A study of biometric authentication adoption in the credit union industry

Society has become more dependent on technology for identification purposes because the intimacy of a simple face to face acknowledgment of a person\u27s identity has become a thing of the past. The purpose of this study is to understand the factors that influence the intent to adopt biometric authentication in organizations using the theory of adoption and diffusion of innovations. Using external pressure, readiness and perceived benefits, the research model measures the level of contribution that these factors make to the adoption of biometric authentication in the credit union financial services. Within the three main factors, the sub-factors that contribute to the model are competitive pressure, consumer pressure, regulatory pressure, innovativeness, top management support, consumer readiness, financial resources, and perceived benefits. Based on the sub-factors, the results indicate that the intent to adopt is driven by competitiveness and finances and not by the perceived benefits within the credit union industry

A model for measuring student persistence through collaborative learning

Institutions of higher education are being called upon to provide a more robust pathway to a college degree and improve upon the advanced workforce for the needs of the 21st century. As 21st century skills call for an employee to successfully work collaboratively in groups, an increase in technology adoption, globalization and increased competition are among the factors that make collaboration one of the most important skills that employers insist that individuals obtain today. An active learning environment through collaborative learning techniques has been encouraged in higher education as a means of improving student engagement (Freeman, Eddy, McDonough, Smith, Okoroafor, Jordt, & Wenderoth, 2014; Slavich & Zimbardo, 2012; Prince, 2004), but there is a gap in the literature when it comes to connecting the two research areas of collaborative learning and student intention to persist. Continued research is warranted to further understand the factors that may contribute to improving the situation of attrition, and to suggest ways that institutions can enhance engagement and ultimately improve student success. The purpose of this study is to create a model that will measure the factors that significantly influence a student\u27s persistence in a computer supported collaborative learning environment. Based on prior theoretical research, the model is developed to analyze how collaborative learning is mediated by campus connectedness and a sense of community, and subsequently how it impacts student persistence utilizing affective organizational commitment and turnover intention measures. A survey instrument was developed based on the factors of the research model, and was tailored to the terminology used for communities and academia. To test the model, a cohort of students across multiple institutions was invited to participate in a virtual learning community, and a total of 103 students participated. To test the entire model, partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was used. In testing the design of the overall model utilizing structural equation modeling, the relationship between all factors but one were found to be statistically significant. In further analysis, the model design was also able to discern between two separate groups, adding to its versatility. Implications for research in this area include an expansion of student attrition research through turnover intention, scalability with the addition of more constructs, and ultimately a new model that contributes to future research that is not limited to a higher education domain