Bridging the digital divide for e-learning students through adaptive VLEs

Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs) are required to be highly effective and easy to use as they serve as the primary institutional portal between students and academics. There are currently a number of challenges that are caused due to the modernized digital divide, with a significant limitation being the inability of information systems to adapt to the users' technological platform, broadband quality and device in use to access the online system. This paper focuses on the limitations that students encounter when accessing VLEs within Higher Educational Institutes (HEIs). This research aims to primarily review and provide critical analysis of current VLE frameworks, as well as assess restrictions based on several demographics including content adaptation and technical aspects. An algorithmic system is developed to analyze students' individualistic needs, undertake adaption and personalization of the VLE, and hence ensure consistent and efficient access to academic web resources and functionalitie

E-GOVERNMENT ADOPTION RESEARCH: A META-ANALYSIS OF FINDINGS

The purpose of this paper is to undertake a meta-analysis of findings reported in existing research on adoption and diffusion of e-government. Usable data relating to e-government adoption research were collected from 112 papers out of 779 research articles identified from the ISI Web of Knowledge database and journals dedicated to electronic government research. The findings indicate that there are some variables such as: perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, intention to use, attitude, satisfaction, actual use, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control, which are common and drive the research from citizens as well as from employees’ perspective. The meta-analysis of the existing e-government adoption studies found that the majority of the construct relationships demonstrated the significant range of average summative correlation, and effect size, but the influence of ‘facilitating condition’, and ‘perceived risk’ on ‘intention to use’ and of ‘service quality’ on ‘satisfaction’ was found as non-significant. The broader analysis of the e-government adoption and diffusion research also reflects that although a large number of theories and theoretical constructs were borrowed from the reference disciplines, their utilization by e-government researchers appears to be largely random in approach. The paper also acknowledges the theoretical contributions, limitations and suggests further research directions

E-voting system adoption and its impact on voter turnout in Nigeria

There are numerous problems ascribed to the existing ballot paper voting system in Nigeria. Some of the identified problems include multiple voting, under aged voting, intimidation of voters and miscomputation or falsification of election results. The consequences of the flawed voting system often lead to political apathy as well as decreased voter turnout. Consequently, the government plans to introduce e-voting system in order to enhance fiee, fair and credible elections as well as improve voter turnout. However, the e-voting system could be a solution to the problem of low turnout if it influences the electorates to participate in elections. Thus, this study is aimed at investigating factors that influence e-voting system adoption and its impact on voter turnout. By blending theories of Rational Choice, Diffusion of Innovation, Trust Model and Self-efficacy construct, the study conceptualized a model of election participation using e-voting system. Using combined methods of survey instrument and semi-structured interviews, data were collected from voters, government officials and political party officials across three States of the Northeastern Nigeria. Using PLS-SEM approach, the model demonstrated significant influence of technological attributes, trust and computer self-efficacy variables as determinants of intention to adopt e-voting system. In addition, the study demonstrated the significance of the adoption variables in influencing voter rational decision to participate in election using e-voting system. Potential challenges of evoting adoption identified through thematic analysis include institutional, sociopsychological, technological and infrastructural challenges, while strengthening institutional framework, technological proficiency, effective information dissemination and provision of adequate requisite facilities were identified among other remedies to the challenges of e-voting adoption. The study has significant contributions to theory and practice of information system, participatory public policy and democracy. It also provides policy makers and practitioners with the understanding of e-voting adoption for strategic planning and decisions towards the desired voting system

Toward a Significant E-Voting Adoption Model: The Digital Divide

Technology, through internet use, has changed how citizens interact and communicate with their governments. However, in any society, a proportion of people cannot access this type of interaction due to digital divide issues. Consequently, this study developed a model by investigating the impact of digital divide factors on technological system adoption, that is, e-voting, mainly in Jordan, a developing country. The model proposes that four digital divide factors, namely age, education, income, and internet use, directly influence citizens' intentions to use an e-voting website. A survey study of 267 Jordanian citizens (and internet users) explored whether the digital divide e-voting adoption model was significant. Analysis of the collected data showed the model's significance for exploring the digital divide's impact on citizens' intentions to use an e-voting website. This study, with its focus on parliamentary elections, is one of the few to examine how the digital divide influences e-voting adoption in the Middle East. Future research will focus on municipality elections

Towards internet voting in the state of Qatar

Qatar is a small country in the Middle East which has used its oil wealth to invest in the country's infrastructure and education. The technology for Internet voting now exists or can be developed, but are the people of Qatar willing to take part in Internet voting for national elections?. This research identifies the willingness of government and citizens to introduce and participate in Internet voting (I-voting) in Qatar and the barriers that may be encountered when doing so. A secure I voting model for the Qatar government is then proposed that address issues of I-voting which might arise due to the introduction of such new technology. Recommendations are made for the Qatar government to assist in the introduction of I-voting. The research identifies the feasibility of I-voting and the government s readiness and willingness to introduce it. Multiple factors are examined: the voting experience, educational development, telecommunication development, the large number of Internet users, Qatar law which does not bar the use of I-voting and Qatar culture which supports I-voting introduction. It is shown that there is a willingness amongst both the people and the government to introduce I-voting, and there is appropriate accessibility, availability of IT infrastructure, availability of Internet law to protect online consumers and the existence of the e government project. However, many Qataris have concerns of security, privacy, usability, transparency and other issues that would need to be addressed before any voting system could be considered to be a quality system in the eyes of the voters. Also, the need to consider the security threat associated on client-side machines is identified where a lack of user awareness on information security is an important factor. The proposed model attempts to satisfy voting principles, introducing a secure platform for I-voting using best practices and solutions such as the smart card, Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) and digital certificates. The model was reviewed by a number of experts on Information Technology, and the Qatari culture and law who found that the system would, generally, satisfy voting principles, but pointed out the need to consider the scalability of the model, the possible cyber-attacks and the risks associated with voters computers. which could be reduced by enhancing user awareness on security and using secure operating systems or Internet browsers. From these findings, a set of recommendations were proposed to encourage the government to introduce I-voting which consider different aspects of I-voting, including the digital divide, e-literacy, I voting infrastructure, legal aspects, transparency, security and privacy. These recommendations were also reviewed by experts who found them to be both valuable and effective. Since literature on Internet voting in Qatar is sparse, empirical and non-empirical studies were carried out in a variety of surveys, interviews and experiments. The research successfully achieved its aim and objectives and is now being considered by the Qatari Government

ΚΕΙΜΕΝΟΚΕΝΤΡΙΚΗ ΠΡΟΣΕΓΓΙΣΗ ΚΑΙ ΔΙΑΔΙΚΤΥΟ: Η διεύρυνση του λεξιλογίου των μαθητών με τη χρήση του ιστολογίου (blog)

Στην παρούσα έρευνα ο όρος κειμενοκεντρική προσέγγιση είναι το αντικείμενο εξέτασης, το οποίο αποτελεί τη φιλοσοφία που διαπνέει τα καινούργια Αναλυτικά Προγράμματα και τα σχολικά εγχειρίδια του μαθήματος της Νεοελληνικής Γλώσσας. Επιπλέον, η εισαγωγή της Ψηφιακής Τεχνολογίας στην εκπαίδευση αποτελεί έναν άλλο βασικό άξονα της διαμόρφωσης των νέων Αναλυτικών Προγραμμάτων, που συνοδεύεται από μια διαφορετική αντίληψη της μαθησιακής και διδακτικής διαδικασίας και για αυτό το λόγο δεν είναι εύκολο να ενταχθεί άμεσα και να εφαρμοστεί στην εκπαιδευτική πραγματικότητα. Η εκπαίδευση, επομένως, καλείται να ανταποκριθεί στη σύγχρονη πρόκληση για την ανάπτυξη εκείνων των δεξιοτήτων που θα οδηγήσει τους μαθητές στην οικοδόμηση της γνώσης και της επικοινωνίας. Η κειμενοκεντρική προσέγγιση του λεξιλογίου με τη χρήση του ιστολογίου (blog) συνιστά μία αποτελεσματική διδακτική πρόταση που διασφαλίζει τη γλωσσική ικανότητα του διδασκομένου και την παράλληλη διεύρυνση της επικοινωνιακής ικανότητάς του. Η χρήση των ψηφιακών εργαλείων, όπως το ιστολόγιο (blog) και τα εκπαιδευτικά λογισμικά, με την ταυτόχρονη αξιοποίηση της κειμενοκεντρικής προσέγγισης στη διεύρυνση του λεξιλογίου πετυχαίνει την ένωση ετερόκλητων και διαφορετικών στοιχείων της διδακτικής διαδικασίας. Ταυτόχρονα, αποτελούν μια στοχευμένη ενέργεια, ένα σύνολο, που να αποτελείται από τους μαθητές, τον εκπαιδευτικό, τα εργαλεία διδασκαλίας, τις θεωρίες μάθησης, τις αρχές διδασκαλίας, τα κοινωνικά και οικονομικά δεδομένα καθώς και τις ιδιαιτερότητες της επικοινωνίας. Η σπουδαιότητα του λεξιλογικού τομέα και η ανάγκη της διεύρυνσης του λεξιλογίου των μαθητών ενισχύεται με μια σειρά ειδικών τρόπων και τεχνικών διδασκαλίας, που είναι γνωστές ως στρατηγικές διδασκαλίας του λεξιλογίου. Επιπλέον, η επιλογή των απαιτούμενων κάθε φορά στρατηγικών εξαρτάται, πέρα από το μαθησιακό ύφος, και από την περίσταση της επικοινωνίας, τον επικοινωνιακό στόχο, τα υποκείμενα, τις γνώσεις και τις εμπειρίες τους, το είδος του λεξιλογίου και τον εκάστοτε διδακτικό στόχο. Τέλος, η δημιουργία και η αξιοποίηση του ιστολογίου (blog) σε συνδυασμό με τη χρήση πολλαπλών εκπαιδευτικών λογισμικών στη σχολική πραγματικότητα αποτέλεσαν εργαλεία για τον μαθητή στην προσπάθειά του να διευρύνει το λεξιλόγιό του.In this research, the term genre-based approach is investigated, which is included in the philosophy of the new Curriculum and the textbooks of Modern Greek Language. Moreover, the introduction of Digital Technology in education is another key point in the development of the new Curricula, accompanied by a different perception of the learning and teaching process and therefore it is not easy to be immediately integrated and applied, within the educational reality. Thus, education is called to respond to the contemporary challenge in developing the skills that will lead learners to construct knowledge and communication. The genre-based approach to the vocabulary using the blog constitutes an effective teaching proposal that ensures the linguistic ability of the learner and the broadening of his/her communication capacity. The use of digital tools, like the blog and educational software, along with the implementation of genre-based approach in the expansion of vocabulary achieves the combination of disparate and different elements of the teaching process. At the same time, they are a targeted action, a set, made up of learners, the teacher, teaching tools, learning theories, teaching principles, social and economic data as well as the particularities of communication. The importance of the lexical field and the need for the enlargement of learners’ vocabulary is enhanced by a series of special methods and teaching techniques, known as vocabulary teaching strategies. Moreover, the choice of the strategies that are required each time depends not only on the learning style but also on the occasion of communication, the communication objective, the subjects, their knowledge and experience, the kind of vocabulary and the specific teaching objective. Finally, the creation and use of the blog combined with the use of multiple educational software programs in school, have become the tools for the learner in his/her effort to expand his/her vocabulary

Towards Internet Voting in the State of Qatar

Qatar is a small country in the Middle East which has used its oil wealth to invest in the country's infrastructure and education. The technology for Internet voting now exists or can be developed, but are the people of Qatar willing to take part in Internet voting for national elections?. This research identifies the willingness of government and citizens to introduce and participate in Internet voting (I-voting) in Qatar and the barriers that may be encountered when doing so. A secure I voting model for the Qatar government is then proposed that address issues of I-voting which might arise due to the introduction of such new technology. Recommendations are made for the Qatar government to assist in the introduction of I-voting. The research identifies the feasibility of I-voting and the government s readiness and willingness to introduce it. Multiple factors are examined: the voting experience, educational development, telecommunication development, the large number of Internet users, Qatar law which does not bar the use of I-voting and Qatar culture which supports I-voting introduction. It is shown that there is a willingness amongst both the people and the government to introduce I-voting, and there is appropriate accessibility, availability of IT infrastructure, availability of Internet law to protect online consumers and the existence of the e government project. However, many Qataris have concerns of security, privacy, usability, transparency and other issues that would need to be addressed before any voting system could be considered to be a quality system in the eyes of the voters. Also, the need to consider the security threat associated on client-side machines is identified where a lack of user awareness on information security is an important factor. The proposed model attempts to satisfy voting principles, introducing a secure platform for I-voting using best practices and solutions such as the smart card, Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) and digital certificates. The model was reviewed by a number of experts on Information Technology, and the Qatari culture and law who found that the system would, generally, satisfy voting principles, but pointed out the need to consider the scalability of the model, the possible cyber-attacks and the risks associated with voters computers. which could be reduced by enhancing user awareness on security and using secure operating systems or Internet browsers. From these findings, a set of recommendations were proposed to encourage the government to introduce I-voting which consider different aspects of I-voting, including the digital divide, e-literacy, I voting infrastructure, legal aspects, transparency, security and privacy. These recommendations were also reviewed by experts who found them to be both valuable and effective. Since literature on Internet voting in Qatar is sparse, empirical and non-empirical studies were carried out in a variety of surveys, interviews and experiments. The research successfully achieved its aim and objectives and is now being considered by the Qatari Government.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo