Cross-Sectional Study on the Influence of iPad or Tablet Usage on Student Engagement, Learning Outcomes, and Attitudes Toward Technology among University of Cyberjaya Students

In the 21st century, the integration of technology in education has become increasingly prevalent, with iPads and tablets transforming learning experiences. While some view these devices as distractions, others recognize their potential to enhance educational outcomes by fostering engagement and supporting diverse learning approaches. This study assessed the impact of iPad and tablet-based activities on students' attitudes towards technology, engagement levels, and perceived learning outcomes at the University of Cyberjaya, examining the relationship between the frequency of iPad use and these educational metrics. A cross-sectional study was done among 369 undergraduate students using iPads or tablets at the University of Cyberjaya from 2023 to 2024 collected data via online questionnaires on demographics, feelings about technology, performance expectations, perceived learning, and engagement. Statistical analyses, including descriptive statistics and regression analysis, were used to analyze the data. Most respondents were female (63.4%), Malay (40.9%), MBBS students (54.5%), with high frequencies of daily technology use (61.5%) and in-class tablet use (51.2%) reported. Significant percentages indicated positive feelings about technology (86.7%), high performance expectations (80.5%), perceived learning benefits (82.7%), and effectiveness in meeting course objectives (88.6%). Regression analysis confirmed significant but weak correlations between iPad use and attitudes towards technology, perceived learning, and engagement. The study underscores the positive impact of iPads on students' educational experiences, highlighting their role in enhancing engagement, learning outcomes, and attitudes towards technology, though the impact on academic performance may still be influenced by other factors.


Introduction
The 21st century has seen technology use becoming an inevitable part of life and it has revolutionized the study method especially among university students.One of the inventions that are especially popular among students are portable devices such as iPads and tablets, replacing traditional textbooks and bulky laptops.These days, iPads and tablets are a fantastic piece of technology that allows us to get whatever information we require fast and easily, along with the ability to write notes in just one device.The versatility of these devices causes their increased usage in class.University students that use iPads or tablets for educational purposes increased yearly, as they can study the curriculum using a variety of approaches.However, there were no report on the causal link between the usage of iPads or tablets and their learning.In view of the increased use of these technologies especially by university students in their daily learning activities, this study was conducted with an objective to assess the influence of iPad or tablet usage on students' attitudes towards technology, engagement, and perceived learning among University of Cyberjaya undergraduates.This study is vital as it can shed a light on the importance of using these technologies for educational purposes, and how they can be adopted into the curriculum to enhance students' understanding of their syllabus.

Study Location
The study was carried out at the University of Cyberjaya, Cyberjaya, Selangor.

Study Design
A cross-sectional study was designed and conducted among undergraduate students at theUniversity of Cyberjaya from 2023 to 2024 who use tablets or iPads.Participants Participants were enrolled undergraduate students at the University of Cyberjaya from 2023 to 2024 who use tablets or iPads.The selection of participants was based on their ownership and regular use of tablets or iPads, as these devices were the independent variable in this study.Inclusion Criteria: • Students who own a tablet or iPad.
• Undergraduate students from all faculties at the University of Cyberjaya.
• Ability to understand English, as the survey was conducted in English.
• Ability to provide informed consent.Exclusion Criteria: • Students who do not own or use gadgets like tablets or iPads.

Sample Size
A large sample size was aimed for accuracy, utilizing data from all students at the University of Cyberjaya.Reference was made to "A study of the introduction of iPads at Longfield Academy, Kent" (Heinrich, 2012).A sample size of 365 participants was calculated for a 95% confidence interval with a 5% margin of error, adjusted to 329 participants after including a 10% non-respondent rate.Formula to calculate sample size,

Sampling Method
Simple Random Sampling was employed, ensuring every participant meeting the inclusion criteria had an equal chance of selection.

Data Collection, Research Tool, and Parameters of Interest Data Collection
Data were gathered via online questionnaires distributed through Google Forms to students at the University of Cyberjaya.To maintain anonymity, personal details were not collected.Data access was restricted to the researchers, and all data will be destroyed five years' post-collection.

Research Tool
The questionnaire, adapted from Diemer et al. (2017), consisted of six parts: 1. Sociodemographic: Gender, ethnicity, faculty, year of study, technology usage for education, and technology use during class.

Feelings About Technology:
3 items assessing feelings about technology usage (Likert scale).

Performance Expectations:
5 items regarding expectations of using iPads or tablets during study (Likert scale).4. Perceived Learning: 5 items focusing on perceived learning ability when using iPads or tablets (Likert scale).

Meet Course Objectives:
3 items regarding the impact of iPads on understanding and learning course objectives (Likert scale).6. Perceived Engagement: 6 items on engagement when using iPads in their study (Likert scale).

Statistical Analysis
Data analysis was performed using JASP statistical software.Descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviation, frequencies, percentages) were calculated.Regression analysis was conducted to examine the relationship between the frequency of iPad or tablet-based activities and students' perceived learning.The independent variable was the frequency of iPad activities, and the dependent variable was perceived learning.Coefficients were estimated, their significance assessed, and the coefficient of determination (R-squared) calculated to evaluate the relationship's strength.

Results
Table 3  Regarding the respondents' feelings about technology, Table 4.3 shows the majority of respondents had a high score (86.7%) while 12.5% and 0.8% of respondents had moderate and low scores respectively.Descriptive statistics revealed the mean score of all respondents for feelings about technology to be 13.06 which is high and the standard deviation is 2.07.The majority of respondents, approximately 80.5%, displayed a high level of performance expectations regarding the use of iPads or tablets for educational purposes, shown in Table 4.5.This reflects a strong confidence among students in the potential of these devices to enhance syllabus exploration, offer unique functionalities, and foster deeper learning experiences across academic subjects.With a mean total score of 21.301 and a standard deviation of 3.738, students consistently anticipate significant benefits from integrating iPads or tablets into their learning environments.supplement to this class.We then studied the relationship between the usage of iPad or tablets for education with the students' attitude towards technology, perceived learning, and perceived engagement using a linear regression analysis.From the results shown in table 4.12, it was shown that iPad and tablet-based activities significantly influence the students' attitudes towards technology (F (1,367) = 10.52,p=0.001), perceived engagement F (1,367) =7.152, p=0.008), and perceived learning (F (1,367) =8.60, p=0.004).
From the analysis, we also saw that there was a weak correlation between the usage of iPad or tablet with the students' attitude towards technology (R=0.167),perceived learning (R=0.120), and perceived engagement (R=0.138).

Discussion
Our study explored the impact of iPad and tablet usage on student engagement, learning outcomes, and attitudes toward technology among students at the University of Cyberjaya.The findings indicate that these devices are often used and generally perceived positively by students, enhancing their perceived learning and engagement.However, the relationship between tablet use and actual academic performance is complex and influenced by a range of factors.
The high frequency of iPad and tablet usage among students, with a majority using these devices daily and during every class, suggests a significant integration of technology in their educational routines.Students reported positive attitudes toward technology and high levels of engagement, highlighting the potential of iPads to enhance the educational experience.Despite these positive perceptions, the associations between the frequency of iPad use and students' perceived learning and attitudes toward technology, although statistically significant, were weak.This suggests that while iPads contribute positively to the learning environment, other factors also play a crucial role in determining academic outcomes.
Several key mechanisms can explain the positive perceptions and high engagement levels observed in the study.

Conclusion
The findings of this study illustrate the nuanced role of iPad and tablet usage in shaping students' engagement and attitudes towards technology at the University of Cyberjaya.While the observed correlations were statistically significant, they also indicate the complexity of these relationships, suggesting that other factors may contribute to students' learning experiences.Future research should broaden the scope to include a more diverse student demographic and investigate additional aspects of technology use, such as its impact on mental health and academic behaviors.Understanding these dynamics is essential for effectively integrating educational technology into curricula, ultimately enhancing the academic success and overall development of students in higher education.

Acknowledgement
We express our heartfelt gratitude to God for His blessings throughout our research journey.Special thanks to the University of Cyberjaya staff and students for their invaluable contributions.We are grateful to Dr.Fai, Dr Norhafizah and Dr. Thamilvaani for their expert guidance.Thanks to the Faculty of Medicine, University of Cyberjaya, for their support and resources.We acknowledge the UOC Research Ethics Review Committee for their oversight.Lastly, we appreciate the support of our colleagues and friends.

.1: Sociodemographic information
• Email: editor@ijfmr.comIJFMR240426285 Volume 6, Issue 4, July-August 2024 5 Never 6 1.6 The total number of respondents obtained from this study is 369 which satisfies the required sample size of 365.Based on Table 4.1, the majority of respondents were female (63.4%).Most respondents were Malay (40.9%) and MBBS students (54.5%).However, respondents are spread out more uniformly according to the current year of studying, with year 4 students being the highest (27.1%).Most respondents use technology for education daily (61.5%) and 51.2% of respondents use technology during class.

Table 4 .
7 describes individuals' perceived learning levels, categorized as low, moderate, and high.Notably, 82.7% of 305 respondents acknowledge the positive effects of gadget use.These effects include aiding in applying course content to problem-solving, critical thinking, learning, connecting ideas, and building confidence in the subject matter.The mean total score for perceived learning is high at 21.699, with a standard deviation of 3.952.These findings suggest that iPads indeed contribute to achieving academic objectives.

Table 3 .9: Scoring for Meet Course Objectives
Based on Table4.9above, a significant 88.6% of respondents indicated a high level of agreement that iPads assist in achieving course objectives, including gaining factual knowledge, understanding fundamental principles, and applying course material.The mean score of 13.079 and a standard deviation of 2.388 demonstrate a consistent perception among students that iPads are effective tools for enhancing their educational experience.

Table 3 .11: Scoring for Perceived Engagement
For the perceived engagement of the students when they are using iPads or tablets based on table 4.11, most students have a highly positive perceived engagement (83.5%), indicating that they were more motivated and the participation in class were also higher due to iPad or tablet usage.Only 14.1% of the students with moderate and 2.4% have a low perceived engagement regarding the usage of iPad or tablet for learning activities.