Disadvantages in using ICT

Although many advantages of ICT integration in the learning processes were

identified from the students’ responses, several disadvantages also emerged from the interviewees’ points of view. Fifth and sixth graders were able to identify two sides to using ICT in their current experience. The researcher created four sub-themes in the disadvantages theme: wasting time, health issues, lack of clarity, and technical issues (see Table 3.6 and Figure 3.5).

a) Wasting time

“Time is like a sword. If you do not cut it, it will cut you” [traditional proverb]. Time is a very important dimension in a person’s development, and it is not easy to divide one’s time and avoid wasting it in the current age when there are lots of technological games and media applications. Teaching children to actively and effectively use their time is a challenge. However, interviewee responses showed that fifth and sixth graders were aware that ICT could waste their time if they used it ineffectively. A fifth grader said: “Some students waste their time on the

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regarding using technology because some students are using it negatively. Unless there is a way that the teacher can control student's access, so they cannot access non-academic sites.” An interviewee in sixth grade said,

“Instagram and Snapchat waste the students’ time, but the students must learn science for a better future” (39.6.GB9).

Using technological devices and social media can affect students’ sense of time and lead them to be addicted to using technology to escape the demands of daily life and learning, and thus, may have negative effects on their learning outcomes.

b) Health issues

Using computers and iPads for a long time on a daily basis can have negative impacts on health; for example, prescription glasses may be needed because of impaired vision. Some students may get headaches from concentrating on the screen even though they are using ICT to enrich their knowledge. Several interviewees mentioned that ICT could hurt their eyes. For instance, a student in fifth grade said:

“It hurts my eyes a little bit” (6.5.PA6). A sixth grader at same school added: “If I use it for more than an hour at a time my eyes and head hurt” (13.6.PA13). Another

student in sixth grade at a government school explained that “computers are harmful

to health, damages the eyes and encourages laziness” (44.6.GF1). A student in the

same grade said: “If I use a computer continuously it gives me a headache” (48.6.GH2). Her classmate said, “It hurts my eyes and ears if the sound is high” (49.6.GH3).

Upper primary level students realise that using technological devices can affect their health even though they use them for learning. Therefore, the teachers should help students manage their time with ICT tools to avoid negative effects on their health. c) Lack of clarity

ICT integration may not always be helpful because ICT use can become confusing for the learner. For instance, a sixth-grade student stated, “When the teacher turns

the light off, some students feel sleepy” (4.6.PA4). Her classmate added, “[ICT] makes us confused sometimes” (9.6.PA9). Another student from the same grade said, “Sometimes the sounds or videos are not clear” (16.6.PB1). A sixth grader

explained that “Sometimes the teacher will rush the lesson and that will put me

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work” (25.6.PB10). A sixth grader said: “The sound and images might not be clear, so we can’t understand the information very well” (46.6.GF3).

When using ICT in the classroom, it is essential to make sure that the materials are suitable for the students’ level of understanding. Further, the visibility and the sound of devices need to be clear to achieve the aims of ICT use.

d) Technical issues

The most common problem that could hinder effective ICT use in schools is

technical issues. A couple of students mentioned that a disadvantage of using ICT is technical problems. A student in fifth grade explained that “If the device is damaged

we will lose the information, so you have to save the information on a CD”

(17.5.PB2). Her classmate added, “It’s annoying if the internet connection is slow” (19.5.PB4).

The ICT disadvantages identified by students in fifth and sixth grades reflect that this generation of primary school students are able to see the two sides of ICT integration in science learning. Taking care of time and health are important aspects for positive development of members of society. Using ICT to enhance learning with minimal technical issues can contribute to education of students for a strong society.

The benefits of using ICT in the learning process, based on interviewees’ responses, are summarised as: improvement of students’ understanding, ease of use, raising interest levels, and developing knowledge. The current state of ICT integration in Saudi Arabia has been reviewed by analysing the study participants’ experiences with the use of educational applications, the effect of the teacher’s role in their ICT usage, and the effect of ICT integration on students’ learning outcomes. Delivering the students’ point of view to the decision makers can contribute to more effective ICT integration in the teaching of science in Saudi Arabia. The students’

suggestions, as expressed and recorded here, should be noted in policies and practices to improve the learning process. Based on the majority of interviewee responses, both the advantages and disadvantages of using ICT are relevant to the process of integrating ICT in science education in primary schools.

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