Nurturing academic enthusiasm and creativity among children from vulnerable communities: the role of computers

ABSTRACT

This study focuses on students from vulnerable communities who are at the bottom 40% of the population income distribution in a developing country. These students are more likely to face challenges in accessing quality education, with many having a high propensity to drop out of school. Computer-aided education is one way to increase academic enthusiasm and creativity amongst these students to enable them to complete their studies and acquire skills for an information-driven society. Drawing upon the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) model, this study examines the key factors influencing computer use for learning amongst students and if a computer-aided learning experience can lead to improved academic enthusiasm and creativity. Primary data collected from 414 primary school students from the targeted segment of the population was analysed using the partial least squares structural equation modelling technique (PLS-SEM). The findings revealed that performance expectancy, social influence, and facilitating conditions determined students’ computer use for learning. Additionally, computer use for learning influenced the academic enthusiasm and creativity of students. The findings offer insights on the potential implications in the formulation of computer-based education initiatives for students from a vulnerable group in a developing country context.

KEYWORDS:

• Technology acceptance
• UTAUT
• academic enthusiasm
• creativity
• vulnerable community
• primary school students

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 The bumiputeras is the largest indigenous ethnic group in Malaysia. It can be transliterated as ‘son of the soil’.

2 The Titian Digital program is an ICT program targeting students from Tamil primary schools located in rural and urban poor communities. In total, the program covers 50 schools across Peninsular Malaysia. Students are provided with an hour of ICT lessons each week of the school year.

3 The B40 segment of the population refers to households having a household income which lies in the bottom 40% of the population income distribution.

4 A reflective-formative higher-order construct implies that the lower-order constructs are measured reflectively, whereas the higher-order construct is measured formatively.

5 A formative-formative higher order construct indicates that both lower- and higher-order constructs are measured using formative indicators.

6 There are three main types of primary schools in Malaysia – (1) National schools where the medium of instruction used is the Malay language; (2) Chinese national-type schools; and (3) Tamil national-type schools.

7 Selangor is a state on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia encircling the Federal capital of Kuala Lumpur.

8 In the repeated indicators approach, the measurement model of the higher-order construct comprises of the indicators of the lower-order constructs (Hair et al. 2018). For example, consider two lower-order constructs whereby each construct is measured with three indicators. The higher-order construct will be measured with the same six indicators as the lower-order constructs (Sarstedt et al. 2019).

9 Power distance can be defined as ‘the extent to which the less powerful members of organizations and institutions (like the family) accept and expect that power is distributed unequally’ (Hofstede, 2011, 9).