Abstract:
This survey was carried out to investigate the views and opinions on incorporating
technology for effective education. Technology is merely a tool, but the teacher
plays the most crucial role in inspiring students to foster collaboration and work
effectively. Therefore, the main research questions of the study focused on the
use of technology in traditional classrooms and the integration of technology in
lectures: 1. What are the perceptions of lecturers regarding the use of technology
in traditional classrooms? 2. How do lecturers at the American College of Higher
Education, Kandy, enhance their knowledge through the use of digital
technologies and digital literacy? 3. How has technology influenced the lecture
room practices and curriculum development at the ACHE, Kandy? The target
group for this survey consisted of 35 randomly selected full-time and part-time
lecturers teaching various subjects at the ACHE, Sri Lanka, Kandy, branch. Due
to the design of the survey and the nature of the data collected, a mixed data
collection approach was adopted. A structured questionnaire was administered
primarily to obtain data, with individual interviews and the study of prior work
also providing data for the survey. In this survey, attention was paid to the
following tools used in lecture rooms: Projectors, smartboards, presentation
slides, online assessments or quizzes, educational videos or YouTube, video
conferencing tools, AI tools, and content creation tools like Canva and Padlet;
learning management systems, for example, the CloudSmartsSchool System, the
learning management system used by the college for Diploma Programs, Higher
National Diploma Programs, Foundation Programs, and Lincoln University
College Malaysia Degree Programs; and the "Blackboard" platform, i.e., the
learning management system provided by Keiser University USA for Keiser
University associate degree programs, which represents a new experience for
ACHE colleges. The survey concluded that lecturers prefer to use technology to
deliver lectures. However, the survey revealed that the difficulties encountered
when using technology tools can be addressed through workshops or similar
training programs. The use of learning management systems such as
CloudSmartsSchool systems, Blackboard, and other learning management
systems can further facilitate the use of existing technology tools and methods for
effective education.
