Digital innovation is now the primary economic driver. In the era of Industrial Revolution 4.0 and the Internet of Things (IoT), digital skills are becoming increasingly important. A paradigm shift from manufacturing to the digital economy brings opportunities and challenges to Malaysia. To prepare society and the workforce for this shift, Malaysia must put in place appropriate policies to enhance productivity and economic growth. However, if the digital divide remains widespread in the country, all of these digital development agendas will be viewed as mere rhetorical statements. In the face of such challenges, the government has already committed significant effort to promoting digital skills through a number of initiatives. However, it appears that the pace of the effort is still slow. Hence, the purpose of this concept paper is to examine the efforts and implementation of digital development in Malaysia as well as the digital divide that exists within the country. In light of the discussion generated by this concept paper, it is recommended that additional research be conducted into the most effective means of closing the digital divide in the country.
PurposeThis study aimed to explore the technostress effects on the students' expectancy in their academic performance. Three main factors were used as predictors, namely techno-complexity (TC), techno-insecurity (TIS) and techno-overload (TO), to measure the students' performance expectancy via the mediating effects of student satisfaction (SS).Design/methodology/approachA total of 234 survey-based online questionnaires were filled by students from Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM). Based on the data, the hypothetical model was tested statistically using the Partial Least Square–Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM), specifically the Smart Partial Least Square (SmartPLS) version 3.3.2.FindingsThe results indicated that SS mediated the relationship between TC, TIS and performance expectancy. Nevertheless, the two predictors (TC and TIS) negatively affected SS, whereas SS positively affected the performance expectancy. The findings further revealed that reducing TC and TIS could increase SS and their expectancy to achieve better academic performance.Practical implicationsThis study proposed that higher learning institutions provide an innovative and user-friendly platform for the online learning environment. Consequently, this improvement could increase SS with the online learning experience and motivate them to expect better academic achievement.Originality/valueThis study also contributed to the existing literature by building and testing a technostress model and articulating the inter-relations between SS and performance expectancy.
Digital education is now one of the main drivers of the country's economic
development. Mastery in digital skills is becoming increasingly important in
the era of the industrial revolution 4.0, the internet of things as well as
technology-based teaching and learning processes. However, all these agenda
towards digital development is seen as a mere rhetorical statement if the digital
divide is still wide in the country. Thus, this article takes the initiative to
dismantle the digital education policy implementation in the country and also
attempts to see how strategies will be applied to reduce the digital divide in
education. Success in ensuring the reduction of the digital divide is important
to further increase the rate of digital literacy and at the same time fostering the
process of innovation in society. The emphasis on digital education is also seen
in line with the 4th sustainable development goal which is to access quality
education and the 10th goal which is to reduce inequality. The discussion from
this concept paper then produces some recommendations for future research to
studies on the aspects of policy and strategies improvement needed in bridging
the digital divide in the country.
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