14 research outputs found
An empirical analysis of the determinants of mobile instant messaging appropriation in university learning
Published ArticleResearch on technology adoption often profiles device usability (such as
perceived usefulness) and user dispositions (such as perceived ease of use) as the
prime determinants of effective technology adoption. Since any process of technology
adoption cannot be conceived out of its situated contexts, this paper argues
that any pre-occupation with technology acceptance from the perspective of device
usability and user dispositions potentially negates enabling contexts that make
successful adoption a reality. Contributing to contemporary debates on technology
adoption, this study presents flexible mobile learning contexts comprising cost
(device cost and communication cost), device capabilities (portability, collaborative
capabilities), and learner traits (learner control) as antecedents that enable the
sustainable uptake of emerging technologies. To explore the acceptance and
capacity of mobile instant messaging systems to improve student performance, the
study draws on these antecedents, develops a factor model and empirically tests it
on tertiary students at a South African University of Technology. The study
involved 223 national diploma and bachelor’s degree students and employed partial
least squares for statistical analysis. Overall, the proposed model displayed a good
fit with the data and rendered satisfactory explanatory power for students’ acceptance
of mobile learning. Findings suggest that device portability, communication
cost, collaborative capabilities of device and learner control are the main drivers of
flexible learning in mobile environments. Flexible learning context facilitated by learner control was found to have a positive influence on attitude towards mobile
learning and exhibited the highest path coefficient of the overall model. The study
implication is that educators need to create varied learning opportunities that
leverage learner control of learning in mobile learning systems to enhance flexible
mobile learning. The study also confirmed the statistical significance of the original
Technology Acceptance Model constructs
NFC Payments – Gaps Between User Perception and Reality
Part 7: Mobility and PrivacyInternational audiencePoint of Sale (POS) terminals are used in almost all retail shops for commercial transactions by a wide range of users. The recent wireless payment method, Near Field Communication (NFC) is focused in this study. We aimed to study the experience gained by the user at POS terminals on privacy and security scales, while using NFC payments. The study revealed that the users have different mental models about NFC which hinders the success of the system. The results also portrays that the user experience gained from NFC payment system can be further improved. We suggest that designing/modifying the NFC payment system based on user experience will improve the privacy and security related experience gained by the user
Understanding key motivations for using a hotel gamified application.
While hospitality has been one of the industries that have been keen to adopt and use various technologies, the proliferation of gamification application is still to materialise. It is therefore very interesting to investigate the potential benefits of gamified applications for both demand and supply in the area of the hospitality industry by identifying the motives of individuals’ when they use a hotel-gamified application. Since fun has become the requirement to ensure continuous demands for many products or services, companies and organizations feel the need to involve fun in their offerings to secure continuity in consumption and use. Hence, this study aims to understand the meaning of fun for individuals when they will use a hotel-gamified application. Visual material was prepared so the interviewees would have an idea of how a hotel-gamified application would look if it were in existence today based on the current definitions of gamification.N/