ICT in the classroom: a study of diverse aspects (9)

ICT has become ubiquitous in the classroom. This paper seeks a way to reveal ‘Down-to-Earth’ (DTE) issues meaningful to those using ICT in the classroom. DTE issues are those that are directly meaningful to users, which affect the quality of ICT use, unfortunately, the literature tends, to focus on issues of interest to management, IT suppliers and policy makers rather than users. This research explores a way to reveal the diversity of Down-to-Earth issues, uncover hidden issues, and reveal values teachers hold. An empirical study was carried out of twenty teachers from three primary schools by open interview. The data collected was analysed using Dooyeweerd’s aspects based on his philosophy of everyday life. The study shows that literature is a poor guide to which issues are meaningful, and that theories would benefit from taking Down-to-Earth issues into account. It recommends the use of aspectual analysis in policy-making and ICT design

Impact of ERP implementation on the quality of work life of users: A sub-Saharan African study

ERP implementations have a disruptive impact on users and in sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries are more problematic than in developed countries. Extant ERP literature has not focused on the impact of implementations on users work life. Therefore this research aimed to confirm this impact on SSA users’ work life. A theoretical framework and survey was developed from Dooyeweerd’s “Down-To-Earth” aspects and the Easton and Van Laar Work-Related Quality of Life scale. Responses from users from 7 countries working for one case organisation were analysed. The significant effect of an ERP implementation on work life quality was confirmed. Cultural differences were also confirmed. The factors mostly accounting for work life quality impact were skills development and an improvement in working conditions due to a reduction in corruption pressure. The framework and research instrument can be used by organisations to assess the impact of an ERP implementation on user work life quality

Understanding artefacts related to human aspects : The case of information technology and systems

This paper has two aims. One is to critique and expand Stafleu's ideas about artefacts. The other, which may be seen as a demonstration of this expansion, is an outline of a rich view of the type of artefact that is information and communication technology (ICT) and their use in human life as information systems (IS). ICT is a kind of artefact that is more complex than those covered by Stalfeu's idea, and it has been considered in at least five ways: the artificial intelligence question of what is the computer, the computer question of the generation of software libraries, the question of how to develop good information systems, the question of benefits and harm when using ICT, and the question of impact that ICT and society have on each other. An important sixth question is about the varied nature of research into all these, which goes beyond Stafleu's idea of scientific research to include design, interpretive and critical research. For each, a brief outline of mainstream approaches is followed by an approach based on various parts of Dooyeweerd's philosophy. At the end are two sections, discussing how Dooyeweerdian philosophy assists these six areas, and how research in them might contribute to that philosophy

Dooyeweerd’s understanding of meaning (2) : some implications

Meaning is important in everyday life, and each science focuses on certain ways in which reality is meaningful. This article (the second of two) discusses practical implications of Herman Dooyeweerd’s understanding of meaning for everyday experience, scientific theories, scientific methodology, and philosophical underpinning. It uses eight themes related to meaning in Dooyeweerd’s philosophy, which are discussed philosophically in the first article (and summarised here). This article ends with a case study in which the themes are applied together to understanding Thomas Kuhn’s notion of paradigms

Making sense of the information systems use field

Information Systems (IS) Use has been discussed for more than three decades. During this time various perspectives of IS Use are found in the literature, which leads to a complex picture. Thus the main research question is “How to make sense of the IS Use field?” To begin to address this question I discuss the diversity and development of IS Use discourses as contributing to this complexity. The standard ways of understanding diversity and development of perspectives or discourses as paradigms (Burrell and Morgan, etc.) are found to be insufficient. A deeper understanding of what paradigm means is required. Yet, discussion of what paradigms are in philosophy of science (Kuhn, etc.) is controversial and is unable to address both diversity and development in the IS Use field. This thesis argues that Dooyeweerd’s philosophy can provide fruitful understanding of these. This is given an indicative test by investigating ‘what is important’ to the authors of seminal papers who stimulated the main IS Use discourses. A desk study approach was used to aspectually analyse the relevant texts in these papers. The findings are that I) Dooyeweerd's philosophy can provide new insight into the nature of paradigms. II) Dooyeweerd's aspects can provide a rich understanding of the diversity and development of Information Systems Use paradigms. These give one way of making sense of IS Use field that overcomes problems of existing approaches.This way making sense of the IS Use field can contribute: I) To theory, first in IS, by bringing integration to the field of IS Use and stimulating new avenues of research, Second to philosophy of science, by Dooyeweerdian insight into the nature of paradigms; II) To methodology in IS by using Dooyeweerd’s aspects as a tool to investigate what is implicitly held as important to the authors; III) To Dooyeweerd research community by showing the application of it in addressing the diversity and development of IS Use perspectives. Limitations of the research and possible further research are discussed in the conclusion

Using Dooyeweerd's aspects to understand down to earth issues in use of medical records

This research is about experience of using electronic medical records (EMR). Chapter 1introduces and justifies the main research question “How can Down To Earth issues that areimportant in uses of EMR be studied by using Dooyeweerd's aspects?” Down To Earth (DTE) issues are those meaningful in daily uses of patient medical recordsrather than those meaningful for management, ICT suppliers and academics. A survey of the literature (Chapter 2) reveals that high level issues rather than DTE issues aremostly discussed. Even where the literature mentions DTE issues, there is a need for threeresearch activities1-reveal DTE issues to bring to light those which are significant and important2-uncover the hidden issues and the reasons for these hidden issues.3-classify the issues to identify which of these are the most significant After considering a range Information Systems (IS) Theories, Dooyeweerd’s aspects emergedas a suitable theoretical framework to reveal, uncover and classify DTE issues (Chapter 3).Interpretivism was the philosophical lens of choice given that it primarily seeks meaning andinsights, much in keeping with this research which looks for the meaningful issues ofMedical Record (MR) users and aims to gain insights into DTE issues of MR uses. So aninterpretive approach is used (Chapter 4). Users of MR are interviewed and Dooyeweerd’saspects are employed to analyse the transcripts and a selection of excerpts from papers(Chapter 5). Using the results of aspectual analysis of these texts, five quantitative and qualitativecomparisons are made of the following (Chapter.6) The comparison of hospitalsThe comparison of paper and electronic records.The comparison of nursesThe comparison of nationalitiesThe research has three main findings (Chapter 7). 1-The meaningful DTE issues for medical record users are different from the meaningfulissues discussed in the literature. 2-Aspectual analysis enables us to reveal, uncover and classify DTE issues that aremeaningful for medical record users. 3- Each type of user tends to have a unique aspectual profile.Chapter.8 discusses limitations of the research and how this research might contribute topractice methodology and theory. The research contributes to practice of designing andevaluating EMR systems. Furthermore the research could help to generate a theory ofmedical records. Also the research offers a method for analysing DTE issues for otherresearchers in other sectors