Relationship between Information & Communication Technology and Quality of Work - Life ; A Study of Faculty Members of Zahedan University

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is now common place in the university environment.ICT is an indispensable part of the contemporary world. The field of education has certain ly been affected by the penetrating influence of ICT worldwide and in particular developed countries; ICT has made an impact on the quality and quantity of teaching, learning, and research in the traditional and/or distance education institutions using it. ICT enhances teaching and learning through its dynamic, interactive, flexible, and engaging content. It provides real opportunities for individualized instruction. Furthermore, ICT has the potential to accelerate, enrich, and deepen skills; to motivate and engage students in learning; to help relate school experiences to work practices; to help create economic viability for tomorrow’s workers; contributes to radical changes in school; to strengthen teaching, and to provide opportunities for connection between the school and the world. But little research has addressed the impacts of ICT on the Quality of Work -Life (QWL) particularly on the work-life experiences in the university. Some researchers confirmed that ICT have negative impacts on QWL: Work becomes more intense, workers are displaced, surveillance increases, workers bargaining power declines, and workers skills become devalued. This paper will report on these issues from an initial analysis of baseline data gathered from a survey of faculty members in Zahedan universities. Findings showed that there is not a significant relationship between ICT using and QWL of faculty members. [Azizollah Arbabisarjou, Sayyed Mohsen Allameh, Aboughassim Farhang. Relationship between Information & Communication Technology and Quality of Work-Life; A Study of Faculty Members of Zahedan University. Life Sci J 2012;9(4):3322-3331] (ISSN:1097-8135). http://www.lifesciencesite.com. 491