Students Views on the Benefits and Drawbacks of Using Tablets: A South African Case Study

Abstract

The aim of the research was to explore the views of students on the benefits and drawbacks of using tablets at a rural university located in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. The study adopted qualitative method and employed a case study research design. A total of 155 students from a population of 254 voluntarily partook in the study. The instrument used to collect the data was an open-ended questionnaire. Thematic analysis was used to analyse qualitative data. Findings showed that while students had benefits in the case of learning, doing research and user-friendliness, they also had drawbacks such as distractions, taking photos and watching videos. Overall, it should be understood that every technological device has benefits and drawbacks, so in tablets as well. Therefore, if the students can behave maturely and avoid the off-task behaviours, tablets can be considered as a very effective tool for the learning purpose.