Knowledge of Green Computing among University Students and Lecturers in a Malaysian Public University

Abstract

This study examined the levels of green computing
knowledge between students and lecturers, and between ICT and
non-ICT respondents in a public university in Malaysia. Two
types of green computing knowledge were assessed, perceived
knowledge and objective knowledge. Perceived knowledge was
assessed through respondents’ self-rating of how much they knew
about green computing on eight Likert items, and objective
knowledge through seventeen True-False items. The sample
consisted of 240 respondents, comprising 180 students and 60
lecturers, drawn using a purposive, random sampling. Data
were collected using a self-developed green computing
questionnaire, which was administered by hand and via e-mail.
Descriptive statistics and independent-samples t-tests were used
to analyze the data. Results show that almost half of the sample
reported having completely no knowledge of green computing
(49.5%), while 14.6% reported having a low level of knowledge.
Those reporting having high (2.6%) and quite high (9.7%) levels
were few in number. Results of the t-tests point to a nosignificance
difference between students and lecturers, but a
statistically significant difference between ICT and non-ICT
respondents. The findings suggest the importance of conscious
training in energy-efficient computing to raise students’ and
lecturers’ levels of knowledge in this very important area.