Barriers to the Effective Use of Technology in Higher Education Institutions in Yemen: A Case Study of Engineering Colleges

Abstract

Technology promises to shape new education systems with modern features that accommodate the shortcomings of traditional systems. This study aims to answer these questions: Are Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in Yemen, Taiz state, prepared to accept technology-based education (TBE) and what are the main challenges for that? 5-point Likert scale questionnaires targeted 221 female engineering students and 87 faculty members from public and private universities in Taiz state, while the survey data were statistically analyzed using SPSS software 23. The study examined many related variables such as skills to use and availability of technology devices, having personal laptops or smartphones, social beliefs, students' self-motivation, and institutions' vision and infrastructures. The results display that students exhibit better involvement with TBE than faculty members, while students' low income and social barriers represent a solid obstruction to the employment of online and blended education technologies in Yemen. The results also indicate that about 30% of the participant in Yemen did not have personal laptops. Besides, HEIs' infrastructure, such as smart classrooms, electricity, Internet, administrative structure, and scientific research incentives suggest that universities are incompatible with TBE. Finally, this study addressed the impact of cost-free social media platforms in enhancing students’ academic attainments. implications for government, HEIs, faculty members, and students were recorded. 
 Keywords: Technology-based education; Academic Achievement; Social Media Platforms; Education Platforms.