Author: Husun Edkadek
The current thesis aimed to investigate the reality of employing technology in reducing educational loss among students with learning difficulties at primary stage –schools in East Jerusalem Governorate: A proposed development approach. Additionally, the study identifies the obstacles of employing technology, and suggests a proposed approach for treating educational loss when it comes to learning difficulties all while utilizing technology. The study approached on both the literature of theoretical and empirical work. The importance of the study is that it is the first topic, which proposes employing technology in reducing educational loss, to the author’s knowledge using a large sample that covered primary stage students in Jerusalem Governorate. The study is considered one of the pioneering studies that examined this subject due to the scarcity of studies that dealt with this topic in Jerusalem Governorate. The study constituted an important reference for researchers who are interested in the issue of employing technology in reducing educational loss in general, in addition to researchers interested in the issue of Palestinian students in East Jerusalem Governorate in particular.
To achieve the study aims, the study adopted the descriptive method used a triangulation approach of quantitative and qualitative designs, and a questionnaire, which is appropriate to the exploratory nature of the research, which will provide more meaningful in-depth data. The target population consists of Palestinian teachers at primary stage –schools in East Jerusalem Governorate during 2024 that includes 443 male and female teachers. The sample size was calculated using the sampling web, http://www.surveysystem.com/sscalc.htm, sample size calculator, with a margin error of 0.03. The overall sample composed of 314 teachers (278 females and 36 males) stratifiedly selected, due to Jerusalem Directorates of Education, in addition to 20 individual interviews that includes 4 mentors, 5 supervisors, and 11 manages at primary stage –schools in East Jerusalem Governorate.
Employing technology in reducing educational loss was evaluated using an index of a 64-item scale. A 5-point Likert scale (Strongly agree, agree, neither, disagree and strongly disagree) was used to assess the employing technology in reducing educational loss among the sampled population through an online survey that was launched on March 15, 2024, and the data were collected for a period of four months. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS-23).
In total, three hundred and fourteen were conducted. Females represented 88.5% of the participants, while the remaining 11.5% were males. The majority (78.7%) of the respondents were well-educated who had a Bachelor degree, and almost 40.8% were in the age group 30-40 years of age. had highly religious committed. Half (51.9%) had a professional experience less than 5 years, 30.6% more than 10 years, while the remaining 17.5% were between 5-10 years.
The findings showed that, the use of technology in primary stage schools in East Jerusalem as experienced by the sample of three hundred and fourteen participants was high (M 3.99 SD 0.63). Of the Palestinian teachers surveyed 79.8% preserved a high level of using technology at primary stage schools in East Jerusalem. Additionally, participants recorded a high level regarding the role of technology in reducing educational loss, and its obstacles at primary stage schools in East Jerusalem. The mean scores and standard deviation were (M 4.13 SD 0.69; M 4.07 SD 0.80) respectively.
Furthermore, the study explored the demographic breakdown over the employing of technology in reducing educational loss among students with learning difficulties at primary stage –schools in East Jerusalem Governorate with the aim of identifying any differences. Findings showed that age, gender, qualifications, and professional experience do not show any significant differences. However, it was found that the availability of electronic devices (laptop, projector, smart board) was significant variable.
These findings confirm the value of employing technology in reducing educational loss and recommend, providing the necessary equipment and infrastructure for schools in order to use modern technology in the educational process to reduce educational loss, developing an educational curriculum to advance technological skills related to artificial intelligence by the Ministry of Education, and conducting training workshops for teachers on the use of technology and artificial intelligence with clear content and objectives in presenting and displaying educational lessons for students with learning difficulties.
Keywords: Technology, technology employment, educational learning loss, learning difficulties, proposed development approach, East Jerusalem.
Husun Edkadek, Assistant Professor, Special Education, Faculty of Educational Sciences, Arab American University, Jenin, Palestine. Post-Doctorate Candidate, Granada University, Granada, Spain. Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
