CC0105 SOCIAL RESEARCHECA

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Topc: Urban Living

Sub-Topic: Technology and Education

Research Question: How does UniSim’s utility of e-Books influence student’s choice of study material?

T-Group: T07

Full Name: Nithya Devi D/O Mutesamy

Word Count: 2667 Words

PI Number: W1581141

Date of Submission: 7th November 2015

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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S/N DESCRIPTION PAGE NO.

1. Introduction 3 - 4

2. Literature Review 5 - 6

3. Hypothesis 6 - 7

4. Sociological Theory4.1 Structural Functionalism4.2 Symbolic Interactionism

7 – 8

5. Variables & Indicators5.1 Independent Variable & Indicators5.2 Dependent Variable & Indicators

8 – 9

6. Methodology6.1 Survey Questionnaire6.2 Respondents6.3 Dissemination of Survey

9 - 10

7. Results & Analysis7.1 Analysis of Independent Variable7.2 Analysis of Dependent Variable

11 - 14

8. Conclusion 15

9. References 16

1. INTRODUCTION

The advancement of technology has been taking the world by storm as it dominates

various industries worldwide. Most importantly, it aids as an enhancement to

organizations in saving time and money. Despite its exceptionally quick progression

in the 20th and 21st century, individuals tend to appraise and criticize the positivity and

negativity of its aspects. This is solely due to the part it plays in both their

professional (education and work) and personal lives. This study focuses on how

technology managed to shape the education sector in Singapore, and how this affects

both the school and its students.

Education is a compulsory act under the law of Singapore, and its importance is

highly emphasized by the government. Singapore believes that with education, the

country will be able to develop itself in terms of competitiveness and growth.

[Ministry of Education, 2012] Due to its level of significance and necessity, the

impact and changes in such a sector should not be taken lightly. With that said, it is

evident that schools have imbedded technology into their education system and

student’s curriculum, through innovative ways of teaching and learning. An example

of such a phenomenon would be the usage of electronic books, better known as e-

books, to substitute or minimize physical books provided by institutions.

UniSim in particular, has been incorporating the use of e-books in most of its courses.

As a student myself, I witness the domination of e-books over physical books in all

full-time courses provided by the school. This is an immense conversion in study

materials and methods for many of us, who came from schools with higher utilization

of physical books and lecture notes as part of our manuals to aid us in our program. In

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support to this, I noticed that most students in UniSim tend to print physical copies of

their e-books and articles to take notes, instead of making reference from their

respective devices. To be certain, I enquired senior students from the various courses

and detected that the main mechanism used by professors were similar to that of their

juniors.

Resources used by the schools are mainly for the beneficiary of its students,

particularly those that contribute to their academic prospect. Hence, the observed

trend in UniSim sparked my curiosity to uncover how the influence of e-books

incorporated by the school, shapes student’s preferred study approach. This defines

my research question to be: “How does UniSim’s utility of e-Books influence

student’s choice of study material?”

This finding hopes to fill the gaps of whether schools in Singapore are providing its

students their preferred resources to aid them in their academic achievement. This

research paper will be structured in the following manner: Readers will first be

introduced to primary researches done for the study. This will be followed by the

hypothesis, presentation of variables and methodology, and finally, analysis of

obtained results.

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2. LITERATURE REVIEW

This section is a presentation of some primary researches done prior to the study. This

paper focuses on the education sector of the country because, as mentioned earlier,

Singapore signifies education as one of its top priorities. In fact, its importance has

been constantly emphasized by our very own, Prime Minister, Lee Hsien Loong

during rallies and speeches. [Loong, 2014] He mentioned how it would greatly impact

both the country and individuals positively, and how much effort the government has

contributed to provide every Singaporean a progressive and pragmatic education.

[Loong, 2014]

Moreover, their efforts have shown a clear progression for the country as it was

ranked top for global school rankings as of 2015. [BBC News, 2015] Singapore

government also agreed to their heavy investment on education, as its only natural

resources are people. [Loong, 2014]

In addition to the significance of education in the eyes of the government and its

people, many changes have been implemented to the system of the study as more

schools are adopting the use of e-books. However, apart from the utility of these

resources by schools, Singaporeans too have shown signs of adaptability to the

advancement in technology as the number of readers borrowing e-books from

libraries continues to increase. [Hio, 2015] Although these books are mainly fictional

and different from e-books used in schools, it portrays how individuals exploit such

benefits due to its convenient accessibility.

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An article released by PS Media shows how Learning Management Systems have

been incorporated with textbook contents in many schools. [Schoppert, 2013] An

example of such a system is UniSim’s canvas utilized by all students to aid in

effective learning and communication.

In contrast to such evidence of high utility among e-books, various other studies have

discussed the detrimental effect it can have on an individual. Ergonomic researches

have proven on-screen reading to be less productive as it takes more time for the

individual. It also increases stress and exhaustion for someone who reads off a

computer screen or device. [Marcum, 2012] Apart from this, studies conducted by

Harvard Medical School also accentuates on the detrimental effect of light emitted

from respective devices being harmful to people. [Peter, 2015]

In summation to the researches and studies above, the pressure exerted by the

government, enables its citizens in ensuring the improvement in the movement of the

education sector. Despite the damaging effects that e-books have proven to have on its

users, schools in Singapore continue to accept its use as means to cut costs and

increase productivity. However, institutions fail to realize that students are the direct

users and beneficiaries of these resources; thus, their preferability should be the

determining factor in regulating the type of resources that schools should invest in, for

its students.

3. HYPOTHESIS

The vast development of technology has helped schools to implement e-books into

their curriculum as a form of resource to aid students with their educational

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achievements. Institutions continue to welcome such resources, as they are believed to

be beneficial and convenient for its students. However, my study aims to challenge

this perception, by showing that despite UniSim’s high utility of such resources,

students continue to adopt the traditional method of studying. Thus having no

influence over the student’s choice of study material to change.

4. SOCIOLOGICAL THEORY

4.1 Structural Functionalism

This theory mainly explains the society’s expectation of its people, and why it

functions the way it does. I will further discuss how structural functionalism relates

to, and investigates how Singapore’s education system functions in a society. The

structural functionalist presumes that if an institution exists, there had to be an

underlying reason that serves some social needs. In Singapore, its ministers have

stressed the importance of education to its citizens. This is because institutions that

offer education are significant in building the society and the country as a whole, as

people are the only form of natural resource Singapore can rely on, and the expertise

developed through such an education system, can benefit the country in terms of

global competitiveness and stance. Hence, it would be seen as a positive function

serving the overall society.

4.2 Symbolic Interactionism

Symbolic interactionism analyses the society by addressing the behavioral meanings

of one’s life. This is due to the believe that, as people interact with the world, their

behavior changes and is influenced by what they believe rather than merely on

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something that is naturally true. These are the people who interpret rules, as they are

more interested in the mechanism than the function of it.

Similarly, despite knowing the detrimental effect that e-books can have on students as

mentioned above, schools continue to impose and welcome them as a form of

resource for students to utilize in replacement of physical books. This is mainly

because; schools perceive that it would be more convenient for students due to its

accessibility. It is also viewed as a means to save cost.

5. VARIABLES AND INDICATORS

There are many different types of e-books available in schools and even libraries.

However, for the purpose of this paper, e-books are defined as online textbooks and

study guides offered by UniSim. The main objective of this study is to observe the

type of study material selected by students, so as to be able to aid the school in

utilizing their resources more efficiently and effectively, while accommodating to the

preferability of its students.

5.1 Independent Variable and Indicators

The independent variable is the level (high or low) of UniSim’s utility of e-books.

This variable varies quantitatively, and will be measured with the following

indicators:

(a) Number of modules taken by students

(b) Number of modules utilizing e-books

(c) Frequency of references made by teachers to these resources

(d) Relevance of contents with respect to student’s assignments and tests

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5.2 Dependent Variable and Indicators

The dependent variable for this study is the type of study materials selected by

students. This is inclusive of e-books or physical books that contributes to their

educational achievement. The variable varies qualitatively, and will be measured

with the following indicators:

(a) Student’s ability to understand contents when using e-books

(b) Students ability to concentrate when using e-books

(c) Student’s choice to print e-books

(d) Method of study

(e) Usage of other academic books

6. METHODOLOGY

This section will feature the methods and criteria undertaken to gather data for the

analysis of this study.

6.1 Survey Questionnaire

The primary data collection method used was survey questionnaire. With the use of

the indicators stated above, I was able to construct the survey questionnaire to aid

with the analysis of this research. (Refer to URL below) This method is chosen due

to the various benefits it offers. First, it allows for a larger number of respondents

despite the time constraint. Next, with proper structuring of questions, it ensures

standardization of answers, allowing for greater precision to measure the information

gathered.

URL

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https://docs.google.com/forms/d/

1krBkInQfnxMRAceepqnpTykLSSH07ZfdlHVKo0JD8vM/viewform

6.2 Respondents

To gather data from an extensive pool of respondents and due to time constraint,

random sampling of 40 respondents from year 1 and 2 with equal proportion were

selected and the criteria are as follows:

(1) Respondents have to be an existing student of UniSim

(2) Respondents have to be in the full-time programme

6.3 Dissemination of Survey

Due to time constraint, the survey was created online and distributed personally

through online mediums such as mobile applications, and social networks like

Facebook and Twitter. To ensure precision of respondents, they were personally

notified to complete the survey. The questions are structured to address the

independent variable, followed by the dependent variable.

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7. RESULTS AND ANALYSIS

7.1 Analysis of Independent Variable

The following questions were asked to analyze the level of utility of e-books by the

institution.

From the survey, I noticed that every student in UniSim take a minimum of 3 modules

to a maximum of 6 modules per semester. Figure 1 above shows the number of

modules students take per semester while Figure 2 shows the number of modules,

which utilize e-books in their curriculum. As you can see, both graphs are similar;

proving that all modules used by both students from year 1 and 2 encompasses the

usage of e-books as a mechanism in their studies. This clearly shows a high utility of

e-books by the school.

3 4 5 60

5

10

15

20

25

Fig. 1: Number of Modules Taken by Students

Year 1 Students

Year 2 students

Number of Modules per Semester

Num

ber

of S

tude

nts

3 4 5 60

5

10

15

20

25Fig 2: Number of Modules using E-books

Year 1 Students

Year 2 students

Number of Modules using e-books

Num

ber

of S

tude

nts

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1 2 3 40

5

10

15

20

25

Figure 3: Level of Utility of E-books by UniSim

High Reference of e-book by professorsHigh Relevance of contents to curriculumAbility to understandHigh Tendency to Pro-castinate

1- Strongly Agree, 2 - Agree, 3 - Disagree, 4 - Strongly Disagree

These four questions were calculated on a scale of 1 to 4, 1 being strongly agree and 4

being strongly disagree. The questions asked are summarized in the legend of Figure

3. Reference of e-books here refers to professor’s tendency to make use of the e-

books during their lessons to educate their students, while relevance of contents is

based on how much of the e-book is applicable in terms of their assignments and

examinations. As you can see, in terms of reference and relevance of its contents,

majority of the students strongly agreed. Proving once again, that the school does

indeed display a high level in the usage of e-books.

From these answers provided, we can infer that the level of utility of e-books by the

school is high. This means that UniSim depends on such resources to teach the

students and they too, have to depend on these resources in terms of their education.

7.2 Analysis of Dependent Variable

The following figures are obtained from questions asked to analyse the type of study

material chosen by students, and the possible reasons for their preferability.

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Student’s choice of printing out the e-books was also asked. We can infer that those

who chose to print a copy of their online material have a clear preferability of

physical study materials. In this case, a majority of 77% of students chose to print

their e-books to study. When asked why, most of them acknowledged that referring to

the online academic books tires them easily. The second most popular reason is that it

instills productivity, and lastly, its tendency to be distractive. As mentioned earlier, e-

books have proven to have a detrimental effect on its users, and from these results we

can concur that UniSim students are victims of these effects.

Yes78%

No23%

Figure 4: Do you print out your E-books?

More Produc-

tive 33%

Get tired easily 51%

Distraction16%

Figure 5: If yes, why?

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Lastly, their preferability in terms of note taking and type of study material was

asked. As you can see from Figure 6 and 7, most students prefer writing physical

notes and books as compared to e-books and online note-taking. Although more

students expressed interest in online note taking, as compared to e-books, the

majority’s preferability still stands. There is a clear indication that students still favor

the traditional way of studying, despite high usage of e-books by the school.

Overall, we can see a clear segregation between what the students want and what the

school offers. Although UniSim’s high utility of e-books does not affect student’s

choice of study material, due to their favourability to the traditional method, it affects

them in other ways. As you can see from Figure 5, it affects them mainly in terms of

productivity and distraction. This means that student’s performance and progression

may be adversely affected due to the school’s system.

Writing physical

notes83%

Taking down notes online

18%

Figure 6: Which do you prefer?

physical books85%

e-books/resources

15%

Figure 7: Overall, which do you prefer?

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8. CONCLUSION

UniSim’s utility of e-books does not influence a change in student’s choice of study

material. As mentioned earlier, UniSim are amongst the many schools that have been

incorporating e-resources into its curriculum, but a material such as academic books

should be shaped to provide effectiveness for its students. If schools continue to

provide e-resources due to its accessibility and convenience, students may continue to

suffer the detrimental effect that these resources are exposed to.

Moreover, the results of my analysis prove compatibility to my hypothesis that

despite the school’s high utility of e-books, students still lean towards the traditional

method. However, throughout the research study, I have discovered several

limitations. For instance, due to the time constraint, the sample size of my survey

respondents may subject to vulnerability from the number of respondents and their

answers, as they may choose to answer questions arbitrarily, not knowing the

importance of its function.

In conclusion, to the best of my ability, this study may help UniSim to determine the

preferred mode of study by students so that it can shape its resources to suit them.

Despite the school’s perception of such resources, it is significant as the results of

these findings may help to distinguish the gaps and challenges students face, and

possibly have a positive effect on their performance and results.

(2667 words)

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9. REFERENCES

Coughlan, S. (2015, May 13). Asia tops biggest global school rankings. Retrieved from BBC News at http://www.bbc.com/news/business-32608772

Hio, L. (2015, July 13). E-books click with more library users in Singapore. Retrieved from The Straits Times at http://www.straitstimes.com/tech/e-books-click-with-more-library-users-in-singapore

Loong, H. (2014). Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's National Day Rally 2014. Retrieved from Prime Minister’s Office at http://www.pmo.gov.sg/mediacentre/prime-minister-lee-hsien-loongs-national-day-rally-2014-speech-english

Loong, H. (2014, September 6). Speech by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at Yale-NUS College groundbreaking ceremony. Retrieved from Prime Minister’s Office at http://www.pmo.gov.sg/mediacentre/speech-prime-minister-lee-hsien-loong-yale-nus-college-groundbreaking-ceremony

Marcum, E. (2012, November). The cognitive disadvantages of e-books. Retrieved from AALL Spectrum at http://www.aallnet.org/mm/Publications/spectrum/archives/vol-17/No-2/e-book-disadvantages.pdf

Ministry of Education. (2012, February 8). Prepared Remarks for Mr Heng Swee Keat, Minister for Education, on “Education for Competitiveness and Growth” at the Singapore Conference in Washington D.C., USA. Retrieved from Ministry of Education Singapore at http://www.moe.gov.sg/media/speeches/2012/02/08/speech-by-mr-heng-swee-keat-at-the-singapore-conference-washington-dc-usa.php

Peter, E. (2015, January 5). E-Readers Foil Good Night’s Sleep. Retrieved from Harvard Medical School at https://hms.harvard.edu/news/e-readers-foil-good-nights-sleep

Schoppert, P. (2013, September 23). Digital Publishing in Singapore: The Markets. Retrieved from PS Media Asia at http://www.psmedia.asia/content/digital-publishing-singapore-markets

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