STUDENTS’ CHARACTERISTICS AS PREDICTORS OF THEIR PERCEPTIONS ON THE EFFECTIVENESS OF COMPUTER-BASED TEST IN NIGERIAN UNIVERSITIES

Computer and related technologies provide powerful tools to meet the new challenges of designing and implementing assessments methods that go beyond the conventional practices. With the growing population of students in most Nigerian Universities, there is need for the use of Computer-Based Test (CBT) for assessment. CBT has long been regarded as a potentially powerful asset for providing assessment. The successes of transition from Paper-Based Test (PBT) to CBT in Nigerian universities prompted this study to investigate students perceptions in this field based on a survey study underpinned by the modified Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) as the research framework. The study is descriptive and the factors that can predict acceptance of CBT for examination in the Nigerian Universities was investigated in a survey study involving 1506 students. The dimensions used in the study were Perceived Ease of Use (PEOU), Perceived Usefulness (PU) and Perceived Credibility (PC). The three dimensions envisage the use of CBT. The study revealed amongst others that the usefulness, ease of use and credibility are important in the’ use of computer-based test in Nigerian universities. Based on the result, it was recommended that students’ gender and field of study be considered in the use of CBT

CAPBLAT Development and Testing: Computer-Assisted Assessment Tool for Problem Based Learning

Recent years, Computer-Assisted Assessment (CAA) has become increasingly important in education. This is indicated by many researches that focused on the development of computer-based assessment tool to help assess performances of students from various disciplines. This study contributes to education area with the research on the development of innovative computer-based tool for Problem-Based Learning (PBL) assessment. A web-based assessment tool, named CAPBLAT, has been developed. The tool incorporates some methods of PBL assessment process which framed within “Problem-Based Learning Assessment Framework”. The tool has been created for evaluating students' achievements on the PBL approach. This paper presents the development and user acceptance test of the CAPBLAT. The study utilizes the tool within two PBL classes as a medium for testing in the duration of one semester. A total of forty students participated in the testing of the tool. During the study, questionnaires were administered to students. The results concerning the assessment tool acceptance demonstrate that students showed positive feedback and accepted the USAge of CAPBLAT for the PBL assessment process. It is also proved that the use of CAA in PBL gives advantages for both of lecturers and students by providing them with detailed formative feedback on their learning achievements compared to conventional assessment. It also reduces lecturer's tedious load by automating parts of the task of marking students' work

CAPBLAT Development and Testing: Computer-Assisted Assessment Tool for Problem Based Learning

Recent years, Computer-Assisted Assessment (CAA) has become increasingly important in education. This is indicated by many researches that focused on the development of computer-based assessment tool to help assess performances of students from various disciplines. This study contributes to education area with the research on the development of innovative computer-based tool for Problem-Based Learning (PBL) assessment. A web-based assessment tool, named CAPBLAT, has been developed. The tool incorporates some methods of PBL assessment process which framed within “Problem-Based Learning Assessment Framework”. The tool has been created for evaluating students’ achievements on the PBL approach. This paper presents the development and user acceptance test of the CAPBLAT. The study utilizes the tool within two PBL classes as a medium for testing in the duration of one semester. A total of forty students participated in the testing of the tool. During the study, questionnaires were administered to students. The results concerning the assessment tool acceptance demonstrate that students showed positive feedback and accepted the usage of CAPBLAT for the PBL assessment process. It is also proved that the use of CAA in PBL gives advantages for both of lecturers and students by providing them with detailed formative feedback on their learning achievements compared to conventional assessment. It also reduces lecturer’s tedious load by automating parts of the task of marking students’ work

Integrating TAM with EEG Frontal Asymmetry

Recent evolution in the Information Systems (IS) community has involved neuroscience tools and methods in order to develop new theories concerning Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) and further understand IS acceptance models. Thus, the field of NeuroIS has emerged. Moreover, NeuroIS researchers have proposed encephalograph (EEG) as valuable usability metric. Particularly, EEG frontal asymmetry has been related to approach/withdraw behaviour and positive/negative affect concerning users’ perceptions. Furthermore, Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) has been established as the most notable model regarding IS acceptance. This study is a first attempt to integrate EEG frontal asymmetry with TAM in order to associate brain activation with the two most important variables of TAM: Perceived Usefulness and Perceived Ease of Use. Specifically, thirty one undergraduate students were chosen to use a Computer-Based Assessment (while being connected to the EEG) in the context of an introductory informatics course. Results indicate a direct positive association of frontal asymmetry on the aforementioned variables. These findings suggest that frontal asymmetry could be useful for validating and developing Information Technology (IT) theories, as well as designing and explaining the acceptance and adoption of new IS systems or products

Self-Predicted Future Usage of Malaysian Schools Student Information System

This report discusses a study that deals with the assessment of users’ subjective perception of the Malaysian School Student Information System (MSSIS). Currently, MSSIS is utilized for the collection of data from primary schools throughout the nation and a form of assessment is needed before expanding the system to include secondary schools which will eventually involve more than 9,000 schools under the Education Ministry. Theories of information technology acceptance are discussed and three models of in formation technology acceptance (Theory of Reasoned Action, Innovation Diffusion Theory, and Technology Acceptance Model) are compared. Based on these discussions, a research model is proposed to measure the acceptance level of the current MSSIS users. Questionnaires aimed at the assessment of users’ perceived usefulness and ease of use of information technology, were utilized. Pilot test involving 55 trainee teachers reveals that both usefulness and ease of use scales are highly reliable (Cronbach’s Alpha > 0.8). A survey was conducted with a sample of 92 users (primary school teachers) in the state of Perak. The analysis carried out to predict the future usage of MSSIS shows that the systern is accepted by its users and by accepting MSSIS; they are willing to use it in future. Test result also shows that gender, age group, and computer experience had no significant influence on users’ perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use and self-predicted future usage of MSSIS. Correlation results show that both perceived usefulness and ease of use constructs directly influence future usage of MSSW. Thus, it is possible to assume that MSSIS can be successfully expanded to secondary school

Computer based assessment acceptance model for secondary school students in Saudi Arabia

Computer-based assessment (CBA) has significantly remodelled educational evaluation processes and allowed teachers to better manage growing number of students especially in secondary schools in Saudi Arabia. However, secondary school students are showing resistance to accept CBA systems, and the factors causing this resistance to CBA systems have remained matters of speculation. Using a modified empirically validated model, the present study systematically established major determinants of this resistance by drawing on the well-known Computer-Based Assessment Acceptance Model (CBAAM). The CBAAM model is an efficient model but fails to consider some other factors that will maj orly affect the acceptance and use of CBA systems. The researcher carried out a systematic literature review for the period of 2007-2018, followed by a field assessment from 10 secondary schools in Saudi Arabia, where three major factors (computer attitude, computer anxiety and computer literacy) affecting CBA system acceptance were extracted from the researcher’s interaction with the students. Drawing from the field assessment, the existing CBAAM model is extended resulting in a comprehensive model with 22 hypotheses. Thereafter, a questionnaire was developed and the content is validated using 15 experts comprising of 9 academics and 6 practitioners. The model was evaluated with 565 responses which comprises of 274 males and 289 females. The Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) technique was used in the evaluation. The result showed that 17 out of the 22 hypotheses were found to be significant and explained 74% of the variance. The most important factors from the significant relationships are ‘perceived usefulness’, ‘perceived playfulness’, ‘content’ and ‘ computer attitude’ which were identified using the Importance-Performance Map Analysis (IPMA). Furthermore, results confirmed that secondary school student’s ‘behavioural intention’ towards CBA acceptance is directly influenced by ‘computer anxiety’, ‘content’, ‘perceived playfulness’ and ‘perceived usefulness’. While, ‘facilitating conditions’, ‘goal expectancy’, ‘computer attitude’ and ‘perceived ease of use’ showed indirect influence. This study’s results can effectively guide educationists and decision makers to better manage CBA resistance and improve its acceptance by secondary school students in Saudi Arabia

Hotel Employee Acceptance Assessment System With Android-Based Moora Method

Hotel is a company engaged in the field of services, which requires employees who have competencies in accordance with their fields. At present the existing employees are deemed to lack competency in accordance with their field of work. In order for employees to have competence according to their field of work, the hotel must carry out an acceptance assessment that requires certain criteria, such as education, foreign language acquisition, discipline, experience and others. One of the appropriate decision making methods for evaluating acceptance is the MOORA (Multi Objective Optimization on the basis of Ratio Analysis) method which is a multi-objective system that optimizes two or more conflicting criteria. The MOORA method has a degree of flexibility and ease of understanding in separating the subjective parts of an evaluation process into criteria, by determining the weights and attributes as decision making, the form of decision matrices and ranking. The criteria used in this study are height, experience, discipline, interviews, written tests, foreign languages, friendly, computer, software and medical checkups. To facilitate the assessment of acceptance, this system is applied based on Android, so that in addition to the hotel, prospective employees can also find out the results of the assessment. Based on the implementation of the system application, the use of the MOORA method for the hotel employee acceptance evaluation system can produce the right decision system, in accordance with the predetermined ranking, criteria and weight of the assessmen

The acceptance of the clinical photographic posture assessment tool (CPPAT)

Abstract Background There is a lack of evidence-based quantitative clinical methods to adequately assess posture. Our team developed a clinical photographic posture assessment tool (CPPAT) and implemented this tool in clinical practice to standardize posture assessment. The objectives were to determine the level of acceptance of the CPPAT and to document predictors as well as facilitators of and barriers to the acceptance of this tool by clinicians doing posture re-education. Methods This is a prospective study focussing on technology acceptance. Thirty-two clinician participants (physical therapists and sport therapists) received a 3–5 h training workshop explaining how to use the CPPAT. Over a three-month trial, they recorded time-on-task for a complete posture evaluation (photo - and photo-processing). Subsequently, participants rated their acceptance of the tool and commented on facilitators and barriers of the clinical method. Results Twenty-three clinician participants completed the trial. They took 22 (mean) ± 10 min (SD) for photo acquisition and 36 min ± 19 min for photo-processing. Acceptance of the CPPAT was high. Perceived ease of use was an indirect predictor of intention to use, mediated by perceived usefulness. Analysis time was an indirect predictor, mediated by perceived usefulness, and a marginally significant direct predictor. Principal facilitators were objective measurements, visualization, utility, and ease of use. Barriers were time to do a complete analysis of posture, quality of human-computer interaction, non-automation of posture index calculation and photo transfer, and lack of versatility. Conclusion The CPPAT is perceived as useful and easy to use by clinicians and may facilitate the quantitative analysis of posture. Adapting the user-interface and functionality to quantify posture may facilitate a wider adoption of the tool

Use of UTAUT Model to Assess ICT Adoption in Kenyan Public Universities

Despite many years of study and propositions of various models understanding the adoption of new Information and Communication Technologies (ICT)has been one of the most challenging issues. Uptake of new ICT innovations involves fulfilling many requirements ranging from technical to human. This study used the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) model as an assessment framework to understand the student’s behavioral intention on acceptance and use of technology. The study was conducted at Moi university which is one the public universities in Kenya. Closed and open-ended questionnaires were administered to 500 students. Staff members who were involved in the management of the targeted information systems were also interviewed.  A total of 414 questionnaires were returned accounting to 82.8% response rate. The reliability yielded Cronbach’s output of 0.8231.  The results indicated that effort expectancy, performance expectancy and social influence factors affect the student’s behavioral intention, which ultimately affects adoption of web based information system. The model explained 78.24% of the variance of the student’s behavioral intention to use web based information systems. Among the moderating factors only course of study had significant effect on intention of adoption of web based information system. Notably, students who were taking ICT related courses such as Information Sciences, Engineering, Computer Science and Informatics had high adoption rate. The research findings from this study would be useful to institutions of higher learning, policy makers, researchers in the field, students and other stakeholders. Keywords: Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology, UTAUT, ICT acceptance, Performance expectancy, Effort expectance, Social influence, Universities, Innovatio