New technology has been credited with the ability to extend human senses. However, adaptation and use of technology has been reported to be intricately mediated by usefulness and ease of use of technology among other contingencies. While Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) has provided the theoretical basis for adaptation and use of technology in a plethora of contexts, little, if any, study has examined the use of ubiquitous smart technological apparatus for academic purpose among the greatest adopters of the technology, university students. The current study examines students' intention of smartphone adoption from the TAM perspective. Data has been collected from students in two public universities in Malaysia and Nigeria. IBM-SPSS version 20.0 and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) approach with AMOS were used to analyze and test the hypothesized theoretical model. The results suggested that attitude, social influence and perceived usefulness were positively correlated with the respondents' intention towards using smartphones for educational purposes. Moreover, students' attitudes towards adoption of smartphones were directly predicted by perceived usefulness and directly self-efficacy, which in turn, had direct impact on students' perceptions of easiness and usefulness. .indings made a considerable contribution to the heuristic value of TAM and facilitated the maximization of smart technologies for educational purposes.
The technological advancement and political situations have dramatically impacted the way traditional and new media have played their role in society, especially in the political development of the country. Studying media use and credibility have been a major concern among scholars to understand audience perceptions and attitudes towards the media and their role in politics. This study investigated the level of media use and credibility among voters and their perception of political efficacy. Drawing on a nationwide quota sampling of 2030 respondents, the findings found voter perception on the media as credible, with the highest trust being on television, followed by newspapers and radio. Internet was found to be the least credible. A factor analysis performed on the political efficacy items extracted three dimensions: Voter Efficacy, Internal Efficacy and External Efficacy. The results of hierarchical regression suggested that traditional and new media use as well as media trust dimensions were significantly correlated with political efficacy but different media use and credibility contributed differently to the various efficacy dimensions. Implications and recommendations are further discussed.
This paper attempts to assess the role of Tamil and Chinese newspapers in exerting influence on Indian and Chinese voters, before and after Malaysia's 2013 General Election (GE13). This study employs both content analysis and survey to examine media agenda and public agenda specifically the Chinese and Indian ethnic groups. In total, 4,951 news items were obtained from two major language newspapers comprising Sin Chew, Nanyang Siang Pau, Tamil Nesan and Malaysia Nanban, during the election campaign period. These news items have been coded according to seventeen categories. A total of 754 Chinese and 183 Indians had participated in the public opinion survey conducted before the general election, and a total of 618 Chinese and 122 Indians responded after the general election. This study found that both Tamil and Chinese newspapers did not influence the agenda of the Chinese and Indian respondents nationwide. Politics appeared as the top issue reported in both ethnic newspapers while crime appeared as the most important issue of concern to both Chinese and Indian respondents.
The popularity of social networking platforms has increased dramatically in recent years, impacting how people communicate, exchange ideas and exert influence on others. These platforms have provided new opportunities for people to connect and engage with each other, ultimately reshaping their sense of belonging and constructing their identity. The current study focuses on how Qatari youth use social media networks as a tool for identity interaction. By examining the motives for, perceptions about and impacts of social media usage, this study provides insights into how the Qatari youth use these platforms. The research employed a quantitative method, collecting data via an online survey administered through Google Forms. A total of 532 Qatari youth responded to the study. This study’s findings illustrate that most youth use social networks frequently, with half stating that they are always connected. In addition, over 40 per cent report subscribing to one to five groups on social networks. The primary motivation for joining these groups is to engage in discussion about social and political issues as well as to stay up-to-date on the news about their community. According to this study, the most popular social media platform among Qatari youth is Instagram, followed by WhatsApp and Twitter. People use these platforms for different reasons, but many find them to be helpful in staying connected with friends and family, sharing news and experiences and staying up-to-date on current events. Moreover, nearly half of the youth who took part in this study claimed that social media had contributed to creating role models in society. This indicates that social media may play a significant role in shaping young people’s identity and their sense of belonging. A significant number of respondents reported that social media role models influenced their personal choices such as dress, perfumes, language and fashion. This suggests that social media play an unmissable part in shaping individuals’ personal preferences and their cultural identities.
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