Does community matter? Social and cultural influences on acceptance and use of collaborative educational technologies.

The recent advances in information and communication technologies (ICTs) over the past two decades have influenced many aspects of live ([19] and [7]). These advances make the issue of acceptance of ICTs a topic of increasing importance, particularly in educational research and practice [18]. Many studies have been conducted to understand, explain, and predict the issue of acceptance and use of new technologies. Fortunately, these studies have resulted in several serious theoretical developments [9]. Overall understanding of the role of culture and social norms in influencing acceptance and use of education technologies, particularly collaborative and interactive technologies such as the internet, can facilitate the successful implementation and use of these technologies in the educational context. This study concentrates on providing insight into the influence of culture and social processes on staff members’ acceptance and use of educational technology, namely the internet at Khartoum state universities (KSUs). Specifically, the study aims to identify the influential role of these factors on acceptance and the use of the internet as a helpful collaborative educational technology. To achieve this aim, the study adopts technology acceptance model (TAM), which is modified (i.e. extended) with Hofstede’s cultural dimensions (mainly uncertainty avoidance and masculinity). With the help of a structural equation model (SEM), the data assessment demonstrates the validity of the model and proves that social influence process and cultural factors have significant (direct and moderate) influence on staff members’ acceptance and use of internet technology for teaching and academic activities – i.e. the authors are able to assert that community matters in the adoption of these new ICTs. The article concludes by offering important implications and recommendations for both research and practice

Leveraging Technology to Build a Disaster Response System of Systems

Several challenges hinder effective multi-jurisdictional and cross-discipline disaster response and recovery, including a lack of clarity in leadership, difficulty in information sharing and collaboration, poor situational awareness, problems with logistics support and supply chain coordination. These challenges exist due to the dizzying array of agencies and organizations that respond to disasters. Because these players represent not a single “system” of disaster preparedness and response, but a multitude of varying and often overlapping systems, a “system of systems” approach must be developed to successfully address the myriad challenges associated with disaster response and recovery. One key development laying a foundation for such a system is the infusion of geospatial and collaborative technologies throughout all sectors and particularly, the introduction of these technologies into disaster efforts. When effectively deployed, these technologies can create a “culture of collaboration.” For example, hundreds of unaffiliated technology volunteers activated in response to the Haiti earthquake, deploying these technologies to improve situational awareness, information sharing and collaboration. While this deployment was effective, it also lacked coordination with official response organizations. For a large-scale response to be successful, geospatial and collaborative technologies must be used to combine volunteer efforts with those of official response agencies. One successful example of this is Virtual USA, a partnership of the Department of Homeland Security, state, and local response organizations, which leverages technology to dramatically improve situational awareness, information sharing, and collaboration. Deployed during the Gulf Coast Oil Spill, the Virtual USA initiative demonstrates how technology can create this critical culture of collaboration and lay the foundation for creating a system of systems. This presentation will outline how we can leverage technology driven initiatives like vUSA to help build a disaster response “system of systems” as part of a National Resilience Framework

Undergraduate Physiotherapy Students' Choice and Use of Technology in Undertaking Collaborative Presentations

This case study explored students' preferences and use of technology for collaborative learning. The participants were third year physiotherapy undergraduate students working in small groups to produce a weekly seminar presentation (n=86). The main study was carried out in 2007/8. The groups were organised based on students' expressed preference for using technology. Data collection tools were interviews, questionnaires, observation and analysis of online natural trails. Ethical approval was granted by HPMEC in 2006. Students' choice of technology related to past experience, efficiency, quality of interaction, inclusivity and they used the technology online provided by the university rather than open source. They highly valued the specialised collaborative classroom that included computers and data projectors that enabled a group to visualise their output and connect to their online group sites. They used the online environment (the University's MLE) largely as a repository, 'offloading' some of the organisational components of collaboration and for knowledge acquisition, using the face-to-face meetings for interaction and co-construction. They used asynchronous discussion facilities for basic administration. Students wanted their education and social technologies e.g. Facebook kept separate. What differed in the groups was the level of face-to-face interaction to undertake the task collaboratively, as opposed to sub-dividing the task and working more cooperatively. The students were committed to collaborative working, but were focussed on face-to-face for co-construction of knowledge, which may relate to the professional culture and programme design. This study has implications for the introduction of technologies into health courses. Students need formative experience in other online technologies so that graduates can participate effectively in continuing professional activities. This needs to be introduced in an authentic situation such as when students are on placement and unable to meet face-to-face. Further research into what technologies may support collaborative learning for health students