Neue Technologien – Neue Anforderungen an die Forschungsmethoden im Bildungswesen

Die GENEME stellt auf ihrer diesjährigen Konferenz „innovative Technologien und Prozesse zur Organisation, Kooperation und Kommunikation in virtuellen Gemeinschaften“ in ihren thematischen Mittelpunkt. Virtuelle Gemeinschaften werden schon seit Mitte der 1990er Jahre beforscht. Gab es aber im frühen Web 1.0 kaum Applikationen und Konzepte zur Förderung der Interaktivität und der Kollaboration, werden die Internetnutzer seit etwa 2003 im Web 2.0 zu sogenannten Prosumern. Sie konsumieren nicht nur Inhalte sondern produzieren sie auch. Katalysatoren hierfür sind virtuelle Gemeinschaften, die sich zu thematischen Gemeinschaften, so genannten Communities of Practice, formieren. Die Möglichkeiten und der Aktionsradius zur Interaktion und Kollaboration in Virtuellen Gemeinschaften werden aktuell im Internet neu definiert. Dies erklärt sich durch die Entwicklung neuer Technologien und Internetdienste. (...

Towards a Persuasive Design Pattern for a Gamified M-Learning Environment

New innovative technologies create opportunities for persuasive engagement. Persuasive technology is all about software, systems and applications designed to hook, reinforce, change and shape the attitudes of the learners without using coercion or deception. Persuasive design pattern if applied effectively and efficiently may influence learners’ attitudes towards the learning task, and may hook them to the specific learning activity offered via a gamified mobile application. In this paper the concept of persuasive design pattern in gamified m-learning platforms should be introduced to the scientific community. Persuasive design in a gamified mobile learning environment is described and persuasive set of design patterns appropriate to a gamified mobile environment is introduced. These persuasive design pattern are divided into three categories to suit to the appropriate learning environment

How Feature- and Communication Constraints in CSS Affect Creative Collaboration in Virtual Teams - An Activity Theory Perspective

New Creativity Support Systems (CSS) provide additional features, but are also growing more complex and difficult to operate. Via new functionalities, CSS aim to facilitate virtual creative collaboration and enable better outcomes. However, research shows that, especially in the context of creativity, better outcomes are not always the result of more options and features. Our study applies activity theory (AT) as a lens in order to examine how constraints can be applied to creative collaboration in virtual teams. This study advances research on collaboration in information systems (IS) as well as human-centered development of IT-artifacts that facilitate creative collaboration. Our findings provide two practical takeaways for CSS developers and virtual teams: First, constraints in CSS can be designed to substantially benefit idea generation and exploration beyond routine performance; second, constraints can be designed to help teams access the potential of CSS faster and more efficiently

Helping Personal Service Firms to Cope with Digital Transformation: Evaluation of a Digitalization Maturity Model

Background: Maturity models are strategic and systematic instruments that help firms in the process of digital transformation. They are widely used as tools to display trajectories to guide the progression from an analog to a digital stage. To date, maturity models for industries such as manufacturing, software development, public services, telecommunication, and startup companies have been developed, and also being applicable in real-life practice. However, for the sector of personal services (e.g., education, retail, hospitality, healthcare, arts and entertainment, and craftmanship), maturity models are missing. To address this gap, this research aims to present a digitalization maturity model for the specific needs of personal service firms, and evaluate its applicability, usefulness, and impact in practice. Method: The research is embedded in a comprehensive Design Science Research cycle. Based on descriptive and prescriptive knowledge, a maturity model has been developed. This paper evaluates the applicability, usefulness, and impact of the maturity model by conducting a mixed-method approach, including a survey with 30 experts from personal service firms and eight semi-structured in-depth expert interviews. Results: Our results indicate that the maturity model serves as a strategic and systematic tool for short-, mid-, or long-term digital transformation projects by guiding personal service firms through consecutive development maturity stages until reaching a so-called stage of “digital maturity”. The model has been determined to be applicable, useful, and to potentially impact personal service firms towards the development of a digital business ecosystem. Conclusion: The presented maturity model offers guidance for personal service firms to achieve the transition from analog to digital and serves as a basis for future research in developing effective instruments and strategic tools to cope with challenges from digital transformation

Experiential Learning in Virtual Worlds – A Case Study for Entrepreneurial Training

Virtual worlds offer new possibilities for computer-mediated communication and cooperation because of their threedimensional (3D)-environment, which supports immersive feelings, and because of enhanced interactive techniques. Furthermore, interfaces exist to directly connect virtual worlds with other technologies such as social software, for example wikis, blogs, social networks, and traditional e-learning tools, such as Moodle. From a didactical perspective, these characteristics greatly support innovative distance learning arrangements and are particularly suitable for transferring and gaining experiential knowledge. This paper presents a theory-based framework for the construction of learning arrangements with and in virtual worlds to impart particularly experiential learning. In order to validate the suggestions of the framework and hence, the effectiveness of virtual worlds for e-learning purposes, an e-learning concept is derived from the framework and a prototype of an experiential learning environment is set up on the basis of Second Life (SL). The learning arrangement was validated by two independent groups of students which completed the program. The evaluated satisfaction and perceived usefulness of the learning arrangement are shown and discussed in this paper

Towards a Creative Virtual Environment for Design Thinking

Background: Digital transformation changes collaboration processes, particularly in rapidly digitalizing countries like ASEAN states. Co-creation and innovation processes become increasingly flexible and time and location independent. But virtual collaboration faces context-specific challenges like technical problems, lack of social presence, and ambiguous attitudes towards autonomy and accountability. Therefore, this study addresses two research questions to contribute to designing a creative virtual environment: First, which Design Principles (DPs) should be prioritized in designing a user-centered creative virtual environment? Second, which Design Features (DFs) effectively implement the DPs in creative virtual collaboration from a user perspective? Method: A user-centered Design Science Research approach was chosen to identify, implement and evaluate DPs and DFs. DPs were derived from theories on creativity drivers in five areas: functionality, process, mood, meaning, and collaboration. The DPs were implemented in a virtual design thinking workshop at a German international university. A qualitative thematic analysis evaluated user feedback from 38 international students from Asia, Africa, America, and Europe. Results: Insights from user feedback indicate that seven DPs should be prioritized and effectively implemented in a virtual environment for creative collaboration: (1) Provide rich, appropriate resources to inspire creative thinking; (2) Technical problems and connectivity issues must be anticipated and mitigated; (3) The environment must foster social presence and interaction, and (4) effective communication and visualization; (5) Methods and technologies must be adapted to the creative process and individual needs; (6) The group work benefits from structured but flexible tasks and time management support; (7) Provide space for individual work that allows autonomy and solitary contemplation. Conclusion: A tailored setup that adapts to context-specific challenges distinct from the on-site collaboration is necessary to facilitate creative virtual collaboration. The study results apply and expand current theories on technology utilization and inform the practical design of a virtual environment for creative collaboration

Rahmen für eine Governance in Open-Source-Projekten

Der Markt für lizenzgebundene Software ist durch starke wettbewerbliche Kräfte geprägt. Dies hat in den letzten Jahren zu einem Verdrängungswettbewerb geführt und resultiert heute in bestimmten Segmenten in oligopolistischen Strukturen. Umso erstaunlicher ist es, dass sich in diesem Umfeld erfolgreich und nachhaltig Open-Source-Projekte als Formen von wertschöpfenden Nonprofit-Organisationen bilden

A Human-Centeredness Maturity Model for the Design of Services in the Digital Age

A lack of measurement tools as well as a strategic and systematicapproach for companies to achieve a high degree of human-centeredness isunknown in business and research discussions. This becomes an obstacle forcompanies when designing services, which are geared to improve humans’ lives.Based on the guidelines of Design Science Research (DSR), we address this gapby developing a human-centeredness Maturity Model (MM). The design of theMM is grounded in extant literature, semi-structured interviews as well as a focusgroup involving company representatives from the field of services, servicedesign, and human-centered design. Results reveal a series of dimensions,capabilities, and stages indicating an evolutionary path towards maturity forcompanies to become truly human-centered. Becoming truly human-centeredwill allow firms to develop specific and targeted improvements initiatives, whichcould optimize resources deployment and thus, resulting in designing betterservices for the customers