TECHNOLOGY TOOLS IN REDUCING RATE OF HIGH SCHOOL DROPOUT IN SAUDI ARABIA

Discussion of the findings

High school education marks a significant transition for the life of the learner. Due to the increasing number of the high dropout in Saudi Arabia, this study sought to investigate the role played by technology in reducing this menace. In this section, the focus will be maintained on discussing the research findings through reviewing various pieces of literature in line with the topic and the result findings collected in this study. Being among the most economically promising country in the Middle East, Saudi Arabia’s level of education for its citizens plays a significant bearing on the country’s progress and by extension, the prosperity of other nations in the same region. According to a study conducted by Trial & Winder (2013), it is prevalence that high school education has faced various challenges and the most complicated one is increased number of high school dropout. Despite the fact that the education system of Saudi Arabia allows the learner to make a decision between continuing with general education or specializing once they join the technical institute, the challenge of dropping out of high has not been solved fully.

Reviewing the literature

According to the study results presented by Mohammed & Wilson (2015, p. 539), a large number of high school students are reported to have dropped out before joining the college for higher learning or technical institute for the acquisition of skills that would enable them to participate in the economic growth. Most of the studies by preceding researcher, such as Alnahdi (2013) and Brasfield, Harrison & McCoy (2012) have not put into account the increased adoption of technology in high education. It is therefore incumbent that the inception of technology has revolutionized the education models in Saudi Arabia making it more student friendly and hence reducing the number of dropouts.

Based on the data presented in this study, a number of theories can be used to explain the current proposition of study. Under this section, this study will aim at giving various ideas that can be used in expanding the presented data to bring out a comprehensive discussion. Such theories include motivation and personality theory and behavioristic theory.

Motivation and personality theory (Technology promotes students motivation)

The theory, according to Harris & Lee (2014), states that the abilities of the learner are important in fructifying their education dream. However, the theory provides constrictions that the provisions must be made for the rapid and slower learners and most importantly, those that have special needs. Based on this premise, it is therefore clear that high school students can borrow a lot from this theory in aiming to fulfill their educational needs. Furthermore, Hooley (2015), presents a similar argument that personal motivation, in relations to motivation and personality theory, builds up a precedence that the ability of the student to remain in school and learn is based on the ability of technology to motivate them.

On the same note, Buri (2016), concurs with the finding of this study that motives are the major drivers that influence the learner to want to pursue the education. In his study, Buri (2016) found out that the reason of achievement surpass the motives of affiliation in that a student will be driven, by a greater force, to pursue his/her dream. Similarly, the goals of a group are not as high as those of an individual hence may not cause a greater impact to a learner. Besides, the group atmosphere may not have conceding objectives that bring about lack of unity of direction. This study concurs with the finding of this research in that technological achievement have been observed as major influencer that encourages the students to remain in school. For this achievement to be reached at, technology plays a significant role in shaping the dreams; that is, short and long-term objectives of the learner.

Behavioristic theory (technology enhance the students to learn new ideas)

In his study of behaviorism, Kitchener (2014), argues that the premise of this theory is based on the willingness of the learner to acquire new behaviors depending on the conditions and the environment. The theory provides that the student is readily willing to learn new concepts within their environments provided there exist an enabling environment. Supporting the finding of this study, the results show that most of the students are willing to adopt technology and remain in school as long as the environment is customized to cater to their specific wants and needs. It...