Understanding the factors that affect continued use or discontinuance of an information system beyond initial adoption is one of the most challenging issues in information systems research. This paper combines information economics, the technology acceptance model (TAM), and diffusion of innovation theory, and analyzes barriers with respect to the continued use of information systems. The suggested model examines data collected from 284 former users enrolled in a blended distance learning university, who apparently abandoned an online assignment submission system. The findings indicate that behavioral intention to use the system was mainly influenced by its perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, its real value, and general attitude towards new technologies. Social and institutional influence was quite low, but the major barrier to continuance was incompatibility with the assignment preparation process performed by the students, as well as the assignment checking process performed by the tutors, which discouraged continued use.
{"title":"Beyond Adoption: Barriers to an Online Assignment Submission System Continued Use","authors":"N. Geri, Orit Naor-Elaiza","doi":"10.28945/376","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.28945/376","url":null,"abstract":"Understanding the factors that affect continued use or discontinuance of an information system beyond initial adoption is one of the most challenging issues in information systems research. This paper combines information economics, the technology acceptance model (TAM), and diffusion of innovation theory, and analyzes barriers with respect to the continued use of information systems. The suggested model examines data collected from 284 former users enrolled in a blended distance learning university, who apparently abandoned an online assignment submission system. The findings indicate that behavioral intention to use the system was mainly influenced by its perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, its real value, and general attitude towards new technologies. Social and institutional influence was quite low, but the major barrier to continuance was incompatibility with the assignment preparation process performed by the students, as well as the assignment checking process performed by the tutors, which discouraged continued use.","PeriodicalId":104467,"journal":{"name":"Interdisciplinary Journal of e-Learning and Learning Objects","volume":"142 4","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1900-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"113987870","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Introducing educational technology platforms for teaching, learning, and school management is one kind of technological innovation. There are two patterns of adopting innovation: “comprehensive innovation” – encompassing most of the organization – and “islands of innovation” - limited to certain groups within it. The aim of this research is to examine the features of organizational culture in a school network regarding the implementation of educational technology and whether this pattern of change reflects “islands of innovation” or “comprehensive innovation.” Seven schools were studied through qualitative research: semi-structured in-depth interviews with key figures and content analysis of the network’s vision. The findings reveal a gap between the values of the management and those of the teachers and forces encouraging the adoption of new teaching methods reinforcing the belief that educational technologies can help improve existing teaching and develop alternative pedagogies. However, these forces only manage to create islands of innovation that do not expand into comprehensive innovation. The gap in values creates ineffectiveness that prevents expansion. The “islands” turn out to be disrupters of innovation that do not allow the first degree change to turn into a second degree change or for this latter to turn into comprehensive innovation throughout the organization.
{"title":"\"Islands of Innovation\" or \"Comprehensive Innovation.\" Assimilating Educational Technology in Teaching, Learning, and Management: A Case Study of School Networks in Israel","authors":"O. Avidov-Ungar","doi":"10.28945/1314","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.28945/1314","url":null,"abstract":"Introducing educational technology platforms for teaching, learning, and school management is one kind of technological innovation. There are two patterns of adopting innovation: “comprehensive innovation” – encompassing most of the organization – and “islands of innovation” - limited to certain groups within it. The aim of this research is to examine the features of organizational culture in a school network regarding the implementation of educational technology and whether this pattern of change reflects “islands of innovation” or “comprehensive innovation.” Seven schools were studied through qualitative research: semi-structured in-depth interviews with key figures and content analysis of the network’s vision. The findings reveal a gap between the values of the management and those of the teachers and forces encouraging the adoption of new teaching methods reinforcing the belief that educational technologies can help improve existing teaching and develop alternative pedagogies. However, these forces only manage to create islands of innovation that do not expand into comprehensive innovation. The gap in values creates ineffectiveness that prevents expansion. The “islands” turn out to be disrupters of innovation that do not allow the first degree change to turn into a second degree change or for this latter to turn into comprehensive innovation throughout the organization.","PeriodicalId":104467,"journal":{"name":"Interdisciplinary Journal of e-Learning and Learning Objects","volume":"24 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1900-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"133240455","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
In recent years, more and more higher education institutions have interests of integrating internetbased technologies in the classroom as part of the learning environment. Compared to studies on other information technologies, users’ behavior towards this type of systems, however, has not been assessed and understood thoroughly. In order to get more experience about human behaviors on multimedia learning environment, we conducted a comparative study consisting of 362 students, which is almost three times the sample size of the previous study, participating to test the theoretical model. Results suggest that TAM is a solid theoretical model where its validity can extend to the multimedia and e-learning context. The study provides a more intensive view of the multimedia learning system users and is an important step towards a better understanding of the user behavior on the system and a multimedia acceptance model.
{"title":"Viability of the \"Technology Acceptance Model\" in Multimedia Learning Environments: A Comparative Study","authors":"R. Saadé, F. Nebebe, Weiwei Tan","doi":"10.28945/392","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.28945/392","url":null,"abstract":"In recent years, more and more higher education institutions have interests of integrating internetbased technologies in the classroom as part of the learning environment. Compared to studies on other information technologies, users’ behavior towards this type of systems, however, has not been assessed and understood thoroughly. In order to get more experience about human behaviors on multimedia learning environment, we conducted a comparative study consisting of 362 students, which is almost three times the sample size of the previous study, participating to test the theoretical model. Results suggest that TAM is a solid theoretical model where its validity can extend to the multimedia and e-learning context. The study provides a more intensive view of the multimedia learning system users and is an important step towards a better understanding of the user behavior on the system and a multimedia acceptance model.","PeriodicalId":104467,"journal":{"name":"Interdisciplinary Journal of e-Learning and Learning Objects","volume":"3 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1900-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"130379752","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
This study examined the development of two Distance Learning (DL) courses and their effect on students' perceptions and learning experiences. Our study included about 260 science and engineering graduate students. Among them, 105 students were divided into two research groups: oncampus students (N=70) and DL students (N=35). These two groups served as a traditional classroom setting and an online setting, respectively. Data was collected through an online questionnaire consisting of both open-ended and close-ended questions and analyzed via the mixed methods model. Findings indicated that the DL students asserted positive perceptions of their learning experiences compared to the on-campus students. Female DL students were more confident about their ability to communicate with their classmates and lecturers in comparison to their male DL peers. We also found that younger students, in comparison to older ones, held higher positive opinions about the quality of the DL courses and the support they received from the lecturer and the teaching assistants. Content analysis revealed four main categories related to lifelong learning via DL: cognitive and professional skills, affective learning, social interactions, and resource management. Learning about students' perceptions of and experiences in DL is an important step toward improving the next generation of online courses in higher education.
{"title":"Lifelong Learning at the Technion: Graduate Students' Perceptions of and Experiences in Distance Learning.","authors":"Rania Hussein-Farraj, M. Barak, Y. Dori","doi":"10.28945/1731","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.28945/1731","url":null,"abstract":"This study examined the development of two Distance Learning (DL) courses and their effect on students' perceptions and learning experiences. Our study included about 260 science and engineering graduate students. Among them, 105 students were divided into two research groups: oncampus students (N=70) and DL students (N=35). These two groups served as a traditional classroom setting and an online setting, respectively. Data was collected through an online questionnaire consisting of both open-ended and close-ended questions and analyzed via the mixed methods model. Findings indicated that the DL students asserted positive perceptions of their learning experiences compared to the on-campus students. Female DL students were more confident about their ability to communicate with their classmates and lecturers in comparison to their male DL peers. We also found that younger students, in comparison to older ones, held higher positive opinions about the quality of the DL courses and the support they received from the lecturer and the teaching assistants. Content analysis revealed four main categories related to lifelong learning via DL: cognitive and professional skills, affective learning, social interactions, and resource management. Learning about students' perceptions of and experiences in DL is an important step toward improving the next generation of online courses in higher education.","PeriodicalId":104467,"journal":{"name":"Interdisciplinary Journal of e-Learning and Learning Objects","volume":"27 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1900-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"125592827","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
In considering the granularity of learning objects, one might be reminded of the cliche of the student who approaches her professor with the question, "How long does my paper have to be?" and the professor's response of, "Long enough to cover the topic and short enough to be concise." While learning object granularity has implications for both reusability and the development, specific decisions related to granularity are governed by the organizational context in which the learning objects are developed. It is a widespread hope that learning objects created in one organizational context will be routinely incorporated into different contexts. At present, it is the immediate organizational context of a learning object initiative that holds the most promise for addressing specific granularity issues such as the proportion of content relative to practice and assessment, the specific size limits of content, practice, and assessment, and heuristics for comparing time length of text with time length of various other media types (e.g., video, audio, and interactive media) in the implementation of content, practice, and assessment sections.
{"title":"Practical Guidelines for Learning Object Granularity from One Higher Education Setting","authors":"Kelvin Thompson, F. Yonekura","doi":"10.28945/418","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.28945/418","url":null,"abstract":"In considering the granularity of learning objects, one might be reminded of the cliche of the student who approaches her professor with the question, \"How long does my paper have to be?\" and the professor's response of, \"Long enough to cover the topic and short enough to be concise.\" While learning object granularity has implications for both reusability and the development, specific decisions related to granularity are governed by the organizational context in which the learning objects are developed. It is a widespread hope that learning objects created in one organizational context will be routinely incorporated into different contexts. At present, it is the immediate organizational context of a learning object initiative that holds the most promise for addressing specific granularity issues such as the proportion of content relative to practice and assessment, the specific size limits of content, practice, and assessment, and heuristics for comparing time length of text with time length of various other media types (e.g., video, audio, and interactive media) in the implementation of content, practice, and assessment sections.","PeriodicalId":104467,"journal":{"name":"Interdisciplinary Journal of e-Learning and Learning Objects","volume":"26 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1900-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"125202908","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
This paper presents an adaptation scenario for tailoring instructional content towards individual learner characteristics taking into consideration his/her learning style type and subject matter motivation level. Learning resources are organized through shareable content objects (SCOs) – a small digital chunks of knowledge, independent and self described pieces of instructional material delivered via Learning Management System (LMS). We use an ontology based student model for storing student information. The scenario of designing lesson content is presented as a cross section of learning style and motivation level, based on the learning object’s educational metadata. Adaptation is made through discovering those SCO’s whose educational category metadata implies that SCO is to be delivered for the learning style of user. Our future work will be to provide experiment and to test our proposed guidelines in order to get feedback on how learners see the adaptive learning environments tailored to their individual learning style and motivation characteristics.
{"title":"Adaptive Learning by Using SCOs Metadata","authors":"D. Milosevic, M. Brkovic, M. Debevc, R. Krneta","doi":"10.28945/391","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.28945/391","url":null,"abstract":"This paper presents an adaptation scenario for tailoring instructional content towards individual learner characteristics taking into consideration his/her learning style type and subject matter motivation level. Learning resources are organized through shareable content objects (SCOs) – a small digital chunks of knowledge, independent and self described pieces of instructional material delivered via Learning Management System (LMS). We use an ontology based student model for storing student information. The scenario of designing lesson content is presented as a cross section of learning style and motivation level, based on the learning object’s educational metadata. Adaptation is made through discovering those SCO’s whose educational category metadata implies that SCO is to be delivered for the learning style of user. Our future work will be to provide experiment and to test our proposed guidelines in order to get feedback on how learners see the adaptive learning environments tailored to their individual learning style and motivation characteristics.","PeriodicalId":104467,"journal":{"name":"Interdisciplinary Journal of e-Learning and Learning Objects","volume":"16 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1900-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"132490901","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The review of literature pertaining to systems analysis and design and the design of systems for online teaching and learning has identified some “gaps” and has shown the need for a more specialised and specific method for the design of such systems. This paper presents research that was conducted to collect information to assist in the filling of the gaps of the systems analysis and design knowledge within Australia and also presents a method for the development of online teaching and learning systems. Currently design is done in an ad-hoc fashion with little formal input from the student users; this research aims to rectify this. The paper puts forwards an educational design approach based upon Soft Systems Methodology (SSM). The outcome of the research is a practical method – the Method for Educational Analysis and Design (MEAD).
{"title":"Analysing Online Teaching and Learning Systems Using MEAD","authors":"S. Leitch, M. Warren","doi":"10.28945/3208","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.28945/3208","url":null,"abstract":"The review of literature pertaining to systems analysis and design and the design of systems for online teaching and learning has identified some “gaps” and has shown the need for a more specialised and specific method for the design of such systems. This paper presents research that was conducted to collect information to assist in the filling of the gaps of the systems analysis and design knowledge within Australia and also presents a method for the development of online teaching and learning systems. Currently design is done in an ad-hoc fashion with little formal input from the student users; this research aims to rectify this. The paper puts forwards an educational design approach based upon Soft Systems Methodology (SSM). The outcome of the research is a practical method – the Method for Educational Analysis and Design (MEAD).","PeriodicalId":104467,"journal":{"name":"Interdisciplinary Journal of e-Learning and Learning Objects","volume":"93 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1900-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"129076588","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
This article examines the perspective of teacher educators and academic officials in an academic teacher education program regarding the integration of ICT in the teacher education program. The study portrays the current state of the ICT integration process and the implementation of the program for “Adapting Teacher Training Colleges to 21st Century Education” in a specific academic college in one of Israel’s outlying areas. This mixed methods study combined quantitative and qualitative methods. Data was collected by means of a closed questionnaire, an open-ended questionnaire for the teacher educators (N = 68), and semi-structured interviews conducted with the academic officials (N = 12). Findings revealed a hierarchical range of ICT integration in teaching, which reflects different profiles of teacher educators who integrate innovative pedagogies. The three integration levels (the basic level, the focused level, and the creative level) reflect the scope of ICT integration in the context of teacher training creating a continuum of integration and implementation, which can serve as an infrastructure for the effective adoption and integration of this innovative pedagogy by teacher educators and academic officials in academic teacher training colleges.
{"title":"Levels of ICT Integration among Teacher Educators in a Teacher Education Academic College.","authors":"O. Avidov-Ungar, Irit Emma Iluz","doi":"10.28945/2069","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.28945/2069","url":null,"abstract":"This article examines the perspective of teacher educators and academic officials in an academic teacher education program regarding the integration of ICT in the teacher education program. The study portrays the current state of the ICT integration process and the implementation of the program for “Adapting Teacher Training Colleges to 21st Century Education” in a specific academic college in one of Israel’s outlying areas. This mixed methods study combined quantitative and qualitative methods. Data was collected by means of a closed questionnaire, an open-ended questionnaire for the teacher educators (N = 68), and semi-structured interviews conducted with the academic officials (N = 12). Findings revealed a hierarchical range of ICT integration in teaching, which reflects different profiles of teacher educators who integrate innovative pedagogies. The three integration levels (the basic level, the focused level, and the creative level) reflect the scope of ICT integration in the context of teacher training creating a continuum of integration and implementation, which can serve as an infrastructure for the effective adoption and integration of this innovative pedagogy by teacher educators and academic officials in academic teacher training colleges.","PeriodicalId":104467,"journal":{"name":"Interdisciplinary Journal of e-Learning and Learning Objects","volume":"6 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1900-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"132006872","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
This research explores the extent to which virtual worlds can serve as online collaborative learning environments for students by increasing social presence and engagement. 3D environments enable learning, which simulates face-to-face encounters while retaining the advantages of online learning. Students in Education departments created avatars that represented them at collaborative meetings and activities. The study examines students’ choice of Avatar appearance in relation to their own appearance and their prevailing social and cultural norms. It compares the appearance of avatars chosen by students from different countries and cultures through analysis of observations, questionnaires, and interviews. Does the user’s appearance affect his/her avatar’s appearance? Does the user’s culture affect his/her choice of avatar? Do 3D environments blur multicultural differences? Do similarities between students and their avatars contribute to their learning experience, and if so, in what way? Results indicate that although virtual 3D environments provide freedom, external contexts create powerful boundaries and expectations, leading many participants to seek a socially acceptable online appearance influenced by their cultural norms, as well as by online group identity. This study extends the dual-congruity perspectives of the Avatar Choice Model to a conceptual framework based on a quad-congruity perspective, including the importance of the online group and adding the constraining effect of offline culture and norms on virtual representations.
{"title":"Virtual Representations in 3D Learning Environments","authors":"Miri Shonfeld, Miki Kritz","doi":"10.28945/1929","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.28945/1929","url":null,"abstract":"This research explores the extent to which virtual worlds can serve as online collaborative learning environments for students by increasing social presence and engagement. 3D environments enable learning, which simulates face-to-face encounters while retaining the advantages of online learning. Students in Education departments created avatars that represented them at collaborative meetings and activities. The study examines students’ choice of Avatar appearance in relation to their own appearance and their prevailing social and cultural norms. It compares the appearance of avatars chosen by students from different countries and cultures through analysis of observations, questionnaires, and interviews. Does the user’s appearance affect his/her avatar’s appearance? Does the user’s culture affect his/her choice of avatar? Do 3D environments blur multicultural differences? Do similarities between students and their avatars contribute to their learning experience, and if so, in what way? Results indicate that although virtual 3D environments provide freedom, external contexts create powerful boundaries and expectations, leading many participants to seek a socially acceptable online appearance influenced by their cultural norms, as well as by online group identity. This study extends the dual-congruity perspectives of the Avatar Choice Model to a conceptual framework based on a quad-congruity perspective, including the importance of the online group and adding the constraining effect of offline culture and norms on virtual representations.","PeriodicalId":104467,"journal":{"name":"Interdisciplinary Journal of e-Learning and Learning Objects","volume":"5 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1900-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"133817061","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Published version of an article from the journal:Interdisciplinary Journal of Knowledge and Learning Objects. Also available from the publisher:http://www.ijello.org/Volume6/IJELLOv6p115-135Hadjerrouit688.pdf
{"title":"Developing Web-Based Learning Resources in School Education: A User-Centered Approach","authors":"Said Hadjerrouit","doi":"10.28945/1172","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.28945/1172","url":null,"abstract":"Published version of an article from the journal:Interdisciplinary Journal of Knowledge and Learning Objects. Also available from the publisher:http://www.ijello.org/Volume6/IJELLOv6p115-135Hadjerrouit688.pdf","PeriodicalId":104467,"journal":{"name":"Interdisciplinary Journal of e-Learning and Learning Objects","volume":"80 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1900-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"132786594","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}