Students Own Experiences of Digital Technology and Implications for Research Proposal

Students Own Experiences of Digital Technology and Implications for the Design of University Education - Research Proposal Example In the last decade, higher education in Saudi Arabia has undergone a major transformation. There has been a three-fold increase in the number of universities in the last ten years. Consequentially, postgraduate students have increased in number. Along with this, improvement in the quality of education and making Saudi education come at par with the education of technologically advanced countries in terms of quality has been the major goal of Saudi universities in the 21st century. Several events have recently occurred that have reflected the increased interest of the students in Saudi Arabia in e-learning. In the year 2009, an international conference regarding cyberlearning and distance education was held in Saudi Arabia for the first time in her entire history. This led to the establishment of the Center for e-Learning and Distance Learning. This center was developed in accordance with the plan prepared by the Saudi Ministry of Higher Education that was directed at cultivating a ro bust infrastructure for the promotion of technology led education in the Universities of Saudi Arabia. Taking a look at the recent advancements that have been made in the field of education in Saudi Arabia, it becomes evident that this is a very crucial time for understanding how students’ own experiences of digital technology use in their personal lives influence their perceptions of ideal university education. Young people have conventionally been the primary users of innovation information technology (Rheingold, n.d. p. 97) â€Å"remaining at the top of Internet usage statistics and distinguishing themselves as early adopters of features such as instant messaging, peer-to-peer file sharing, and social networking tools† (Xenos and Foot, n.d.). Thus, the matter fundamentally concerns the youth and hence the future of Saudi nationals. This research will generate this information so that educationalists may be facilitated in adjusting the university education according to the aspirations of students which is conducive to the students’ increased participation and better academic performance. Provision of digital media in Saudi universities will â€Å"enhance their civic engagement, which comprises political activism, deliberation, problem-solving, and participation in shaping a culture† (Levine, n.d., p. 119).