3,153 research outputs found

    Digital transformation of higher education in Australia: Understanding affordance dynamics in E-Textbook engagement and use

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    This paper addresses digital transformation in higher education by exploring the engagement and use of e-textbooks through an affordance theory lens. Drawing on the insights from in-depth interviews (n = 18), focus group discussions (n = 15), a pilot survey (n = 83) and the main survey (n = 344) in Australia, we developed and validated an affordance actualisation model for the engagement and use of e-textbooks. The partial least squares (PLS) technique was used to validate the dimensions of affordance actualisation and its relationship with e-textbooks engagement and affordance effect. The findings indicate the efficacy of the two affordance constructs, as well as the significant mediating effect of engagement. An important lesson for the e-textbook industry is that firms need to consider affordance actualisation dimensions (i.e., portability, accessibility, searchability, highlighting, copying, browsing, hedonic and utilitarian value) when enhancing digital engagement and use of e-textbooks

    Undergraduates Perception of Informal Personal Learning Environments: Affordances for Self-regulated Learning

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    Mental Models, informal representations of reality, provide an appealing explanation for the apparently non-rational decisions of users. Although users may be attempting to make secure decisions, the use of incomplete or incorrect information security mental models as a shortcut to decision making may lead to undesirable results. We describe mental models of Viruses and Hackers drawing on data from a survey of 609 adult computer users and link these to security behaviours and perceptions. We find that there are potentially just a small number of common security beliefs and suggest that accommodating these mental models during security design may be more beneficial to long-term security than expecting users to change to accommodate security requirements

    Digital reading : practices and challenges

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    Today it is widely recognized that there is a profound change, caused by the digital revolution, in the way we read, in the means of access and in the reproduction of network information. The multiplication of screens and mobile learning allows the construction of innovative teaching models and represents an opportunity and a challenge for the promotion of reading and the development of reading competence of the students. The existence of this new types of access to reading requires the development of new strategies so that the students can experience the new dimensions of digital reading. We consider that one of the important things in school is the training of readers. That is why teachers and educators must respond to the challenge of this new reality by integrating e-readers in the classroom but also in informal learning environments, such as family, clubs and individual contexts in order to build networks of readers. However, the school still has (in our view) an irreplaceable role. In this article: i) we present the theoretical framing of the problem of reading in digital form; ii) we describe reading practices with digital form in kindergarten and secondary education; iii) we conclude about the role of mobile technologies in the development of reading

    Spatial audio in small display screen devices

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    Our work addresses the problem of (visual) clutter in mobile device interfaces. The solution we propose involves the translation of technique-from the graphical to the audio domain-for expliting space in information representation. This article presents an illustrative example in the form of a spatialisedaudio progress bar. In usability tests, participants performed background monitoring tasks significantly more accurately using this spatialised audio (a compared with a conventional visual) progress bar. Moreover, their performance in a simultaneously running, visually demanding foreground task was significantly improved in the eye-free monitoring condition. These results have important implications for the design of multi-tasking interfaces for mobile devices

    Predictors of design and adoption of collaborative elearning environments: a multi-method analysis

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    Philosophiae Doctor - PhDResearch has shown that collaborative eLearning can provide educational opportunities to groups of learners; both distance learners as well as traditional campus-based learners. It provides innovative educational methods in which learning can be constructed. The way collaborative eLearning is administered, managed, used and adopted can assist in providing information for future design and improvement of collaborative software. The objective of this research is to provide an insight into adoption and use of collaborative eLearning environments and to discover new determinants of usage. To examine the usage of an eLearning environment at the University of the Western Cape, a cross-sectional survey was conducted with Computer Science students. While this study is specific to this university, the underlying principles can be generalised to other organisational types. This study is quantitative and qualitative in nature as well as deductive and inductive. Three hundred and six valid questionnaires were analysed using quantitative methods. Soft Systems Methodology was used to manage the research process and to create conceptual models to explain the research problem and identify solutions. It was a cyclical process. Findings show that although the university’s eLearning platform is utilised, students seem to prefer free and open source platforms. They use social and collaborative applications such as WhatsApp, Telegram, Dropbox, Google Drive, Google Docs as well as email messages. Four types of technology affordances: communicative-affordance, document share-affordance, course resource-affordance, and integrity-affordance were identified as being relevant in their choice of application. Furthermore, culture—masculinity/femininity, individualism/collectivism, Uncertainty Avoidance, and Power Distance—also have an effect on the adoption of collaborative eLearning applications and software the students used for learning. Chi-Square analysis found that individualism/collectivism and Power Distance were both significant and related to the adoption and usage of collaborative eLearning. Gender was found not to be a determinant of how students view the use of collaborative eLearning software applications. Finally, it was also found that understanding use and user behaviour, could provide the theoretical guidance to inform collaborative eLearning design. The analysis and findings show that culture influences the adoption of collaborative eLearning while technology affordance plays a major role in the use of collaborative eLearning

    A quantitative investigation of students’ attitudes towards electronic book technology

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    The purpose of this study is to analyze the factors that have an impact on technology adoption for e-books utilizing the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Multiple Regression Analysis methods. Findings indicate that perceived usefulness and ease of use are the most significant determinants in using e-books. Of key significance is that AHP results show that consumers make pairwise comparisons, adding environmental concerns to the selection process. Recognizing the importance of all these factors is valuable to e-book developers and marketers in presenting products that meet all consumer choice criteria. AHP provides researchers with a more thorough decision making analysis

    A Social Network Approach for Investigating Social Influences on Effective Use: Demonstration in Virtual Reality Collaboration

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    Merely using new collaboration technologies does not necessarily result in the desired benefits, which is why it is important to understand what constitutes effective use behavior. In information systems research, the affordance network approach has been developed as a methodological approach to investigate effective use behavior. The approach has already been applied to understand the effective use of electronic medical record systems and fitness wearables; however, it neglects how social influences foster or hinder effective use behavior in collaborative settings. Therefore, we supplemented the affordance network approach for collaborative contexts by using social network methods. We demonstrate our approach based on two university courses in which students carried out group work within the collaborative VR application Spatial. Thereby, we contribute a methodological approach that enables researchers to identify influential users who encourage their team members to actualize affordances leading to goal achievement

    Digital transformation of higher education in Australia: Understanding affordance dynamics in e-textbook engagement and use

    Get PDF
    This paper addresses digital transformation in higher education by exploring the engagement and use of e-textbooks through an affordance theory lens. Drawing on the insights from in-depth interviews (n = 18), focus group discussions (n = 15), a pilot survey (n = 83) and the main survey (n = 344) in Australia, we developed and validated an affordance actualisation model for the engagement and use of e-textbooks. The partial least squares (PLS) technique was used to validate the dimensions of affordance actualisation and its relationship with e-textbooks engagement and affordance effect. The findings indicate the efficacy of the two affordance constructs, as well as the significant mediating effect of engagement. An important lesson for the e-textbook industry is that firms need to consider affordance actualisation dimensions (i.e., portability, accessibility, searchability, highlighting, copying, browsing, hedonic and utilitarian value) when enhancing digital engagement and use of e-textbooks

    Narrative Inquiry in the Language Classroom: An Incubator of Identity and Growth Exploration

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    The paper examines narrative inquiry within the precepts of socio-cultural and ecological theories. The work touches upon constructivist learning ideologies and examines social approaches to learning with an emphasis on biographical narratives. The author makes a case for self-discovery, holistic learning, and creating collaborative learning environments. The study also presents a methodology with practical applications for implementing a narrative praxis in a second language learning environment

    The 2011 Horizon report

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