Exploring participatory design for SNS-based AEH systems

The rapidly emerging and growing social networking sites (SNS) offer an opportunity to improve adaptive e-learning experience by introducing a social dimension, connecting users within the system. Making connections and providing communication tools can engage students in creating effective learning environment and enriching learning experiences. Researchers have been working on introducing SNS features into adaptive educational hypermedia systems. The next stage research is centered on how to enhance SNS facilities of AEH systems, in order to engage students’ participation in collaborative learning and generating and enriching learning materials. Students are the core participants in the adaptive e-learning process, so it is essential for the system designers to consider students’ opinions. This paper aims at exploring how to apply participatory design methodology in the early stage of the SNS-based AEH system design process

Use of Online Social Networking Services from a Theoretical Perspective of the Motivation-Participation-Performance Framework

Social networking services (SNS) are platforms to form and manage personal connections and create a foundation for human relationships. Intending to identify why, how, and for what outcome users use SNS, this study contributes to the body of knowledge on SNS by analyzing how motivation, participation, and performance are related to each other in the SNS context. Drawing on a theoretical perspective of the motivation-participation-performance framework, we identify four significant why motivations (i.e., vertical social, horizontal social, hedonic, and utilitarian motivations), two main ways (how) of participation (i.e., sharing and collaboration), and two ultimate benefits (for what outcome) of SNS use (i.e., personal and job performance). The analyzed results of empirical data collected from SNS users indicate that the identified motivations significantly influence participation in sharing and collaboration activities on SNS and that SNS participation significantly affects personal and professional/job-related performance. This study contributes to theory by providing a multidimensional view of SNS use, its predictors, and its consequences

eWOM & Referrals in Social Network Services

If a few decades ago the development of the Internet was instrumental in the interconnection between markets, nowadays the services provided by Web 2.0, such as social network sites (SNS) are the cutting edge. A proof of this trend is the exponential growth of social network users. The main objective of this work is to explore the mechanisms that promote the transmission and reception (WOM and referrals) of online opinions, in the context of the SNS, by buyers of travel services. The research includes some research lines: technology acceptance model (TAM), Social Identification Theory and Word-of-Mouth communication in virtual environment (eWOM). Based on these theories an explicative model has been proposed applying SEM analysis to a sample of SNS users’ of tourist service buyers. The results support the majority of the hypotheses and some relevant practical and theoretical implications have been pointed out for tourist managers

The Rise of TikTok during the Pandemic: Association between TikTok Consumption and Students’ Engagement

TikTok has been one of the most used Social Networking Services (SNS) worldwide. It has grown into a platform with a broad range of content, including sports, fashion, performing arts, and education, encouraging learners to join the community. In this, this descriptive-correlational aimed to determine the relationship between TikTok Utilization and the Level of Engagement of BPeA students of the City College of Angeles. After gathering data from 103 respondents through an online survey, the findings revealed that the BPeA students undergoing online classes use the TikTok application moderately and responsibly. Also, the level of students' engagement during online classes was found to be very high. Furthermore, a significant positive relationship was observed between TikTok utilization and students' engagement. Based on the findings, the researchers recommend that the Institute of Education, Arts, and Sciences (IEAS), in partnership with the College Guidance Office (CGO), collaborate on providing webinars or trainings on how SNS such as TikTok can be a helpful tool or distraction at the level of engagement of the students. Additionally, instructors/professors may also use the TikTok application as an educational tool to provide a better and more engaging classroom environment. Moreover, conducting the same study with the addition of other degree programs offered by the college to determine if the results may support or refute the findings is highly recommended. Lastly, other variables may be added to this present study to understand further the relationship between TikTok consumption and students' engagement

Survey on Social Networking Site for Engineering Management Program

Social Networking Sites (SNSs) such as Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter have gained much popularity as Web 2.0 technologies and have been widely adopted by different age groups from teenagers to students to working professionals. Consequently, social networking (SN) has potential to become useful tools for students in professional education for information sharing, communication and collaboration. Such a SNS, if designed for EMGT program, might lead to greater interaction among the students who are mostly full-time employees. A secondary research was conducted which included background on Web 2.0 technologies and literature review on SNS in professional education to understand how a SNS for academic programs could be beneficial. This helped in creation of a survey to capture students’ perceptions about EMGT SNS and the student responses to the survey are analyzed and discussed. The survey had a total response rate of 49% with survey results indicating 45% of respondents recommending EMGT SNS. The survey was evaluated based on important factors like level of exposure and potential benefits as these could influence students’ opinions about EMGT SNS. Findings of the survey are summarized in this report to understand the possibility for a dedicated SNS for the EMGT graduate program

Facebook and print magazines: A Study on the benefits of single- and cross-media advertising

Research regarding the utilization of Facebook as a marketing communication tool and effectiveness of cross-media advertising are vital as Facebook continues its eminent growth as a communication phenomenon and marketers look for enhanced ways to increase ad effectiveness. Drawing on extant website research (Schlosser & Kanfer, 1996; Kanso, Nelson & LeBlanc, 2005), this study examines the extent that marketers leverage the potential benefits of Facebook (data collection, mass collaboration, relationship and brand management, networking, global accessibility) and extent of integration between Facebook and print magazine ads. Content analysis results suggest that marketers are not equally and fully utilizing all benefits. Findings also reveal correlation between product category and utilization of benefit and lack of integration between print ads and Facebook

The Digitalisation of African Agriculture Report 2018-2019

An inclusive, digitally-enabled agricultural transformation could help achieve meaningful livelihood improvements for Africa’s smallholder farmers and pastoralists. It could drive greater engagement in agriculture from women and youth and create employment opportunities along the value chain. At CTA we staked a claim on this power of digitalisation to more systematically transform agriculture early on. Digitalisation, focusing on not individual ICTs but the application of these technologies to entire value chains, is a theme that cuts across all of our work. In youth entrepreneurship, we are fostering a new breed of young ICT ‘agripreneurs’. In climate-smart agriculture multiple projects provide information that can help towards building resilience for smallholder farmers. And in women empowerment we are supporting digital platforms to drive greater inclusion for women entrepreneurs in agricultural value chains