The purpose of this quasi-experimental study is to evaluate the overall effect of practical work on students’ academic attainment in science. Participants were selected from tenth grade students (chemistry and biology) and eleventh grade students (chemistry), then divided into groups. The control groups were taught using traditional method of teaching science, while the same content was given to the experimental groups using intensive practical work. Pre and post-tests were given to all groups. The mean score comparison revealed a significant difference in the attainment scores of the experimental and control groups. It is thus recommended that students be given ample opportunity to be engaged in practical lessons in secondary schools. This entails that the administration of schools supplies their labs with all equipment needed for practical work to be effectively implemented.SCIENCE PRACTICAL WORK AND ITS IMPACT ON STUDENTS’ SCIENCE ACHIEVEMENT

This study aimed to determine the extent to which fourth-grade students in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are able to develop their reading comprehension and creative writing abilities. The study used a quasi-experimental approach to achieve the study objectives, and the sample included (120) male and female students, who were divided equally into two groups: a control group and an experimental group. As a result of the differences observed between the tribal and remote measurements, favoring the dimensional measurements of the experimental group, the results of the study indicated that the use of digital learning platforms (Teams, platform LMS, Nahla and Nahil) led to an improvement in the students’ levels of achievement in reading and writing. The results showed statistically significant differences in the students’ performance in literacy skills, reading and writing, between students learning via digital environment and those learning using traditional methods, with these differences favoring the digital environment. It is recommended that students’ needs and learning styles be met by shifting towards a digital environment, but gradually and cautiously.

The purpose for this study is to validate a model of student interactions (student-content, student-instructor and student-student interactions and vicarious interaction), information technology self efficacy and student achievement. Investigation of the relationships was undertaken with structural equation modeling analyses, in a study with 250 undergraduate students providing 231 responses for the final analyses. Adopting a framework from Moore (1989) and Devries (1996) on e-learning interactions and Bandura (1997) on self efficacy, this study has found that student interactions can be predictors of student achievement. However, self-efficacy can only promote student achievement via student interactions in an e-learning environment. Although the hypothesised model showed an overall fit, it was further re-specified due to non significant relationships between IT self efficacy and student achievement.

This study investigates the readiness and basis for adoption of cloud computing for higher education in the United Arab Emirates using the Theory of Acceptance Model [1] and structured equation modeling. After the concept of cloud computing was introduced through an educational technology course, empirical data were derived from an online questionnaire with 239 pre-service teachers and undergraduate students. Hypotheses about users’ acceptance and adoption of cloud computing were tested. The findings revealed that perceived ease of use affected the intention to use the technology in the future, and intention to use was demonstrated in the teachers’ actual use. The study’s outcomes provide educational institutions and cloud service providers a better understanding of cloud computing adoption issues. It also supports the foundation for upcoming research focused at improving our awareness of technology adoption and continued-use factors for innovation in instructional technologies. The implications are discussed in the context of education.

Purpose: This paper aims to investigate 152 pre-service and in-service school teachers’ perceptions toward Web 2.0 applications and their usage in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). A five-point Likert scale questionnaire was used. The data were analyzed quantitatively using descriptive statistics and independent samplet-tests. The descriptive statistics were used to identify teachers’ perceptions toward Web 2.0 applications and their usage. Thet-test was used to investigate the differences in perceptions between groups due to gender, and experience using computers and the Internet. The results showed that teachers have high perception toward Web 2.0 tools and services, but the extent to which they use Web 2.0 applications is somehow moderate. Moreover, no statistically significant differences in perception toward Web 2.0 were detected due to gender or experience using computers and the internet. Recommendations and suggestions for improving Web 2.0 integration into teaching and learning are proposed.Design/methodology/approach: This study adopted the quantitative research approach using a questionnaire for data collection. The questionnaire was designed to investigate teachers’ perceptions of using Web 2.0 applications as a method for teaching and learning purposes.Findings: The results showed high self-perception of teachers toward Web 2.0 and their use for improving students’ performance, which can be attributed to their awareness of Web 2.0 importance and benefit in education. On the other hand, results indicated a low use of most of Web 2.0 tools such as microblogging, audio file sharing, photo sharing and content developing. Again, these findings can be attributed to the lack of professional training on using Web 2.0. In addition, the results did not show significant differences between male and female teachers in using Web 2.0 applications with the exception of two items. Neither did the results show any significant differences between teachers who are beginners in using computers and the internet and teachers who are advanced. This could be because beginner users of computers and the internet have the same motivation as the advances users pertaining to teaching.Originality/value: There must be an extensive training for teachers on how to use Web 2.0 tools to enhance their teaching. Infrastructure for the internet should be available so that teachers can use Web 2.0 without worrying about the technology infrastructure at their schools. More research studies should be conducted regarding the use of Web 2.0 by teachers and students alike. A qualitative and quantitative method of data collection should be used when investigating different aspects of Web 2.0. A comparison between K-12 teachers and higher education faculty members should be conducted pertaining to the use of Web 2.0 for education. A comparison study between pre-service and in-service teachers should be conducted to investigate Web 2.0 tools for educational and personal purposes.

The objectives of this article are: explore the adherence to digital etiquette and ‎belief-oriented technology use, examine the relationship between ‎digital etiquette and belief-oriented technology use, and examine the influence of ‎IT Course on students' digital etiquette. The ‎sample comprised 350 students, who were taking IT and ‎non-IT Courses at two private universities. The research employed a ‎cross-sectional survey using a two-part questionnaire. The first part measured digital etiquette, while the second part measured technology use orientation results showed a widespread adherence to digital etiquette among the respondents ‎with very small numbers reporting the violation of ethics. The same positive pattern was found with use orientation where most respondents reported a positive technology use orientation ‎based on their belief. The correlation analysis indicated a strong positive relationship ‎between digital etiquette and belief-orientation (r = 932), while the t-test results revealed a non-‎ significance difference between IT and non-IT students in their digital etiquette.