Digital Tools Acceptance in Open Distance Learning (ODL) among Computer Science Students during COVID-19 Pandemic: A Comparative Study

Abstract

Abstract: The present new norm driven by the COVID-19 pandemic has taught us to remain at home and carry our everyday activities. This pandemic has seriously made a radical shift to the Malaysian education sector as well. Educators instantly begin to adopt Open and Distance Learning (ODL). However, issues arise in courses that need a conventional setting. In ODL, students and lecturers rely on digital tools, social media, pre-recorded video, and video conference to assist the learning process. Nonetheless, there are some concerns about how successful digital tools are among students in an online learning environment, particularly among computer science students. Thus, a study is being conducted to compare the acceptance of digital tools among computer science (CS) and non-computer science (NoNCS) students by adapting the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). A quantitative research method of convenient sampling was undertaken. Questionnaires were distributed through an online survey among UiTM Terengganu students at three campuses in Dungun, Bukit Besi and Kuala Terengganu. A sample of 367 students who responded from different diploma and degree programs was collected. Findings of the study revealed that all relationships in TAM are significant for both CS and NoNCS students, where both acquire positive perceived usefulness, attitude, and use intention. Thus, the acceptance of digital tools in ODL are justified. However, it appears that NoNCS students had a more positive attitude than CS students, contradicting the study's initial general assumption. More study is needed to discover why NoNCS students have a better attitude than CS students in the acceptance of digital tools during ODL.
 
 Keywords: Computer Science, COVID-19, Digital Tools, ODL, TAM