec 9, 2013
• Publicly Available Date: Apr 5, 2016