Computer-aided DSM-IV-diagnostics – acceptance, use and perceived usefulness in relation to users' learning styles

BACKGROUND: CDSS (computerized decision support system) for medical diagnostics have been studied for long. This study was undertaken to investigate how different preferences of Learning Styles (LS) of psychiatrists might affect acceptance, use and perceived usefulness of a CDSS for diagnostics in psychiatry. METHODS: 49 psychiatrists (specialists and non-specialists) from 3 different clinics volunteered to participate in this study and to use the CDSS to diagnose a paper-based case (based on a real patient). LS, attitudes to CDSS and complementary data were obtained via questionnaires and interviews. To facilitate the study, a special version of the CDSS was created, which automatically could log interaction details. RESULTS: The LS preferences (according to Kolb) of the 49 physicians turned out as follows: 37% were Assimilating, 31% Converging, 27% Accommodating and 6% Diverging. The CDSS under study seemed to favor psychiatrists with abstract conceptualization information perceiving mode (Assimilating and Converging learning styles). A correlation between learning styles preferences and computer skill was found. Positive attitude to computer-aided diagnostics and learning styles preferences was also found to correlate. Using the CDSS, the specialists produced only 1 correct diagnosis and the non-specialists 2 correct diagnoses (median values) as compared to the three predetermined correct diagnoses of the actual case. Only 10% had all three diagnoses correct, 41 % two correct, 47 % one correct and 2 % had no correct diagnose at all. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that the use of CDSS does not guarantee correct diagnosis and that LS might influence the results. Future research should focus on the possibility to create systems open to individuals with different LS preferences and possibility to create CDSS adapted to the level of expertise of the user

Card Sorting Assessing User Attitude in E-Learning

Various undergraduate and post graduate educational bodies, now a day, employ blended learning systems to complement the face to face commu- nication between educator and learner. While E-learning tools in general have been found to improve access to resources, these tools need to be reliable and usable; the ease of use of E-learning would have a meaningful impact on the learning experience.This paper investigates learners' perception of quality and willingness to use of E-learning environments. It also explores the attitude of users from two dif- ferent cultural groups towards a number of E-learning sites. The paper aims to reveal some of the perception of quality for these groups of users in interacting with learning virtual communities. In September/ October 2013, series of card sorting sessions were conducted with number of learners enrolled in a joint venture European-Arab Master Pro- gram. In the individual sessions, each participant was asked to look at card of selected E-Learning sites, and to choose a single criterion by which the E- learning main pages could be differentiated from one another. Cards were then sorted based on different categories under each criterion. Participants repeated sorting the cards according to criteria and categories they generated. A second round of sorting sessions were conducted by the same participants, where they sorted the same cards according to the Willingness to Use criterion, and pro- vided a reason for the sorting decisions made. The analysis of the card sorting sessions reveals some interesting findings concerning interface elements which seem to be salient for users in E-learning environment, such as: Interface Comprehensibility and Obviousness, Content Usefulness, and Site Affiliation and Reputation. Some differences in quality perception were also found between the two cultural groups This paper makes a contribution to universal access in HCI by describing the quality perception, preferences, and general attitude for different group of users in the context of E-learning environment