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Open Access
Article
Publication date: 28 March 2024

Elgazzar Iman Mahmoud Khalil

At the beginning of the 21st century, a new class of information workers, the “information have-less” has risen. This class of workers alleviates the influence of information and…

Abstract

Purpose

At the beginning of the 21st century, a new class of information workers, the “information have-less” has risen. This class of workers alleviates the influence of information and communication technologies (ICTs) revolution on poverty and unemployment. The purpose of this study is to investigate the presence of this class of workers in Egypt and assess the size and potential growth of this category of workers.

Design/methodology/approach

The study clarifies the conceptual framework of the new division of labor, in the information age. The Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics, American Chamber of Commerce in Egypt, Ministry of Communications and Information Technology and Information and Decision Support Center websites provided secondary data for this study. These data are used to assess the size of “the information have less” in Egypt.

Findings

The division of work and class, in the 21st century, depends on the level of skills possessed to work with ICTs. So, class and labor nowadays could be divided into self-programmable labor (Innovators). Information have-less labor class, adding value to the economy by learning skills and presenting repetitive work. Generic labor class, who cannot work with ICTs, and work in jobs, that do not need computers or other ICTs. The study has shown that the “information have-less” labor class is present in Egypt since the beginning of the 21st century, in all its categories; entrepreneurism, the service sector and the manufacturing sector. There are approximately 50% of this labor class in the service sector and only 13% of the information have-less works in manufacturing sector despite the great opportunities that Egypt has to expand manufacturing to absorb more employment. The inclusion of information technology (IT), in all domains, has not decreased employment in Western countries but has reallocated information have-less employment toward the service sector, and there would probably be the same effect in Egypt.

Practical implications

The study highlights the need for Egyptian policymakers to encourage the manufacturing and service sectors to provide huge working opportunities. The Egyptian government has to change the educational policies, at all stages, to include digital learning skills so IT can be incorporated in a wide range of economic activities. Further research includes: conducting a survey to measure the contribution of the entrepreneurial part of the information have-less employment in Egypt. In addition, a model may be developed, by the researcher to examine the reallocation of employees in Egypt.

Originality/value

Studying employment, in Egypt, using the conceptual framework of the information age is rarely being done.

Details

Review of Economics and Political Science, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2356-9980

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 24 April 2023

Oudom Hean and Nattanicha Chairassamee

The authors aim to analyze the inequality in accessing distance learning during COVID-19 school closures.

Abstract

Purpose

The authors aim to analyze the inequality in accessing distance learning during COVID-19 school closures.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors use the Household Pulse Survey, which is an effort by the United States (US) government to measure the well-being of American families during the COVID-19 pandemic. The authors employ a regression analysis to estimate the inequality in accessing distance learning by race and household income.

Findings

Disadvantaged children from nonwhite and low-income families have much less access to distance learning, including less access to online classes, digital devices and the Internet. Schools are critical providers of the Internet and digital devices to children from disadvantaged households. Schools and parents devote more attention to these nonwhite children by spending extra time on their learning activities.

Originality/value

This paper estimates the inequality in accessing distance learning during the COVID-19 crisis. Also, the authors analyze the responses of schools and parents toward this inequality.

Details

International Journal of Social Economics, vol. 50 no. 10
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0306-8293

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 31 March 2022

Nidhya Balasubramanian and Satyanarayana Parayitam

Internet addiction (IA) has become a global health problem. As the research on IA has progressed, this study aims to explore the antecedents and consequences of IA, particularly…

Abstract

Purpose

Internet addiction (IA) has become a global health problem. As the research on IA has progressed, this study aims to explore the antecedents and consequences of IA, particularly in the Indian context. A conceptual model was developed, and hypotheses were formulated based on the conceptual model and the hypotheses were tested.

Design/methodology/approach

This study investigated 752 schools and collected students from the southern part of India. First, psychometric properties of the survey instrument were tested, and hierarchical regression was used to test the hypotheses.

Findings

The results revealed that time spent on the internet every day is positively related to IA, internet experience in terms of years is positively related to IA, income and gender moderates the relationship between time spent every day on the internet and internet experience and IA and IA is positively related to time spent on networking, video streaming, short video apps, educational apps, chat apps, online shopping apps, money-involved apps, etc.

Practical implications

The outcomes of this study are essential for the school and college students and their parents. As IA has become chronic in the present-day digital world, it is necessary to take rectification measures to avoid facing the perils of IA. The conceptual model provides a simple framework of explaining how young students spend their time on the internet to become addicted gradually. Furthermore, this study highlights the importance of controlling the younger generation's behavior, particularly regarding internet use.

Originality/value

This study is unique and innovative to the extent that it explores the antecedents of IA and the moderating role of gender and income in the relationship between the time spent on the internet and the IA. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, developing a conceptual model is the first of its kind to study school and college students in India.

Details

Global Knowledge, Memory and Communication, vol. 72 no. 8/9
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2514-9342

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 14 March 2024

Hassam Waheed, Peter J.R. Macaulay, Hamdan Amer Ali Al-Jaifi, Kelly-Ann Allen and Long She

In response to growing concerns over the negative consequences of Internet addiction on adolescents’ mental health, coupled with conflicting results in this literature stream…

Abstract

Purpose

In response to growing concerns over the negative consequences of Internet addiction on adolescents’ mental health, coupled with conflicting results in this literature stream, this meta-analysis sought to (1) examine the association between Internet addiction and depressive symptoms in adolescents, (2) examine the moderating role of Internet freedom across countries, and (3) examine the mediating role of excessive daytime sleepiness.

Design/methodology/approach

In total, 52 studies were analyzed using robust variance estimation and meta-analytic structural equation modeling.

Findings

There was a significant and moderate association between Internet addiction and depressive symptoms. Furthermore, Internet freedom did not explain heterogeneity in this literature stream before and after controlling for study quality and the percentage of female participants. In support of the displacement hypothesis, this study found that Internet addiction contributes to depressive symptoms through excessive daytime sleepiness (proportion mediated = 17.48%). As the evidence suggests, excessive daytime sleepiness displaces a host of activities beneficial for maintaining mental health. The results were subjected to a battery of robustness checks and the conclusions remain unchanged.

Practical implications

The results underscore the negative consequences of Internet addiction in adolescents. Addressing this issue would involve interventions that promote sleep hygiene and greater offline engagement with peers to alleviate depressive symptoms.

Originality/value

This study utilizes robust meta-analytic techniques to provide the most comprehensive examination of the association between Internet addiction and depressive symptoms in adolescents. The implications intersect with the shared interests of social scientists, health practitioners, and policy makers.

Details

Information Technology & People, vol. 37 no. 8
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0959-3845

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 5 May 2023

Henry T. Ajibo and Jacinta C. Ene

The impact of COVID-19 on the educational systems across the globe was characterized by the shutdown of university education systems. In the post COVID-19 era, examining the…

Abstract

Purpose

The impact of COVID-19 on the educational systems across the globe was characterized by the shutdown of university education systems. In the post COVID-19 era, examining the prospect of on-line education becomes demanding with emphasis on promoting effective and uninterrupted university education sector in Nigeria.

Design/methodology/approach

This study employed phenomenological and descriptive research design. The sample size for the study was 15, comprising university lecturers, students and school social workers. In-depth Interview (IDI) interview was the instrument for data collection.

Findings

Findings revealed that university education in Nigeria was adversely disrupted by COVID-19 lockdown during the pandemic. Similarly, the study revealed that online education will facilitate effective and uninterrupted university education in post-COVID-19 era. Challenges such as lack of access to laptops, smartphones, reliable internet services, electricity etc. are major obstacles to an effective transition to online education in the post-COVID-19 University education era. The students lamented that poor knowledge of ICT by their lecturers and inclusivity of indigent/disabled students were major concerns.

Originality/value

Revitalizing the education sector is a core concern for low-income countries. Online education presents the lasting solution to the constant interruption of university education in Africa. Promoting effective and uninterrupted university education is pegged on an adequate government education budgetary allocation targeted towards providing an enabling environment for online education to thrive. The study recommends that school social workers' engagement in the educational sector would help advocate for the availability of technological infrastructures and mainstreaming of the poor and disabled in the online education dispensation.

Details

Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2050-7003

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 11 January 2024

Yashdeep Singh and P.K. Suri

This study aims to describe the m-learning experience of school students and teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic and explores the factors influencing the continuance intention…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to describe the m-learning experience of school students and teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic and explores the factors influencing the continuance intention of m-learning.

Design/methodology/approach

Semistructured interviews of 24 students and 09 teachers of schools in national capital territory (NCT) Delhi, India were conducted over 03 months and transcribed verbatim. A hermeneutic phenomenological design was used to interpret the text and bring out the “lived experiences” of m-learning.

Findings

The following 15 themes or factors influencing continuance intention emerged through the hermeneutic circle: (1) actual usage, (2) attitude, (3) context, (4) extrinsic motivation, (5) facilitating conditions, (6) intrinsic motivation, (7) perceived compatibility, (8) perceived content quality, (9) perceived mobile app quality, (10) perceived teaching quality, (11) perceived usefulness, (12) satisfaction, (13) self-efficacy, (14) self-management of learning and (15) social influence.

Research limitations/implications

The study offers insightful recommendations for school administrators, mobile device developers and app designers. In addition, suggestions for effectively using m-learning during disasters such as COVID-19 have been provided. Several future research directions, including a nuanced understanding of m-assessment and online discussions, are suggested to enhance the literature on m-learning continuance.

Originality/value

The study enriches the literature on m-learning continuance. A qualitative approach has been used to identify relevant factors influencing m-learning continuance intention among secondary and higher secondary level (Grades 9 to 12) school students and teachers in India. In addition, a conceptual framework of the relationships among the factors has been proposed. Further, an analysis of the lived experiences of m-learning during the COVID-19 pandemic indicated several issues and challenges in using m-learning during disasters.

Article
Publication date: 13 October 2022

Ümmühan Avcı and Ayşe Kula

Recently, online learning and online environments have become even more important. Students' engagement, fear of missing out and Internet addiction are seen as interrelated…

1159

Abstract

Purpose

Recently, online learning and online environments have become even more important. Students' engagement, fear of missing out and Internet addiction are seen as interrelated components that affect students' online teaching and learning process. In this context, university students' engagement, fear of missing out and Internet addiction in online environments, the relationship among them and students' demographic characteristics, online environment usage status and Internet usage profiles as their predictors are examined in this study.

Design/methodology/approach

This is a relational study and is carried out with 179 university students. Personal information form, student's engagement, fear of missing out and Internet addiction scales were used as data collection tools. Descriptive statistics, t-test, one-way ANOVA, correlation, hierarchical linear multiple regression analysis are used for the analysis.

Findings

According to the results, variables related to students' demographic characteristics, online environment usage status and Internet usage profiles together significantly predict the students' engagement, fear of missing out and Internet addiction in online environments. When students think positively about taking courses online, their engagement increases accordingly and their fear of missing out levels decrease. Increase in student's academic achievement leads to decline in Internet addiction.

Practical implications

In practice, examining the related variables about students in terms of engagement to the learning environment, fear of missing out and Internet addiction could bring a new perspective to studies on problematic use of the Internet and technology such as nomophobia and digital distraction. The results of this study reveal how and which components to be focused on for increasing the university students' engagement, reducing Internet addiction and fear of missing out in online learning environments.

Originality/value

The findings of this study provide a versatile perspective with the variables of student participation, fear of missing out, Internet addiction and their predictors in online learning environments, which are becoming widespread and increasingly important today and shed light on future researches.

Details

Information Technology & People, vol. 36 no. 7
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0959-3845

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 9 June 2023

Mary Rice

Leading up to and now living amid the Covid-19 pandemic, teachers are faced with strong incentives, even pressure to adopt and use digital technologies. Previous research has…

Abstract

Leading up to and now living amid the Covid-19 pandemic, teachers are faced with strong incentives, even pressure to adopt and use digital technologies. Previous research has focused on teaching with digital technologies as a matter of believing in their importance and receiving specific preparation for integration strategies. Further, teaching with technologies must appear “seamless” during instruction to not distract from what is regarded to be the more important subject matter knowledge. In this chapter, I review and problematize digital instruction focused on convincing teachers to integrate strategies that use digital technologies in a “seamless” way and then propose an alternative view emphasizing posthumanist, relational views of integrating digital technologies.

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 12 January 2024

Eleonora Concina, Sara Frate and Michele Biasutti

Hikikomori is a multidimensional condition, characterized by voluntarily social withdrawal, impacting the relational dimension of life. The current study aims to examine secondary…

Abstract

Purpose

Hikikomori is a multidimensional condition, characterized by voluntarily social withdrawal, impacting the relational dimension of life. The current study aims to examine secondary school teachers' beliefs, knowledge and needs on hikikomori and students' social withdrawal.

Design/methodology/approach

A qualitative method consisting of a semi-structured interview is adopted with 22 Italian secondary school teachers. The interview questions are focused on the beliefs, the profile, the conditions and the role of the school for adolescents socially retired.

Findings

Data are analysed using content analysis based on the grounded theory framework. Forty-nine codes emerged from the inductive analysis, which were sorted into the following categories: (1) Characteristics of hikikomori and social withdrawal; (2) Origin, causes and consequences; (3) Sources of information; (4) Socio-relational modalities; (5) Teachers' needs and role of the school. Teachers are aware of the educational issues and risks related to hikikomori and claim for more institutional support. Teachers reconsider the way of working in class for preventing the risk of self-isolation, supporting the development of social and emotional skills, and encouraging collaboration and positive exchanges among students. Participants mention a personalized student-centred method where families and external agencies support the school system.

Originality/value

Although several clinical and psychological interventions have been developed for treating the hikikomori’s self-isolation and concomitant mental disorders, few plans have been implemented for reducing the risk of adolescents' social withdrawal. Preventing hikikomori is crucial as well as to investigate the role and the needs of school teachers, and the current study has tried to explore these.

Details

International Journal of Educational Management, vol. 38 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0951-354X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 28 October 2022

Donna Wake and Michael Mills

This study aims to use culturally responsive pedagogy as a model to examine teachers’ views of the equity implications found within virtual instruction.

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to use culturally responsive pedagogy as a model to examine teachers’ views of the equity implications found within virtual instruction.

Design/methodology/approach

The researchers used a descriptive methods design based on survey research employing both fixed (quantitative) and open response (qualitative) options to curate teachers’ perceptions of their students’ abilities to engage in online learning.

Findings

Teachers articulated anxiety for student engagement based on access as well as concerns for student engagement and social emotional learning (SEL) connection. Data point to disparate views of students’ abilities to engage in remote learning based on demographic markers. Teachers also noted their own limitations in providing engaging online instruction that was culturally responsive and included social emotional learning (SEL) learning.

Originality/value

This study provided a unique opportunity to explore teachers’ perceptions of their students in online learning contexts as well as teachers’ perceptions of their own abilities to support diverse students in remote learning. Teachers’ responses indicated deficit views of their culturally and linguistically diverse students and signaled awareness of their own limitations in providing online instruction that was culturally responsive and student centered. Study findings point to a need to equip teachers with tools to mitigate systemic inequity in online contexts.

Details

Journal for Multicultural Education, vol. 17 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2053-535X

Keywords

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