Professional Documents
Culture Documents
(POM4990)
Group Members:
Acknowledgement…………………………………………………………………………...1
Abstract……………………………………………………………………………………....2
Chapter1: Introduction……………………………………………………………………….3
Introduction of Research Topic and its Importance……………………………………….....3
Background to the problem…………………………………………………………………...3
Statement of the problem………………………………………………………………….….4
Purpose of the Research……………………………………………………………………....4
Significance of the Study……………………………………………………………………..5
Limitations and Delimitations…………………………………………………………………5
Definition of Key Terms……………………………………………………………………….6
Chapter 2: Literature Review………………………………………………………………….7
Chapter 3: Research Design and Methodology………………………………………………15
Research method, approaches and data collection techniques…………………………..…...15
Population and Sample……………………………………………………………………….15
Procedures for conducting research…………………………………………………………..16
Description of Instrument……………………………………………………………………..17
Validity, Reliability/Transferability and Ethical Considerations……………………………..17
Chapter 4: Analysis of Results…………………………………………………………….….19
Chapter 5: Discussion, Conclusion and Recommendations…………………………………..30
Discussion of Results………………………………………………………………………….30
Implications of Business Practices…………………………………………………………….36
Recommendations relevant to the topic……………………………………………………….38
Recommendations for future research………………………………………………………....39
References……………………………………………………………………………………..40
Appendices…………………………………………………………………………………….42
STUDENTS PERCEPTION OF INNOVATION AND ITS INFLUENCE ON LEARNING AT
UTECH, JAMAICA PAPINE CAMPUS
Acknowledgement
including the students whose observations were most important to this research. Firstly, we
would like to thank our lecturer whose insight into research, feedback and comments were
integral to this study. We would also like to extend gratitude to members of the Production and
Operations‟ Management Seminar who provided a valid sample for our research. Ultimately, we
show our appreciation to the Calvin McKain Library, UTech Moodle and the UTech app for
providing information which was both accurate and relevant to our research.
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Abstract
This study examines how students on the UTECH Papine Campus perceive innovation
and its influence on student learning. The results of the study were aided by questionnaires and
This research is being conducted with the aim forcing those who have not yet taken a
position on innovation at UTECH to do so; also, to understand the positions taken by those who
have already taken one. The relevant data will be gathered using questionnaires.
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Chapter 1: Introduction
An employee‟s opinion of his/her organization will determine how well he/she is able to
sell the organization to someone else. The same can be said for students of The University of
Technology, Jamaican and their views on the school‟s technology on their learning. It is
important for the university as an organization to know what students think of the unique Library
System, UTECH Moodle and the UTECH App. With this knowledge the university will be able
to discern between actual problems concerning these technological innovations and cultural
perceptions of these.
Like other universities, The University of Technology, Jamaica has adopted the
philosophy of innovation - on the Papine Campus though it has been ever-evolving. Therefore,
these innovations are now the means through which students gain access to course material and
stay informed.
engage the UTECH App, though it has been advertise as a faster and more reliable means of
accurate information. The challenge though is the fact that services being offered on or messages
being conveyed by the App are already found on UTECH Moodle, UTECH Portal or any
Moodle provides students with course work material for instances in which a student
needs better understanding of lessons, where one missed a class completely, etc. Students
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generally have a positive reaction to Moodle, as it is a means of reinforcement of lectures and
tutorial sessions.
The University of Technology‟s unique Library System is most important for research
modules. The attribute which impresses students most is the fact that the system is still accessible
off campus. All that is required is a valid UTECH ID number and password.
The students of The University of Technology hold different views in respect to how the
school‟s innovation affects their learning. There are those students who think innovation is
irrelevant, those who think it brings positivity and those who think it brings negativity.
Irrelevance is supported by those students who are currently in their first or second year.
This is so as if a student follows the university‟s Module Selection Guide he/she will not be
sitting many modules which intensely require Moodle. Therefore, a student in this situation may
not identify the relevance of Moodle, or the lack thereof. For those to whom they are relevant
Moodle and the Library System have had mainly positive views. With negativity only clouding
The purpose of this research is to examine how students on the UTECH Papine Campus
Research Sub-Topics
1. How has Moodle influenced student learning on the UTECH Papine Campus?
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3. What are the effects of the innovative Library System on student learning on the UTECH
Papine Campus?
4. Does gender influence how students on the UTECH Papine Campus perceive the effect
5. How does one‟s mode of study influence how students perceive the effect of innovation
on student‟s learning?
describing the relationships of technology utilization and its effects on academic achievement on
UTECH Papine Campus. The information gained from this study will benefit higher learning
institutions, tutors and students to enhance the knowledge of the transfer and acceptance of
effective E-learning models that tailor to student learning. Finally, this study will provide
information for E-learning designers and experts on the establishment of new learning
management systems that can incorporate user response mechanisms to track user perceptions
and reactions.
This study will be targeting students from the University of Technology, Jamaica.
Therefore the sample of 32 provided by the School of Business Administration may not deliver
the precise views of the entire University. Also, there has previously been insufficient research
on this topic and so there isn‟t much of a platform to build this research on.
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Furthermore, this research will be conducted over a ten-week period. Therefore, there is a
limit on data collection time. Also, there exists the possibility of participants misunderstanding
relevant information as possible. In regards to maximizing data collection time, the duties will be
divided among the researchers. Finally, questions will be worded as simples as possible to ensure
App - a software application developed specifically for use on small wireless computing devices,
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Chapter 2: Literature Review
How has Moodle influenced student learning on the UTech Papine Campus?
institutions all over the world. The thought of having a system that can track and allow you to
reach students all over the world with a few clicks is astounding. The popularity of internet has
rapidly increased, along with the growing demand for the enhanced digital media and modern
methodologies for eLearning system. Moodle has emerged as the best Web-Based LMS to meet
the growing demand of eLearning system, where educators, administrators, users and designers
can work together on one platform. Facilities of new digital media integration (presentation
features), flexible learning medium and abundant amount of quality information uploaded by
field experts and secure login feature with your data privacy significantly influence the users‟
There is a rapidly growing need to be online rather than to have face to face interactions.
This is even more evident in the educational institutions where Learning Management Systems
support many important functions for effective online education, including facilitating
instruction, assessment, course administration and providing a new means for communication
with students such as view grades, access feedback and view comments to the submitted
assignments.
According to Allen and Seaman (Allen & Seaman,2013), the Sloan Online Survey found
that in 2002 less than half of U.S. higher education institutions reported online education as
being critical to their long-term strategy. However, in 2012, 70% of the surveyed academic
leaders saw online learning (or e-learning) as critical to their long-term strategy. The 2012 report
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showed that there were 6.7 million students (32% of the total student population in the U.S.)
taking at least one online course. Furthermore, 77% of academic leaders rated the learning
more than one-third of chief academic officers reported that their faculty accepted the value and
The barriers that affect the growth of online education are a lack of discipline on the part
of online students, lower retention rates for online courses, and a lack of acceptance of online
degrees by potential employers (Allen & Seaman, 2013). We believe if these questions are to be
addressed first it is important to study how to effectively assess student learning and understand
what factors influence student and faculty satisfaction with online learning. In particular, from
students‟ perspectives, their online learning experiences might relate to the technology platform,
online assessment activities, and satisfaction of the overall online learning environment.
Rouse (2013) defines app as a software application developed specifically for use on
small wireless computing devices, such as smartphones and tablets, rather than desktop or laptop
computers. An app is also termed application and mobile application. The UTech app has created
an avenue for students to access multiple learning resources through the use of mobile devices.
These include: admissions, courses of study, events, news, colleges and faculties, student‟s
student handbook and alumni. Apps facilitate learning however, not all students welcome this
form of learning.
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Kennedy, Kuan, Kwok, Lai and Vogel (2007), asserted that students who made use of the
mobile applications performed significantly better on their exam than those who did not. He
further purported those mobile applications that align with learning resources will increase
student learning.
Vazquez-Cano (2014) supports the view that apps provide learning for students through
quick content delivery and learning beyond a classroom. Students are therefore able to access
Alqahtani and Mohammad (2015) revealed similar findings in their study stating that the
app help students to take control of their learning and optimize in and out of the classroom. In
addition student learning will be enhanced as long there is an interaction between learning and
mobile applications.
Calle, Arus and Rodriguez-Arancon (2013) suggest that the mobile app gives the student
an opportunity to take advantage of free time that they have as they can access the app from any
location. Furthermore students are able to capitalize on that free time and enhance their learning
through the various resources offered by the app. UTech students also able to view the latest
happenings regarding the school, access social media pages and find answers to questions about
school.
Yilmaz and Sanalan (2011) shared a different view stating that applications are useful for
teaching various concepts, but students said that the technology seemed complex. Some students
may be more tech savvy than others so they will have a greater appreciation for the mobile app.
Some UTech students are also not aware of the school‟s app so they may see this technology as
being complex.
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The UTech app provides educational resources as well as access to other important
information that is needed for a well-rounded university life. Students use the app to enhance
What are the effects of the innovative library system on student learning on the UTECH Papine
Campus?
students would be granted access to the university‟s archive database. The lone requirement has
been each student needing a valid UTECH identification number and a password to access. The
university came up with the idea of allowing students access to school archives through the
library‟s online database, even while outside of the library. And according to Murphy Paul‟s
(2016) definition of innovation, the students of the University of Technology would be classified
as customers solving the problem of students obtaining information that is no longer regularly
According to Murphy Paul (2012), the reality of having that much information literally at
one‟s fingertips means research “has shifted from a relatively slow process of intellectual
curiosity and discovery to a fast-paced, short-term exercise aimed at locating just enough
information to complete an assignment.” It therefore means that students are not digging deep
enough into researches, and that they have incorrectly garnered that information is consistently
easy and quick to find. The author also went on to state that “today‟s technologies make it
harder for students to find credible sources of information.” In contrast, using a book as a source,
students are immediately made aware of the author‟s credentials; therefore identifying its
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credibility or lack thereof. This means that students would have been buying into uneducated
opinions from unreliable sources. And very likely may have been accepting these uninformed
perspectives.
Whereas if the university did not offer such a service students would very much have had
to gone out seeking books, old news articles (the actual newspaper that is relevant) and journals.
Forcing them to read much more than just what is required to complete the research but also
Positively though, if students are disciplined enough to cross-reference they will have
access to a wealth of advised information (Herring 2001); by so doing, gaining knowledge in the
process which they can apply for future references. Also, the library system implemented by The
University of Technology enhances student‟s research skills. Over time as students learn to test
reliability and credibility of sources, they will develop the ability to produce valid information in
Does gender influence how students on the UTECH Papine Campus perceive the effect of
Technological innovations have revolutionized our daily lives (Jung, Chan-Olmsted, Park
and Kim, 2012). One area that has been particularly affected is the way we read (Jung et ah,
2012; Zinn and Langdown, 2011). Many readers or students are becoming more accustomed to
using e-books owing to their flexibility and accessibility. The purpose of this study was to
understand the factors that influence behavioural intention towards e-learning use among
students in tertiary at UTECH Papine Campus. Researchers (Flwang, 2010; Riedl et al., 2010)
have also found social influence to be stronger in females than in males. A study by Curtis,
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Edwards, Fraser, Gudelsky, Flolmquist, Thornton and Sweetser (2010) found that men scored
gender and E-learning. One notion found that past studies showed men tended to have a greater
acceptance of technology than females. The findings may be in part to gender role conventions in
childrearing, as adolescent boys learn to use technology and thereby tend to display greater
computer skills than their female counterparts (González-Gómez et al., 2012). The result of male
acceptance has carried an implication that not only replicated itself into the E-learning
environment but also possibly led to creating an E-learning environment that disproportionately
Another line of research concluded that females benefited more from E-learning than
men. Since E-learning‟s gain in popularity, female learners reported to have closed the gap with,
and in some areas surpass, male learners with increased online enrolment. A primary reason
noted for the growth might be that online learning environments tended to benefit female
learners especially those with families, work, and personal responsibilities. E-learning provided
the flexibility and time needed to balance those responsibilities all while studying from home
The last notion was that, because of the increasing use of technology, which infiltrated
into the day-to-day lives of most people, the acceptance and use of technology no longer became
an issue. Some researchers believed that E-learning, at the higher educational level, requires the
knowledge in the use of the Internet and computer thereby a requisite if one chooses to learn
online (Remmele & Holthaus, 2013). In fact, recent researchers found the acceptance of
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technology, with respect to gender, as inconclusive in today‟s age of technology and may no
Recently, more researchers have focused on the study of gender differences in technology
acceptance (Ong and Lai, 2006; Venkatesh and Morris, 2000). They found that males have
higher levels of computer self-efficacy than females. In terms of PU, males weigh it to a greater
degree compared to females. In contrast, females are more strongly influenced by perceptions of
ease of use, and show less favourable attitudes toward technology (Todman, 2000). They have
also been revealed as experiencing higher discomfort with SST (Elliott and Hall, 2005). On the
other hand, males are easily affected by attitude toward the adoption of a new technology
Does a student‟s mode of study influence their perception of the relationship between innovation
At the tertiary level, students have the ability to decide their mode of study based on their
personal lifestyles. As a result of this, one has the option of being either a full-time or a part-time
student. Studies (Kvavik, 2010) have shown that full-time students mainly comprise young
adults that have recently graduated from secondary schools; part-time students tend to be already
employed. By studying part-time, these students have the flexibility of integrating their studies
high learning retention of information and greater knowledge which results in an increase of
learners who achieve „master level‟ and or „pass‟ exams”. Ferriman (2013) also added that e-
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learning give students the freedom to learn at their own convenience, and at a pace that is right
for them.
At the University of Technology Jamaica, Moodle is one of the e-learning platforms that
have been created. Moodle allows students to engage in online group discussions with lectures
and other students. The website is also flooded with student materials and resources that make
the learning experience for students more efficient and effective. What we want to achieve with
e-learning is something the students learn as much from as good, interactive classroom teaching
However, the extent to which Moodle helps UTECH students to learn the curriculum varied
Despite all the benefits that Moodle offer, full-time students have preferred to engage in
classroom discussion with lectures, hence the innovation and technology is viewed as a “leisure
item”. A part-time student however, because of circumstances love the platform that is
associated with Moodle as e-learning is more of a necessity for them to study and pass courses.
And because of this greater appreciation is shown by part-time as oppose to full-time students.
Aasbrenn & Bingen (2009), stated that “classroom teaching is extremely inflexible for
part-time students; as the teacher and all the students have to be at the same space at the same
time, which can be a hassle for part-time students that works. Classroom teaching might be a
traditional way of doing it that adds little to learning compared with more flexible methods. With
Moodle the students are able to access the information whenever, wherever and as many times
they wanted. The only thing needed was a good Internet connection
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Chapter 3: Research Design and Methodology
The research method that we will be using is quantitative research. Quantitative research
is usually used to get views from large numbers of people. In this case we will be taking a
sample of students from the School of Business Admin. Our aim is to gather information from a
specific sample size so as to gather as mush data as possible. (Research Methods, n.d)
Some of the methods we will be using include questionnaires. Data is collected by these
various means following a strict procedure and prepared for statistical analysis. Nowadays, this
is carried out with the aid of sophisticated statistical computer software (example SPSS). The
analysis enables US the researchers to determine to what extent there is a relationship between
two or more variables. This could be a simple association (e.g. people who exercise on a daily
basis have lower blood pressure) or a causal relationship (e.g. daily exercise actually leads to
lower blood pressure). Statistical analysis permits researchers to discover complex causal
relationships and to determine to what extent one variable influences another. (The four main
approaches, 2009)
A pilot study will also be conducted to test the research instruments to ensure its accuracy
and relevance to the research. We will be using a small focus group of random persons who will
take the survey and provide feedback as to the accuracy and understanding of the various
questions and also to check if the options are viable in regards to the research question.
The targeted population for this research will be students and lecturers of University of
Technology Jamaica. Students on the University Campus study one of two ways, part-time or
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full-time. The sample will be drawn by using stratified random sampling, as the sample frame
will contain subgroups such as second, third and fourth year part and full-time students who has
had the Moodle experience. In order to achieve this random selection from each subgroup will be
considered.
An adequate sample size will be drawn to represent the entire population of the
University of Technology students. It is hoped that 20 students from each sample frame will
complete the questionnaires and part-take in the scheduled interviews. This sample size will
enable statistical comparison for the study‟s hypothesis that will provide effective and efficient
information.
Questionnaires will be issued to lecturers and both part and full-time students, between
the hours of 11am to 6pm Mondays to Fridays and from 10am to 4pm on Saturdays. Specific
times were chosen so as to appeal to all the different parties involved in the research. The
questionnaires are short and personal information is not required. This will encourage greater
Questionnaires were used as a means of obtaining quantitative data from both university
students and lectures. The questionnaire issued comprises of twelve questions, eight close ended
and four open ended questions. Questions were formed after doing extensive research so as to
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Validity
Respondents will be asked pertinent questions so that data gathered will answer the
research question. A questionnaire was chosen to conduct research as it takes little time to
complete and tabulation of results is easier. The sample method chosen will yield great results as
the entire population will be represented. Representation of the entire population is important so
the research can be reliable. Respondents will have options to choose from for each question and
Reliability/Transferability
Steps will be taken to ensure that the research is reliable. If the research should be
repeated at another time the same findings will be yielded. Participants will be asked pertinent
questions to explore how the effects of innovation on their learning. The questions will answer
each research question so that the findings will reveal the effect of innovation on student
learning. The questions for the questionnaire will be carefully constructed to align with the
objectives of the research. Once the research is carried out and the findings are tabulated, another
researcher will be able to use the same method and instrument to carry out research and yield the
same results.
Ethical Consideration
Ethical dilemmas may arise in any research. The researchers will ensure the systems are
in place to protect the rights of individuals participating in the study. Participants will be notified
that their participation is voluntary and they can withdraw at any time. Participants‟ response
will be strictly confidential as we respect their privacy. In addition participants will not be
required to identify themselves. Credits will be given to sources used throughout the study to
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prevent plagiarism. The data gathered from this research will be carefully tabulated using the
SPSS software. Participants will also be notified that the research is not politically driven or
linked. A cover letter will be attached to the questionnaire to notify respondents of the nature of
the study and ethical considerations that will guide our research.
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Chapter 4: Analysis of Results
In this chapter the data analysis is presented to illustrate the results gathered from the research.
The data was tabulated using the SPSS program and the presented using charts, graphs and
tables. The fundamental objective of the research is to understand how UTech students at the
Papine campus perceive innovation and its effect on their learning. The data was qualitative
Figure 1
Custom Tables
Count Sub table Valid
N%
Undecided 3 9.4%
Disagree 3 9.4%
Undecided 3 9.4%
Disagree 3 9.4%
Undecided 3 9.4%
Disagree 3 9.4%
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Disagree 3 9.4%
Undecided 5 15.6%
Disagree 1 3.1%
Disagree 7 21.9%
31.3% of the respondents strongly agreed that online platforms are necessary for their learning.
40.6% agreed with the statement and 9.4% were undecided. 9.4% of the respondents disagreed
with the statement and 9.4% strongly disagreed with the statement.
The respondents were tasked with responding to the statement “I use Moodle at least once per
week”. 25% strongly agreed with the statement, 37.5% agreed with the statement and 9.4% were
undecided about the statement. 9.14% strongly disagreed with the statement and 18.8% agreed
Respondents were asked to give their feedback on the relevancy of Moodle to their course of
study. 43.8% strongly agreed with the statement, 28.1% agreed and 9.4% were undecided about
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the relevancy of use Moodle for their course of study. 9.4% of the respondents strongly
disagreed with the statement and 9.4% disagreed with the statement.
E-learning at UTech allows for high retention of information and greater knowledge.
When tasked with the statement “E-learning at UTech allows for high retention of information
and greater knowledge” 15.6% of the respondents strongly agreed with the statement, 43.8%
agreed and 28.1% were undecided about E-learning allowing high retention of information and
greater knowledge. 3.1% of the respondents strongly disagreed with the statement.
E-learning at UTech gives you the ability to learn at your own convenience.
Respondents were asked whether or not they agreed that E-learning at UTech gives you the
ability to learn at your own convenience. 25% of the respondents strongly agreed with the
statement, 56.3% agreed with the statement and 15.6% were undecided about the E-learning
allowing them to learn at their own convenience and 3.1% disagreed with the student.
Traditional face to face interactions add little to the learning process when compared to
Respondents were asked to state their opinion on the statement “traditional face to face
interactions add little to the learning process when compared to online platforms interactions”.
9.4% strongly agreed with the statement, 25% agreed with the statement and 18.8% were
undecided about face to face interactions yielding less in the learning process when compared to
online platforms.21.9% of the respondents disagreed with the statement and 25% of them
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Figure 2
The bar chart above represents the results of respondents when asked if they perform better
because of the app. 6.25% strongly agreed, 12.50% agreed and 28.13% were undecided. On the
other hand 25% disagreed and 28.13% strongly disagreed with the statement.
Figure 3
My learning has increased because of the app.
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative
Percent
The respondents were tasked to state if their learning has increased because of the app. 3.1%
strongly agreed, 12.5% agreed and 37.5% were undecided. 25% disagreed with the statement and
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Figure 4
I use the app to learn outside of the classroom.
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative
Percent
The statement “I use the app to learn outside of the classroom” required respondents to state if
they use the UTech app to learn outside of the classroom. 9.4% strongly agreed, 18.8% agreed
and 21.9% were undecided. 28.1% disagreed with the statement and 21.9% strongly disagreed
Figure 5
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“I use the app to take advantage of my free time” required respondents to state if they had use the
UTech app during their free time. 9.38% strongly agreed with the statement while 12.50%
agreed and 18.75% were undecided. 28.13% of the respondents disagreed with the statement
Figure 6
The University of Technology’s unique Library System is an integral part
of student learning.
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative
Percent
Respondents were asked to state how they feel about the statement “the UTech unique library
system is an integral part of student learning”. 25% strongly agreed with the statement, 43.8%
agreed and 21.9% were undecided. 6.3% disagreed with the statement and 3.1% strongly
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Figure 7
Respondents were asked to state their response to the statement that “one‟s discipline regarding
work determines the Library system‟s impact on student learning”. 21.88% of the respondents
strongly agreed with the statement, 37.50% agreed with the statement and 28.13% were
undecided about the statement. 9.38% of the respondents disagree with the statement while
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Figure 8
Respondents were asked to evaluate the statement that the UTech library system encourages less
reading for research modules. 12.5% agreed and 40.63% of the respondents were undecided.
34.38% of the respondents disagreed and 12.50% of the respondents strongly disagreed with the
statement.
Figure 9
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Respondents were asked to state whether or not the library system condones less research. 3.1%
of the respondents strongly agreed with the statement. 9.4% agreed with the statement and 46.9%
of the respondents were undecided about the statement. 25% of the respondents disagreed with
the statement and 15.6% of the respondents strongly disagreed with the statement.
Figure 10
The bar chart above represents how males have greater acceptance for technology than female
students. The respondents were asked to state their opinion on the statement above. 9.38%
strongly agreed that male males accept technology than female students, 31.25% agreed and
31.25% were undecided about the statement. 18.75% of the respondents disagreed with the
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Figure 11
Female students at UTech benefit more from E-Learning than male
students.
Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative
Percent
Respondents were asked to state whether female students benefit more from E-learning than
male students. 3.1% of the respondents strongly agreed with the statement. 12.5% agreed and
50% were undecided. 21.9% of the respondents disagreed and 12.5% of the respondents strongly
Figure 12
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The statement “the use of technology at UTech is not an issue for female and male students”
required respondents to state whether or not technology is an issue for students. 9.38% of the
respondents strongly agreed with the statement, 28.13% agreed and 31.25% were undecided.
6.25% of the respondents disagreed with the statement and 25% strongly disagreed with the
statement.
Figure 13
Respondents attend school part-time and full time and they view innovation and student learning
differently. 43.75% of the respondents are full time students and 56.25% are part time students.
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Chapter 5: Discussion, Conclusion and Recommendations
Discussion of Results
The main objective of this research was to ascertain how students at the UTech, Jamaica
Papine campus perceive innovation and its influence on their learning. The research was
conducted during one of the Production and Operations Management seminar session. The
research was conducted with the seminar group as the group constitutes a perfect sample of
different students that the research is geared towards. Five research questions were developed to
get a clearer understanding of the topic. The five research questions were divided into more
questions which became questionnaire. The results from the research will be discussed based on
the five research topics that were formulated to solve the problem.
How has Moodle influenced student learning on the UTech, Jamaica, Papine campus?
The research required respondents to state if they use Moodle at least once per week,
25% of them strongly agreed and 37.5% of them agreed with the statement. With the increase in
innovation at UTech, Jamaica, most if not all students have to use Moodle to access information
for their respective modules so Moodle will be used at least once per week. Previous studies
have shown that the popularity of the internet has rapidly increased, along with the growing
demand for enhanced digital media and modern methodologies for eLearning system. Moodle
has emerged as the best Web-Based LMS to meet the growing demand of eLearning system,
where educators, administrators, users and designers can work together on one platform
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There is a rapidly growing need to be online rather than to have face to face interactions.
According to Allen and Seaman (Allen & Seaman,2013), the Sloan Online Survey found that in
2002 less than half of U.S. higher education institutions reported online education as being
critical to their long-term strategy. Based on the research conducted however, respondents were
asked whether face to face interactions add little to the learning than online interactions, 21.9%
disagreed and 25% strongly disagreed with the statement. This concluded that students at UTech
prefer face to face interactions than online classes although online interactions would offer the
The barriers that affect the growth of online education are a lack of discipline on the part
of online students, lower retention rates for online courses, and a lack of acceptance of online
degrees by potential employers (Allen & Seaman, 2013). One of the research questions required
students to state whether online classes require more discipline than face to face interactions.
43.8% of the respondents strongly agreed and 28.1% agreed with the statement. Online classes
require students to be more responsible for their learning than face to face interactions so more
discipline is required.
Based on the results we can conclude that Moodle does impact student learning at the
UTech, Jamaica Papine campus. Students use the tool to access information that is required for
their learning. Students are able to incorporate technology and innovation into their learning.
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What is the effect of the UTech app on Student Learning?
Previous studies done by Kennedy, Kuan, Kwok, Lai and Vogel (2007), asserted that
students who made use of the mobile applications performed significantly better on their exam
than those who did not. The research however, showed different results as majority of
respondents opposed this view. 25% of the respondents disagreed and 28.13% strongly disagreed
with the statement. 28.13% of them were undecided about the statement. There are many
students who are yet to take advantage of using the UTech app as a learning tool as the app.
Alqahtani and Mohammad‟s (2015) study concluded that the app helps students to take
control of their learning and optimize it in and out of the classroom. The research yielded
different results as respondents were against the view that they use the app to learn outside of the
classroom. 28.13% of them disagreed and 21.86% of them strongly disagreed. There are many
students who believe that learning has to be done in a classroom so they are not taking advantage
Calle, Arus and Rodriguez-Arancon (2013) suggest that the mobile app gives students an
opportunity to take advantage of their free time as they can access the app from any location. The
research concluded different as majority of the respondents opposed the view that the UTech app
allows them to take advantage of their free time. 28.13% of the students disagreed and 31.25%
disagreed with the statement. Some students use their free time for other activities than learning.
Similar findings were also yielded for the Moodle question; this also leads to the conclusion that
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students are not disciplined enough to use the app to take advantage of their free time. We can
conclude therefore that discipline has forced many students to miss the great opportunities
Based on the results of the study conducted we can conclude that the UTech app does not
contribute to student learning. There are many students who are unaware of the app and the
multiple learning platforms that it offers. The success stories of those who use the app should be
shared with those who don‟t so that they can begin to use the app.
What are the effects of the innovative library system on student learning on the UTech
Papine campus?
students would be granted access to the university‟s archive database. The lone requirement is a
According to Murphy Paul (2012), the reality of having that much information literally at
one‟s fingertip means research “has shifted from a relatively slow process of intellectual
curiosity and discovery to a fast-paced, short-term exercise aimed at locating just enough
information to complete an assignment.” It therefore means that students are not digging deep
enough into researches, and that they have incorrectly garnered that information is consistently
easy and quick to find. The author also went on to state that “today‟s technologies make it
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harder for students to find credible sources of information”. The respondents were asked to state
whether or not the library system condones less research. 46.88% of the respondents were
undecided about the statement. 25% disagreed and 15.63% strongly disagreed with the
statement. Students are therefore saying that they do not do less research because of the library
system.
Positively though, if students are disciplined enough to cross-reference they will have
access to a wealth of advised information (Herring 2001). By so doing, students gain knowledge
in the process which they can apply for future references. The research shared the same view as
respondents were asked to state if their discipline regarding the library system impacted their
learning. 21.88% of the respondents strongly agreed with the statement and 37.50% agreed with
the statement. Students are disciplined when using the library system as it requires thorough
Based on the results of the study we can conclude that the innovative library system does
affect student learning. Once students are disciplined and do sufficient research the library
Does gender influence how students on the UTech, Papine Campus perceive the effect of
gender and E-learning. Past studies showed men tended to have a greater acceptance of
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technology than females. The research revealed that this is so as 9.38% of the respondents
strongly agreed with the statement and 31.25% agreed with the statement while 31.25% were
undecided about the statement. Males tend to spend more time using different technologies so
they are able to accept the technology and use it more than females.
Another line of research concluded that females benefited more from E-learning than
men. The research however, proved otherwise as 50% of the respondents were undecided,
21.88% disagreed, 12.50% agreed and 12.50% strongly disagreed with the statement. Students
are not sure which gender benefits more from the technology. Females will agree or strongly
agree with the statement and males will disagree or strongly disagree with the statement.
The last notion was that, because of the increasing use of technology, which infiltrated
into the day-to-day lives of most people, the acceptance and use of technology no longer became
an issue. Some researchers believed that E-learning, at the higher educational level, requires the
knowledge in the use of the Internet and computer thereby a requisite if one chooses to learn
online (Remmele & Holthaus, 2013). There were mixed reactions to this statement as
respondents were not contented with the statement. 28.13% agreed with the statement, 31.25%
were undecided and 25% strongly disagreed with the statement. There are some students that
find it easy to navigate the different innovations offered by UTech while there are many who are
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How does one‟s mode of study influence how students perceive the effect of innovation on
student‟s learning?
The results showed that 43.75% of the respondents are full-time students and 56.25% of them are
part-time students.
The results concluded that gender male students use more technology than females.
The results gathered from the research shows that innovation and technology needs to be
incorporated more into student learning. There are many students who are yet to catch on to the
innovations offered by UTech through the various platforms such as Moodle, UTech app and the
innovative library systems. The implications for UTech includes: finding creative ways to
integrate more of their innovations into student learning process to encourage utilization of the
technologies. There also needs to be more utilization of the technology and innovations.
The principal objective of this research was to garner information regarding how students
at the University of Technology Jamaica, Papine Campus, perceive innovation and its influence
on their learning. The research was carried out during a Production and Operation Management‟s
Seminar session which involved the dissemination of questionnaires. The questionnaires were
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essential to the research as it enabled the researchers to acquire information from participants in
Based on the result obtained from the questionnaires given to the participants of the research, it
can be concluded that students of the University of Technology Jamaica are more desirable of
face to face interaction learning in comparison to online classes as conveyed by the results
obtained above. It was further deduced that Moodle does have a positive impact on students of
information relevant to their learning. Additionally, a higher percentage of students stated that
online classes required more discipline than face to face interactions which could substantiate
why face to face interactions are more accepted by the students of the university. Interestingly, it
was concluded by the research that a higher percentage of students disagreed with the view that
“the use of mobile applications allowed students to perform significantly over those who did
not.” In light of this, it was further concluded based on the research that a higher percentage of
students opposed the view that the “mobile app gives them a better opportunity to take advantage
of their free time” which conveys that lack of discipline greatly affects benefits that can be
derived from using these online platforms. Notably, the research also showed that some students
were not aware of the mobile app and the learning platforms offered. In addition, it was
concluded by the research, that a higher percentage of students were indecisive as to whether or
not the library system at the university condones less research. A higher percentage of students
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also stated that the library system impacted their discipline towards learning as it required intense
reading and analysis prior to utilizing the platform. Lastly, it was concluded by the research that
gender does not play a role in innovation, and its influence on students learning. It was conveyed
that males were more prone to employing technology than their female counterparts but gender
did not depict as to which of the two benefited more from employing technology.
Based on the research conducted and results obtained, face to face interactive learning
was accepted by students. However, the researchers recommend that there should be a balance
between the two whereas both would enable and can be used to enhance or accommodate
retention of information for there to be transferable knowledge applied across both avenues and
platforms.
It is also recommended that students continue to use the innovations that suit them best.
However, they should take the time to use and learn how to navigate the less used innovations
offered by UTech. UTech should also devise creative ways for students to incorporate the
different innovations into learning. The features of Moodle are not fully optimized so only one or
two of the features are been used. Using the different features will definitely encourage more
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Recommendations for future research
This research has given insights into the University of Technology Jamaica, and their
student‟s perception of innovation and its influence on their learning. The research in detail
looked at the use of particular online platforms and technology employed by students and the
effects it has on their learning. Future research can be developed into further insights for
transferable knowledge and other relevant contexts. There are a number of opportunities for
future research.
The research in essence provides a framework for additional studies to be carried out so
that the value of innovation in education is understood, appreciated and accepted by students in
general. Additionally, we suggest that further collaborative studies are done to garner more
information about gender and the perception of innovation and its influence on students learning
Another recommendation is for a study to be done to illustrate how part-time and full-
time students perceive innovation and technology and its impact on their learning. A research
can in fact be done by a next batch of POM students as there is limited research in that area.
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References
Allen, I. E., & Seaman, J. (2013). Changing course: Ten years of tracking online education in the
(4), 102-112.
Gry, A. A., Ljunggren, E., & Hytti, U. (2013). Gender and innovation: State of the art and a
doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/IJGE-06-2013-0049
Hajjar, T. n.d.An Empirical Study about the Influence of Moodle on the Teaching – Learning
http://www.inase.org/library/2014/santorini/bypaper/EDU/EDU-32.pdf
googling-it-is-not-enough/
Ilie, V., Craig, V. S., Green, G., & Hao, L. (2005). Gender differences in perceptions and use of
https://search.proquest.com/docview/215882152?accountid=35539
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Kennedy, D. Kuan, K. Kwok, R. Lai, J. Vogel, D. (2007). Do Mobile Devices Applications
Sciences.
https://www.ideatovalue.com/inno/nickskillicorn/2016/03/innovation
1909-4A39-8E20-6E591E6C79B.m
Applications in EFL. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, (103) 1189 – 1196.
Vazquez-Cano, E. (2014). Mobile Distance Learning with Smartphones and Apps in Higher
Yilmaz, Ozkan. Sanalan, V. (2011). M-learning: M-learning Applications, Students Input for M-
learning In Science Instruction. World Journal of Education, Vol. 1, (No. 2), 172-180.
Waheed, M., Kura, K., Dr., Ul-Ain, N., & Qazi, A. n.d. Influence of MOODLE Module Features
http://linc.mit.edu/linc2013/proceedings/Session1/Session1Waheed.pdf
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Appendices
We are a group of University of Technology Students who are conducting a Major Research
Project to determine Students‟ perception of innovation and its influence on learning on the
UTech Papine Campus. Your views are very important to this questionnaire and all information
you provide will be treated confidentially and only used for this research. You will not be
identified in the questionnaire results. We greatly appreciate you taking the time to respond to
this short questionnaire. Please indicate your response with a tick. Thank you for your
cooperation.
Strongly Strongly
Questions Agree Undecided Disagree
Agree Disagree
Online platforms at school are
1.
necessary for my leaning.
For learning, online interactions
2. are better than face to face
interactions.
Online classes require you to be
3. more disciplined than face to face
interactions.
I use Moodle at least once per
4.
week.
The use of Moodle is important to
5.
my course of study.
E-learning at UTech allows for
6. high retention of information and
greater knowledge.
E-learning at UTech gives you the
7. ability to learn at your own
convenience.
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37 &
Questions 18-22 22-26 27-31 32-36
over
Full Part
Questions Other
Time Time
Please indicate your mode of
25.
attendance.
Thank you!
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