In their own voices: a nationwide study of students’ attitudes towards the implementation of smart learning environments in UAE schools

A smart learning environment (SLE) encompasses the use of advanced technology and smart pedagogical teaching skills tailored to suit students with diverse learning needs. In recent years, some countries, such as the United Arab Emirates (UAE), have formulated policies to implement SLE in their education systems. Since students are the intended beneficiaries of SLE policy, it is crucial to explore their perceptions of its implementation in a novel context. Therefore, this study explored the attitudes of students towards the implementation of SLE in the UAE. To conduct this investigation, 1857 secondary school students (grades 7 and 12) were recruited nationwide. A newly developed instrument was employed to collect data, which were then subjected to exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses to understand its dimensions and validate the factor structure, respectively. Subsequently, the mean scores were calculated and multivariate variance analysis, structural equation modelling, and moderation analysis were conducted to test three specific hypotheses. The results identified ambivalence among students regarding the implementation of SLE and significant differences between them based on their school location and study grade. Additionally, this study discussed the need for nationwide stakeholder engagement to deliberate on the scope, innovation of technological devices and necessary teacher development for efficient SLE implementation.