Using Cognitive Mapping to Represent and Share Users’ Interpretations of Technology

An assumption implied by much of the literature in information systems (IS) research is that people’s interpretations of technology influence the way in which technology gets adapted in organizations. Despite this acknowledgment, little insight is provided for how these interpretations can be elicited, and only a few studies suggest methods for doing so. In this article we address this opportunity by advancing cognitive mapping as a well-established method to systematically inquire into people’s interpretations of technology. We show how cognitive maps can serve as visual means of representation of these interpretations and discuss how the maps can be used to facilitate individual reflection and collective negotiation of technology adaptation. We illustrate the use of the cognitive mapping method with a case example of the introduction of an electronic patient record (EPR) system in a hospital setting. Based on our findings, we engage in a discussion of the value of cognitive mapping as a facilitating technique of individual reflection, as well as collective negotiation and construction in relation to technology adaptation. This implies a discussion of the epistemological, theoretical, and practical implications of its use

Insights from a randomized controlled trial of flipped classroom on academic achievement: the challenge of student resistance

Abstract Flipped classroom has been found to positively influence student achievement but the magnitude of the effect varies greatly according to discipline and local design, and few studies have been methodologically rigorous enough to establish causal evidence. Using a randomized controlled trial, this study addresses a gap in current knowledge by exploring how student responses mediate the impact of flipped classroom on academic achievement. The empirical setting is a first-year undergraduate macroeconomics course with 415 students. Comparing students in the treatment group with those in a traditional class, we find a positive, yet statistically insignificant effect on academic achievement. However, this overall effect masks important mediating effects, as students were unexpectedly reluctant to actively participate in the flipped classroom intervention. Consequently, the intervention has a substantially greater effect on academic achievement when controlling for the mediating effect of student participation which leads to consideration of the challenges of student resistance to flipped classroom