Tablets in High School Education an Exploration of Student Perspectives in the Context of Personality Traits and Professional Preferences

Abstract

The relevance of the topic is due to the active implementation of tablets in educational activities, which prompts the need to consider the students’ views in Polish secondary schools, where tablets serve as effective tools at all lessons. The article presents a possible connection between personal traits and the use of electronic devices for educational purposes. The present study comprised a participant group of 55 students (29 females, 22 males, with 4 participants choosing not to declare their gender) from the High School in Bielsko Biała, Poland. Notably, this institution has adopted iPads as integral tools for all modes of instruction since 2021, encompassing individual, collaborative, and collective approaches to organize learning. The participants included young individuals aged between 16 and 19. The research was carried out by using the diagnostic survey method, as well as two psychological tests: NEO Five-Factor Inventory NEO-FFI by P.T. Costa and R.R. McCrae - Polish adaptation (Zawadzki et al., 1998) and Multidimensional Preference Questionnaire WKP (Matczak et al., 2006). As the main results showed, respondents admitted that using a tablet helps to acquire new information faster, and in this way, learning becomes more interesting and engaging. Students with a higher level of conscientiousness appreciate those aspects of using a tablet that is related to fulfilling school duties and learning. A correlation between students' academic performance and the degree of extroversion can be observed in areas where tablet the usage is intertwined with social interactions. The results also indicate a possible relationship between the perception of tablet use and the level of need for stimulation in the work/study environment.