Vodcast Impact on Students\u27 Attitudes and Behavioral Intentions

Purpose: This paper uses structural equation modeling to assess the effectiveness of Vodcasts (video podcasts) as part of a university’s communication strategy with prospective students. Design/methodology/approach: Three theoretical models were tested using a structural equation model. Findings: We find that perceived informativeness, credibility, and irritation of the advertising are directly related to the value of the Vodcast advertising. However of those three factors, only the informativeness is directly related to the intent to take further action toward enrollment. In addition, while prior work has suggested that perceived entertainment of advertising positively influences its perceived value, we find that for these university Vodcasts, perceived entertainment is not a statistically significant factor. Research limitations/implications: The results suggest that for Vodcasts used for these purposes, less attention should be given to entertainment value, and more attention should be focused on providing useful information in a manner that is credible and not irritating to students. Originality/value: Vodcasts have become part of the Internet multimedia experience and have been integrated into universities’ web-based promotion strategies. While prior work has examined general advertising on the web, few studies have considered the impact of the interactive medium of Vodcasts on attitudes and behavioral intentions

COBRA framework to evaluate e-government services: A citizen-centric perspective

E-government services involve many stakeholders who have different objectives that can have an impact on success. Among these stakeholders, citizens are the primary stakeholders of government activities. Accordingly, their satisfaction plays an important role in e-government success. Although several models have been proposed to assess the success of e-government services through measuring users' satisfaction levels, they fail to provide a comprehensive evaluation model. This study provides an insight and critical analysis of the extant literature to identify the most critical factors and their manifested variables for user satisfaction in the provision of e-government services. The various manifested variables are then grouped into a new quantitative analysis framework consisting of four main constructs: cost; benefit; risk and opportunity (COBRA) by analogy to the well-known SWOT qualitative analysis framework. The COBRA measurement scale is developed, tested, refined and validated on a sample group of e-government service users in Turkey. A structured equation model is used to establish relationships among the identified constructs, associated variables and users' satisfaction. The results confirm that COBRA framework is a useful approach for evaluating the success of e-government services from citizens' perspective and it can be generalised to other perspectives and measurement contexts. Crown Copyright © 2014.PIAP-GA-2008-230658) from the European Union Framework Program and another grant (NPRP 09-1023-5-158) from the Qatar National Research Fund (amember of Qatar Foundation

Perceptions of English foreign language university students towards the online freshman composition course

The purpose of this research is to explore the perceptions of English Foreign Language University students towards online freshman composition courses at the university. The study aims to explore students' perspectives on the course and evaluate the reliability, convergent validity and discriminant validity of the construct among Omani EFL university students. Data were collected from 276 Omani EFL university students who were enrolled in freshman composition courses using a quantitative survey methodology.  Participants rated their experiences using a five-point scale. The study used both exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) conducted with Analysis of Moment Structures (AMOS) 26 to achieve its research objectives. The results of this research provide substantial support for the validity and reliability of the multidimensional construct representing students' perceptions. Additionally, the results of the study demonstrate that the measurement is consistent across various academic levels indicating programme invariance. A five-factor model that accurately represents students' opinions on online freshman composition courses has been developed in this study. The outcomes contribute to the theoretical understanding of evaluating students' perceptions of the course and hold practical implications for enhancing the teaching and design of similar courses

The Mediation Effect of Trusting Beliefs on the Relationship Between Expectation-Confirmation and Satisfaction with the Usage of Online Product Recommendation

Online Product Recommendations (OPRs) are increasingly available to onlinecustomers as a value-added self-service in evaluating and choosing a product.Research has highlighted several advantages that customers can gain from usingOPRs. However, the realization of these advantages depends on whether and towhat extent customers embrace and fully utilise them. The relatively low OPR USAgerate indicates that customers have not yet developed trust in OPRs’ performance.Past studies also have established that satisfaction is a valid measure of systemperformance and a consistent significant determinant of users’ continuous systemusage. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the mediation effect of trustingbeliefs on the relationship between expectation-confirmation and satisfaction. Theproposed research model is tested using data collected via an online survey from626 existing users of OPRs. The empirical results revealed that social-psychologicalbeliefs (perceived confirmation and trust) are significant contributors to customersatisfaction with OPRs. Additionally, trusting beliefs partially mediate the impactof perceived confirmation on customer satisfaction. Moreover, this study validatesthe extensions of the interpersonal trust construct to trust in OPRs and examinesthe nomological validity of trust in terms of competence, benevolence, andintegrity. The findings provide a number of theoretical and practical implications.&nbsp

Investigating Effects of Perceived Technology-enhanced Environment on Self-regulated Learning: Beyond P-values

This study examined the effects of a technology-enhanced intervention on the self-regulation of 262 eighth-grade students, employing information and communication technology (ICT) and web-based self-assessment tools set against science learning. The data were analyzed using both maximum likelihood and Bayesian structural equation modeling to unravel the intricate relationships between self-regulation, self-efficacy, perceptions of ICT, and self-assessment tools. Our research findings underscored the direct and indirect impacts of self-efficacy, perceived ease of use, and perceived use of technology on self-regulation. The results revealed the predictive power of self-assessment tools in determining self-regulation outcomes, underlining the potential of technology-enhanced self-regulated learning environments. The study posited the necessity to transcend mere technology incorporation and to emphasize the inclusion of monitoring strategies explicitly designed to augment self-regulation. Interestingly, self-efficacy appeared to indirectly influence self-regulation outcomes through perceived the use of technology rather than direct influence. Analytically, this research indicated that Bayesian estimation could offer a more comprehensive insight into structural equation modeling by more accurately assessing our estimates' uncertainty. This research substantially contributes to comprehending the influence of technology-enhanced environments on students' self-regulated learning, stressing the importance of constructing practical tools explicitly designed to cultivate self-regulation

Acceptance of competency-based workplace e-learning systems: Effects of individual and peer learning support

Current endeavors to integrate competency-based learning approaches with e-learning systems designed for delivery of training to adult learners in the workplace are growing. However, academic efforts in examining learners' perceptions of, and reactions toward, this technology-delivered pedagogical innovation are limited. Drawing together perspectives from the literature on training and instructional design and technology acceptance, this research proposed a conceptual model to examine the influences of perceived individual and social learning support on employees' acceptance of competency-based e-learning systems. Structural equation modeling and multi-group structural equation modeling techniques were applied to sample data collected from work settings in Mainland China. The results show the positive effects of perceived individual learning support and perceived support for promoting a norm of cooperation on employees' intention to use the competency-based e-learning system. It was also found that perceived support for enhancing social ties had a negative effect on employees' behavioral intention. The gender, age, prior experience, and work experience differences in the main effects were also investigated. Besides, qualitative data collected via semi-structured in-depth interview provide complementary evidence to the findings. © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.postprin

Understanding Behavioral Intentions and Use Behavior of Students Towards Online Learning Systems in Jiangxi, China

Purpose: This research paper aims to investigate the factors impacting behavioral intentions and use behavior of students in vocational collages towards online learning systems in Jiangxi, China. The conceptual framework proposed a causal relationship among perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, attitude, perceived behavioral control, social influence, behavioral intentions, and use behavior. Research design, data, and methodology: The researcher used a quantitative method (n=500) to distribute questionnaires to students. The nonprobability sampling includes judgmental sampling in selecting five vocational colleges, quota sampling in proportion of sample size, and convenience sampling in collecting data and distributing surveys by the online platform. The Structural Equation Model (SEM) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) were used for the data analysis, including model fit, reliability, and validity of the constructs. Results: The results explicated that perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, Attitude, perceived behavioral control, and social influence have a significant impact on behavioral intentions Furthermore, behavioral intentions significantly impact use behavior. Conclusions: Six hypotheses were proven to fulfill research objectives. Hence, future research can expand educational technology and impact school management performance, manifested as new products, services, or processes created by new technological behaviors, providing schools with a better digital environment and more convenient management processes

Assessing Parents On Factors Impacting Primary Students’ Continuance Intention to Use Tencent Class Platform in Chongqing City, China

Purpose: This research investigates parents on the factors influencing students' continuance intention of the Tencent Class platform among parents in a primary school located in Chongqing city, China. The conceptual framework encompasses perceived responsiveness, information quality, self-efficacy, service quality, satisfaction, trust, and continuance intention. Research design, data, and methodology: The target population comprises 500 parents of students in Grade 1-3 attending Shuren Primary School in China who have utilized the Tencent Class Platform. A quantitative research approach was employed, utilizing a questionnaire. The sampling techniques employed in this study encompass judgmental, convenience, and snowball sampling. To ensure the validity and reliability of the instrument, a pilot test was conducted involving a sample of 50 participants, and the item-objective congruence (IOC) index and Cronbach's alpha were utilized for the validity and reliability testing, respectively. The data obtained were analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and structural equation modeling (SEM). Results: Perceived responsiveness and information quality significantly impact self-efficacy. Self-efficacy, service quality and information quality significantly impact satisfaction. Satisfaction significantly impacts continuance intention through trust. Conclusions: This study lies in its potential to inform educational practices, platform development, policy-making, and academic discussions, ultimately benefiting parents, educators, platform developers, policy-makers, and researchers in the field of e-learning in primary education

Influential Factors of Undergraduate Students’ Behavioral Intention toward Mobile Reading Software: A Case of A Public University in Sichuan, China

Purpose: The main purpose of this study is to analyze the behavioral intention of college students using mobile reading apps in Sichuan Normal University through a questionnaire survey. This study mainly used system quality, information quality, service quality, perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and other methods to determine the influencing factors and behavioral intention of college students' use of mobile reading apps in Sichuan Normal University. Research design, data, and methodology: The target population of this study is college students at Sichuan Normal University. The total sample size is 500 undergraduates from the first to the third year in Sichuan Normal University. The researchers used three steps to collect target samples: purpose or judgment sampling, quota sampling, and convenience sampling. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and structural equation modeling (SEM) were used to analyze the reliability of study variables and conceptual frameworks. Results: System quality, service quality and perceived ease of use significantly impact perceived usefulness. Perceived usefulness significantly impacts behavioral intention. In contrast, information quality has no significant impact on perceived usefulness. Conclusions: This research offers valuable insights that can guide educational institutions, app developers, policymakers, and researchers in fostering effective technology integration for educational enhancement

Cultural influences moderating learners’ adoption of serious 3D games for managerial learning

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether learners from different cultures adopt a serious 3D game to facilitate the learning of transferable managerial skills (ethics) and knowledge. Design/methodology/approach A cross-sectional, cross-country survey study (n=319) was conducted recruiting participants from one North American and two British universities. The survey data and the conceptual model have been analysed and tested using confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modelling. Findings Participants displayed positive attitudes towards the 3D game and responded positively to theory presented as “real-life” scenarios; gamification techniques such as interactions and dialogue, and rewards and progression levels, which are part of the game, albeit the participants’ adoption was driven more by extrinsic motivations (rewards) than intrinsic ones (ease of use and entertainment). In addition, the empirical results suggest that when gender is taken into account, the perceptions and needs of cross-cultural learners in serious gaming environments vary and display characteristics that are similar to Rogers’ five adopter categories; thus, culture could significantly shape learners’ decisions to adopt a serious game as a managerial learning tool. Research limitations/implications For future researchers, this paper highlights various levels of training, support and promotional awareness that need to be considered to facilitate the adoption of serious games for managerial learning. Practical implications For academics and practitioners in work-based learning and managerial training environments, this paper highlights the salient factors that need to be inherent in a serious 3D game, and best practices for scaffolding existing instructional approaches or training interventions. Originality/value In light of Rogers’ five adopter categories, this cross-country study involving culturally diverse learners provides key insight into the potential application of serious games as a practice-based learning instrument in academia and industry