Abstract:
Educational technology plays an important role in improving classroom pedagogy
in many institutions of higher learning. It enhances sharing of information among
lecturers and students and reduces instructional time wastage. However,
educational technology has been abused by students leading to behaviour change.
Thus, many students get distracted from academic work, rarely concentrate in class
but constantly on their mobile phones attending to issues not related to their
academic activities. This study sought to assess the extent to which educational
technology has influenced behaviour change among students in private universities
in Kiambu County, Kenya. The study was guided by the theory of planned behavior
and adopted mixed methodology andapplied concurrent triangulation research
design. The study targeted 6996 respondents comprising 349 lecturers, 113 Heads of
Departments and 6534 students of whom a sample of 379 respondents (30 lecturers,
12 HoDs/CoDs and 337 students) was determined using Yamane’s Formula.
Qualitative data was analyzed thematically along the objectives and presented in
narrative forms. Quantitative data was analyzed descriptively using frequencies and
percentages and inferentially using Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation Analysis
in Statistical Packages for Social Science (SPSS 23) and presented using tables. The
study established that, despite the noble role of technology in improving teaching
and learning activities, 56.9% of students in private universities in Kiambu County
have witnessed a change in their behaviour. Over 65.8% of the students rarely
concentrate in class activities with more than 80.1% constantly using their mobile
phones. There is need for students to embrace responsible use of educational
technology for their academic benefit and reduce the time spent on non-academic
matters. It is further recommended that University management should formulate
and enforce ICT policies which restrict use of technology gadgets such as mobile
phones during lectures.
