The role of information technology in the academic life of Maltese students

Abstract

This study starts with some general information about Information Technology (IT), followed by a literature review that deals with its impact on society. It is against this theoretical framework that this study examined the approach of 10 Maltese students towards IT in personal interviews. The objective was to learn about the attitudes students show towards IT; whether they perceive the new technologies to be a positive change or a negative change; whether gender and age are barriers in the issue of IT; and how they manage to incorporate IT in their studies. It must be stated that this is a pilot study: The results obtained through it are only a suggestion, or an indication, of the actual situation. It seems also important to note that this study has been conducted during the months of November and December, 1995. The obtained data was confronted and carefully examined as to detect the attitudes and feelings of the participants towards IT, and to compare and contrast their views with those of the existing literature in this field of study. Additionally, further research that could stem from this study was proposed.