BARRIERS TO THE EFFECTIVE USE OF TECHNOLOGY IN EDUCATION: CASE STUDY OF UAE UNIVERSITY

While the number of computers in the classroom continues to increase and tremendous support for technology integration exists in academia, a major discrepancy exists between the level of technology use expected of educators and the actual use and integration of technology in the classroom. This article examines barriers that impede the effective use of technology in education.
"Teacher quality is the factor that matters most for student learning," note Darling-Hammond and Berry (2007). Therefore, professional development for faculty becomes the key issue in using technology to improve the quality of learning in the classroom.
According to a recent survey by two largest teachers' unions, most educators are enthusiastic about the role technology can play in improving learning, but many still feel unprepared to take advantage of digital tools in the classroom. What's stopping them? The persistent barriers could include too few computers, a lack of technical support, and inadequate professional development.
UAE University is steadily improving its world ranking. Last year it placed 374th and rose two spots, coming in at 372 this year in the QS World University Rankings 2010. And recently it opened the new campus which is equipped with the latest technology, particularly in terms of processing classes, providing them with the best digital technologies and laboratories to upgrade the University's teaching and linking education with technology.
And in this sense, the CET at UAEU offers some training courses/workshops to train faculty members to use the latest teaching techniques and the latest Software within classrooms, many of which are short-term workshops. But is this type of training sufficient? Do just faculty members need training in the use of those techniques or that students also need this training? Is the problem in integrating technology into the curriculum, align it with student learning goals, and use it for engaged learning projects? What are the needs of faculty to integrate technology in their teaching process development? What are the barriers to effective use of technology in education from the viewpoint of faculty and student? Do fewer technicians hinder effective use of educational technology? Or is the reason the insufficiency of equipments and lack of maintenance?
Methodology:
The study will be collecting data through:
1. Surveying a sample of the faculty representing the five Colleges of the University. A questionnaire will be designed to identify the extent of using the classroom technology, barriers to effective use of technology and their future perspective in that respect.
2. Focus group discussions with samples of students and technicians who are in charge of operation and maintenance of that technology.
3. Class Visits to observe the effective use of technology in education.
4. Moreover, the syllabus of selected courses will be analyzed to ensure the integration of technology in the learning process.
And finally, we through this study will involve the three parties (faculty- students- technicians) in developing a plan of action and strategy for using effective teaching techniques to develop classroom teaching process without adding additional burdens to the Unversity budget.