The Attitude of High School Teachers in Saudi Arabia towards Computers: Qualitative Study

Teachers can play a huge role in encouraging students
to use computers and can affect students’ attitudes towards
computers. So understanding teachers’ beliefs and their use of
computers is an important way to create effective motivational
systems for teachers to use computers in the classroom in an effective
way. A qualitative study (6 focus group) was carried out among
Saudi High school teachers, both male and female, to examine their
attitudes towards computers and to find out their computer skills and
usage. The study showed a gender differences in that females were
less likely to attend computer workshops, females also had less
computer skills, and they have more negative attitudes towards
computers than males. Also the study found that low computer skills
in the classroom made students unlikely to have the lessons presented
using computers. Furthermore, the study found some factors that
effected teachers’ attitudes towards computers. These factors were
computer experience and confidence as much having skills and good
experience in computer use, the role and importance of computers
had become in their life and in teaching as well.

• Manal O. Alothman
• Judy. Robertson

• Attitude
• Education
• Student
• Teacher
• Technology.

[1] Almekhlafi, A, &Almeqdadi, F. (2010). Teachers’ perceptions of
technology integration in the United Arab Emirates school classrooms.
Educational Technology & Society, pp. 165–175
[2] Baylor, A. L., & Ritchie, D. (2002). What factors facilitate teacher skill,
teacher morale, and perceived student learning in technology-using
classrooms? Computers & Education, 39(4), 395–414.
doi:10.1016/S0360-1315(02)00075-1 [3] Becker, H. (1999). Internet use by teachers: Conditions of professional
use and teacher-directed student use. Irvine, CA: Center for Research on
Information Technology and Organizations.1–35.
[4] Drent, M &Meelissen, M.(2008). Which factors obstruct or stimulate
teacher educators to use ICT innovatively?.Computers & Education,
pp.187–199.
[5] Ertmer, P. (2005). Teacher pedagogical beliefs: The final frontier in our
quest for technology integration? Educational Technology Research and
Development, 53(4), 25–39. doi:10.1007/BF02504683
[6] Ermer, P. Leftwich, A. (2009). Teacher technology change: How
knowledge, belifes, and culture intersect
[7] Hardy,J. (1998) Teacher Attitudes Toward and Knowledge of Computer
Technology, Computers in the Schools: Interdisciplinary Journal of
Practice, Theory, and Applied Research, 14:3-4, 119-136, DOI: 10.1300/
J025v14n03_11.
[8] Knezek, G., & Christensen, R. (2002). Impact of New Information
Technologies onteachers and students. Education andInformation
Technologies,7(4), 369–376.
[9] Rosen, L.D. & Weil M.M. (1995). Computer availability, computer
experience and technophobia among public school teachers. Computers
in Human Behavior 11(1):9–31.
[10] Saqlain, N., Al-Qarni, F., &Ghadi, N. (2013).Are English Language
Teachers in Saudi Arabia Ready to Integrate Technology? Procedia
Social and Behavioral Sciences, 103, 146-153. doi: 10.1016/j.sbspro.
[11] Will M., Andersson, R., &Streith, K. (2005). Examining user acceptance
of computer technology: an empirical study of student teachers, 387–
395.
[12] Yushau, B. (2006). Computer attitude, use, experience, software
familiarity and perceived pedagogical usefulness: The case of
mathematics professors. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and
Technology Education.