The purpose of this study was to analyze data related to rural teachers' use of online communities. Rural teachers are often isolated in their practice and sometimes have difficulty connecting with other teachers with their same assignments or needs due to their professional setting. As Internet availability increases and online communities proliferate, teachers have more opportunity than ever to seek personal and professional support in virtual relationships when face-to-face ones are not easily available. In small schools such as the ones included in this study, teachers can become burned out as they perform the difficult task of teaching with few colleagues in their department or grade level to turn to for support. One interview subject said that she and the only other person with the same teaching assignment don't always have time to communicate and often have to use their lunch period to do so. Another said that she feels very isolated because there are only three of them with the same grade level assignment. The most telling comment came from one high school teacher, "I am the foreign language department." In spite of these expressed feelings of isolation, this study's results do not support widespread use of online communities by these particular rural teachers to help fill their personal and professional needs. The only online communication technology widely used was email. At a minimum, every subject in this study had access to a high-speed Internet connection, functional technology, administrative support, and training. With this type of support already in place, further study is needed to discover what would increase awareness and use of online communities by this group of teachers. Additionally, similar studies in different rural school settings might show different results. Comparisons of study findings between rural schools in different geographic locations would be revealing. Such comparative studies could help inform administrators and online community developers who wish to better meet the needs of rural teachers.

Thesis (M.Com. (Information Systems))--University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, School of Economic and Business Sciences, 2015. / This research study investigated the key factors that contribute to both current usage and future usage intention of online banking by South African users. The research was focused on online banking from all banks and regions in South Africa, hence making the results generalisable to the South African context. The variables (Performance Expectancy, Effort Expectancy, Facilitating Conditions and Social Influence) were derived from UTAUT model. Trust, Switching Costs and Availability of Alternatives were also added. The conceptual model was moderated by age, gender and experience. The variables used within the study were derived from literature review based on previous studies. From a survey of 300 online banking consumers, results were drawn from 105 responses. In South Africa, Trust, Effort expectancy and facilitating conditions, presented significant and positive impact on future usage intention of using online banking. Age and Experience were also significant to Future Usage intentions. However Social Influence, Switching Costs and Availability of Alternatives do not play a considerable role in influencing the user’s future usage in South Africa. While current usage did not directly impact future usage intentions of using online banking, the findings on frequency of usage and functionality (applications) added value to understanding the concept of current usage. The model had an R2 = 0.25 which suggests that within the South African context, there are more factors to be considered for academia and practitioners to understand online banking behaviour amongst consumers. We cannot completely apply theories and models from other countries to the South African context. There is a need to look at factors unique to South Africa, including how customers interpret questionnaires. The research also contributes to the current body of work and interest by banks in South Africa to move from “bricks to clicks”, (moving customers from the branches onto electronic platforms) that are more accessible from any location, and require less staff to operate. To do that, practitioners need add “trust” factors to online banking as well as increase frequency of users logging on to transact. It is vital for banks to also focus on functionality that is simple, reliable and dependable, as well as adds value to customers to ensure their frequent and continued usage thereof.

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between on-site Technology Facilitators, access to technology, technology usage, and technology skill levels of teachers at the eleven C?R?E?A?T?E for Mississippi Partner Schools in the 2003-2004 school year. Four hundred eighteen certified teachers, seven Technology Facilitators, and two Technology Aides participated in the C?R?E?A?T?E for Mississippi project in this time frame in the Partner Schools. Mean difference scores relative to teachers? beginner technology skills and advanced technology skills showed greater gains in Partner Schools that had some level of on-site support than Partner Schools that did not have on-site support. Moreover, schools that had on-site support had greater technology usage rates than the Partner Schools that did not have an on-site support person. Level of on-site support and access to technology, along with other variables of interest, were regressed on teachers? beginner technology skill levels, advanced technology skill levels, and technology usage depicted in the form of student contact hours. The level of on-site support and access to technology explained most of the variance on teachers? beginner and advanced technology skill levels. However, the interaction between level of on-site support and access to technology explained most of the variance on technology usage when loaded into the hierarchical multiple linear regression model further supporting researchers? claims that these two variables are first-order barriers to technology-integration.

The rapid inclusion of new technologies into educational curriculum has left some educators feeling ill prepared and anxious towards changes in teaching styles and curriculum necessary to put these innovations to use in their classrooms. It is imperative that we address this reluctance in order to provide inclusion of both faculty and students in the information revolution that began with the Internet and that continues to sweep the globe. Existing research takes primarily an external perspective to lack of technology usage in education; few studies have considered the psychological barriers that may contribute to technological and digital inequality within a University community. Real progress can be made in motivating technology resistant faculty by teaching them to differentiate between the characteristics of experts and novices, by providing them with the tools necessary to improve their self-efficacy to utilize new teaching technologies, and by providing the infrastructural support necessary to succeed. / text

The purpose of this empirical study is to examine the usage of Enterprise Resource Planning Systems (ERPS) in Higher Education Institutes (HEIs). Recently, rapid growth in information technology services compels developing countries to emerge as an information-based society. This emergence corresponds with the calls of researchers to address ERPS (Abbas, 2011). However, there is a scarcity of efforts by researchers to identify the factors contributing to the usage of ERPS at the organisational, departmental and end-user layer in HEIs. To fill this gap, this research develops a Multi-Layer Usage Model (MLUM) to determine the factors of ERPS usage across the organisational, departmental and individual levels of HEIs. The theoretical foundation of this study is adapted from unified theory of acceptance and use of technology developed by Venkatesh et al (2003). The study is unique in many respects. Firstly, it offers a newly developed multi-level conceptual model that is tested empirically using three distinct questionnaires; one for each layer. A large primary dataset, 1317 responses, is collected through three questionnaire from 18 higher education institutions in Pakistan; 86 responses from the organisational layer, 143 from the departmental layer and 1088 from the end-user layer. Structural equation modelling is used to analyse the effect of factors at three layers contributing to the usage of ERPS. Furthermore, the models are refined by applying extensions of structural equation modelling. Results suggest that at the organisational layer human resource availability, tolerance for risks and conflicts, collegial support and collaboration and decision making and control are significant and contributed towards ERPS usage while at the end-user layer behavioural intentions and motivation were insignificant and were therefore, removed from the model. This study contributes to theory development regarding usage of innovations in the under-researched context of HEIs. It also provides indigenous manifestations of ERPS usage that may be used by policy-makers.

Dans les trente prochaines années la génération du baby boom va atteindre le troisième âge et participer au vieillissement de la société. Cette population aura un besoin massif d’aide et de soins dont il n’est pas garanti que l’on puisse les assurer. Les nouvelles technologies adressées aux personnes âgées peuvent aider à résoudre ce problème mais pour cela il est indispensable que les aînés les acceptent. L’objectif de cette thèse est d’offrir un moyen de mesurer l’acceptation de ces technologies et de prédire leur utilisation. L’analyse de la documentation scientifique a permis d’identifier un modèle ayant les qualités requises pour cela, le modèle d’acceptation technologique proposé par Davis en 1989 (Technology Acceptance Model, TAM). Ce modèle se révèle parcimonieux et bien documenté mais il n’existait qu’en langue anglaise. D’autre part, la documentation scientifique montrait que la technologie la plus répandue parmi la population âgée et dépendante était la téléalarme. Ainsi, il a été décidé de traduire en français, adapter et valider un questionnaire issu du TAM pour prédire l’utilisation de la téléalarme par les personnes âgées dépendantes. Quatre études ont donc été menées, la première a consisté en une série d’entretiens, la deuxième en un questionnaire papier, et les deux dernières en un questionnaire par téléphone. Ce travail a abouti à l’obtention d’un instrument à dix items dont les qualités psychométriques se sont révélées acceptables. Le TAM fonctionne de la manière attendue il est donc possible de prédire l’utilisation de la téléalarme. Cependant deux limites doivent nuancer ces résultats, la première est que les études réalisées sont transversales ce qui empêche de parler de validité prédictive, la seconde et la modeste variance expliquée du questionnaire en français comparativement aux résultats publiés. En conclusion, le modèle doit s’enrichir de concepts spécifique à la population âgée afin d’affiner ses prédictions. / In the next thirty years the baby boomers are going to reach the third age and participate in the ageing of the whole French society. But no one can guarantee that their massive need of assistance and care will be provided. Information and communication technologies have the potential to help the elderly but only if they accept it. The aim of this thesis is to build a tool to assess the acceptance of these technologies and to predict their use. The scientific literature analysis revealed that the technology acceptance model proposed by Davis in 1989 had all the required qualities to build this tool. This model shows itself parsimonius and well documented but only existed in English. According to the literature the most widespread technology among the dependent elderly was the warning alarm. Thus, it was decided to translate into French, to adapt and to validate a questionnaire stemming from the technology acceptance model to predict the use of the warning alarm by dependent elderly. Four studies were thus led, the first consisted in a series of qualitative interviews, the second used a paper a pencil questionnaire, and both last ones in a phone questionnaire. This work ended in a ten items instrument with acceptable psychometric properties. The technology acceptance model works as expected and thus it is possible to predict the use of the remote alarm by dependent elderly. However, two shortcomings have to qualify these results, first the studies presented are cross-sectional which prevents from testing predictive validity, second the amount of explained variance by the questionnaire in French is limited compared with the published results. Finally, the model need to incorporate elderly specific constructs in order to make more accurate predictions.

Ett konsultföretags digitala samarbetsyta för projekthantering används inte i den utsträckningsom företagsledningen önskar och de misstänker att detta grundar sig i ett dåligt gränssnitt ochlåg användbarhet hos systemet. Etablerade teoretiska modeller föreslår att användarbeteendengrundar sig i intentioner. Dessa bygger i sin tur bland annat på attityden mot beteendet, subjektivanormer gentemot beteendet och specifikt för teknikanvändning även systemets värde ochmöjligheterna att få hjälp att använda det. Utifrån detta ställdes följande frågeställningar: (1)Beror det låga användandet på dålig användbarhet? (2) Beror det låga användandet påsubjektiva normer och attityder? (3) Finns det någon koppling mellan ett systems användbarhetoch användarnas vilja att använda det? Nio personer ur användarmålgruppen intervjuades ochfick genomgå användbarhetstester på systemet, vilket sedan utvärderades med SUS-enkäter.Systemets användbarhet konstaterades vara oacceptabel och nyttan det medför väger inte uppför ansträngningarna vid användande. Deltagarnas attityd gentemot systemet var överlagnegativ och byggde till stora delar på arbetsplatsens sociala kultur, då nyttan i systemet döljs avdet låga användandet. Genom korrelationsanalyser kunde inget samband mellan användbarhetoch viljan att använda påvisas. I intervjuerna framkom dock att användbarheten är en avgörandefaktor för viljan att använda. Dessa två företeelser är således inte direkt beroende av varandra,men samspelar under påverkan av andra faktorer. / The digital platform for internal cooperation within a consulting company is not used to theextent that the management wishes, something they suspect is caused by poor usability.Established theoretical models suggest that user behavior is controlled by intentions, which arebased on the attitude towards the behavior, as well as subjective norms. Specifically regardingtechnology usage, the value in using the system and the availability of guidance, are determiningfactors. From this, the following three research questions were formulated: (1) Is thelow usage caused by poor usability? (2) Is the low usage caused by subjective norms andattitudes? (3) Is there a connection between the usability of a system and the users’ intentionsto use it? Nine target users were interviewed and participated in evaluating the system throughusability testing and SUS surveys. The usability was considered unacceptable and the value ofusing it did not outweigh the effort during interaction. The attitude towards it was mainlynegative, primarily due to the social culture of the working place, with few current usersconcealing the value of usage. No connection between usability and the intention to use couldbe found through correlational analysis. From interviews, however, usability was identified asa determining factor for the intention to use. Thus, these phenomena do not directly affect eachother, but interact along with other factors.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-12-17T13:53:33Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 IrisLP_DISSERT.pdf: 2017258 bytes, checksum: 09fcc4e20325f5c1d8a246ef616f88c8 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012-06-18 / Advances related to information technology are visible and inherent to the management of contemporary organizations, regardless of industrial action. Synchronized with this dynamic, educational institutions are incorporating technological tools that assist its management and academic support to teachers in teaching and interaction with the students. Given that technological innovations are not always taken homogeneously and with the same degree of coverage, remain current and relevant studies on how these technologies are being used in academia. The objective of this research is to identify the usage profile of the functionality of a virtual learning environment related to teaching (undergraduate or postgraduate), demographic variables (age and gender) and institutional (time of admission and academic center of origin.) The methodology applied to the study is descriptive and quantitative. The research is characterized as census, covering all 2152 teachers of undergraduate and graduate students of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil, who accessed the virtual classes of the Integrated Management of Academic Activities. The study findings revealed that there is a statistically significant difference regarding the use of these tools to teachers who work with undergraduate (49.3%) compared to graduate (6.6%). Regarding gender, women (40.1%) use the system more than men (38.5%). It was also observed that the younger teachers, aged 37 years, are the most active users (42.5%) of the Virtual Class with respect to their elders. For teachers with up to three years time of admission to the UFRN, the pattern of use is more advanced than those with more seniority, as well as the faculty of the Center for Science and Technology are the least likely to use the tools available in relation to other academic centers. It is hoped that with this study managers can direct actions to improve and expand the use of this environment by teachers / Os avan?os trazidos pelas tecnologias de informa??o s?o vis?veis e inerentes ao gerenciamento das organiza??es contempor?neas, independentemente do ramo de atua??o. Acompanhando essa din?mica, as institui??es educacionais v?m incorporando ferramentas tecnol?gicas que auxiliam a sua gest?o e d?o suporte ao docente nas atividades acad?micas e na intera??o com os discentes. Tendo em vista que as inova??es tecnol?gicas nem sempre s?o adotadas de forma homog?nea e com o mesmo grau de abrang?ncia, continuam atuais e relevantes os estudos acerca da forma como essas tecnologias est?o sendo utilizadas no meio universit?rio. O objetivo desta pesquisa ? identificar o perfil de uso das funcionalidades de um ambiente virtual de aprendizagem relacionado com a atividade de ensino (gradua??o ou p?sgradua??o), vari?veis demogr?ficas (idade e g?nero) e institucionais (tempo de admiss?o e lota??o de centro acad?mico). A metodologia aplicada ao estudo ? do tipo descritiva, de natureza quantitativa. A pesquisa se caracteriza como censit?ria, abrangendo todos os 2.152 docentes dos cursos de gradua??o e p?s-gradua??o da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte que acessaram as Turmas Virtuais do Sistema Integrado de Gest?o das Atividades Acad?micas nos per?odos de 2010.2 e 2011.1. A an?lise evidenciou que h? diferen?a estatisticamente significante quanto ? utiliza??o dessas ferramentas com os docentes que atuam na gradua??o (49,3%) em rela??o aos da p?s-gradua??o (6,6%). Em rela??o ao g?nero, as mulheres (40,1%) usam mais o sistema que os homens (38,5%). Observou-se tamb?m que os docentes mais jovens, com idade at? 37 anos, s?o os usu?rios mais atuantes (42,5%) do Turma Virtual em rela??o aos mais velhos. Para os docentes com at? tr?s anos de tempo de admiss?o na UFRN, o padr?o de uso ? mais avan?ado do que os que t?m mais tempo de casa, assim como os docentes do Centro de Ci?ncia e Tecnologia s?o os que menos se utilizam das ferramentas dispon?veis, em rela??o aos demais centros acad?micos. Espera-se que, com esse estudo, os gestores possam direcionar a??es para melhorar e ampliar a utiliza??o desse ambiente pelos docentes

知識分享是實現成功知識管理的關鍵步驟，然而在公共組織中的成員，當他們去分享自己的知識時，不僅需要花額外的時間和努力之外，甚至可能還會減少他們自己在組織中的權力地位和競爭價值，因此將成員個體的知識轉換組合成組織整體的知識，相形之下會更不容易達成。故本研究的目的在於瞭解哪些因素會影響公共組織成員中的知識分享行為，因此本研究模式中的構念係根據社會交換理論、社會資本理論以及計畫行為理論為基礎。 / 本研究根據這些相關理論所提出之構念發展出涵蓋社會心理(例如外在報酬、預期互惠及樂於助人)、組織系絡(例如認同、信任及支持分享的規範)以及資訊科技(例如資訊科技使用)等三組因素層面的整合性研究模式，並認為這三組因素層面下的變數都會影響成員的知識分享行為。而本研究對象為台北市政府所屬之一級行政機關單位的員工，經過叢聚隨機抽樣後，抽出16個市府所屬之一級行政機關單位中850位受訪者，有效問卷數為524份。而本研究採取結構方程模式(SEM)途徑來檢定本研究模式之假設關係與模式配適程度。 / 研究結果除了發現本研究模式配適度良好外，也發現模式內生變數部份中的知識分享意圖與知識分享行為有高度的正面影響關係，而知識分享的態度、主觀規範與行為控制認知對於知識分享意圖也有正面的影響關係。而模式外生變數部份，預期互惠、樂於助人和組織認同感對於知識分享態度有直接的正面影響；此外組織信任和支持分享的規範對於知識分享的主觀規範有直接的正面影響；還有資訊科技使用對於知識分享的行為控制認知有直接的正面影響，而令人訝異的是在本研究中的外在報酬對於知識分享態度卻是直接的負面影響。 / 因此基於這些研究結果的發現，認為增加員工間的知識分享行為和參加知識分享活動是和正面的社會互動文化有所關聯，因此除了型塑出彼此相互信任、認同的組織氣候或文化之外，也必須建構出易於知識分享的組織規範(如創新、團隊合作和尊重多元價值等)。然而知識分享主要是人與人之間的社會交換活動，因此還要強化成員分享知識的內在動機(如樂於助人)。所以鼓勵公共組織中的管理者和員工彼此間能夠保持頻繁的社會互動，以建立彼此間的人際信任與預期互關係，還有對組織整體的認同與信任，以促使成員產生分享知識的意圖。最後給組織中的公共管理者與政策制定者一個啟示，知識分享還是需要有一個知識分享環境或文化，因此管理者應該確保有效地創造出易於知識分享的環境或文化，以促使知識分享行為的產生。 / Knowledge sharing is a critical step for successful knowledge management. However, sharing knowledge not only requires time and effort but also reduces value or power in the public organization. Therefore, individual’s knowledge does not transform easily into organizational knowledge. The purpose of this study is to develop an understanding of the factors affecting the individual’s knowledge sharing behavior in the governmental context. The research model includes various constructs based on social exchange theory, social capital theory , and the theory of planned behavior .Hence, this research developed an integrated theoretical model and unveiled three sets of critical factors: psychological(extrinsic rewards, reciprocal relationships, enjoyment in helping others), organizational (identification ,trust , pro-sharing norm)and technological(information technology usage) that are believed to affect the knowledge sharing behaviors. Data collected from 524 employees in Taipei City Government were conducted to test the research model using the structural equation modeling (SEM) approach. / The results of the study provide empirical support for the overall structure theorized in the research model. Knowledge sharing behavior was predicted by the employees’ intention towards knowledge sharing and perceived behavioral control. Knowledge sharing intention in turn was predicted by employees’ attitude towards knowledge sharing, subjective norm and perceived behavioral control. The employees perceptions of reciprocal relationships, enjoyment in helping others and identification were positively associated with favorable attitude towards knowledge sharing. The perceptions of extrinsic rewards exerted a negative effect on the attitude. Organizational trust and pro-sharing norm positively influenced employees’ subjective norm. Additionally, information technology usage was positively associated with high levels of perceived behavioral control towards knowledge sharing. / Based on the findings, the study indicates that an increased effort to encourage employees to participate knowledge sharing activities is associated with a positive social interaction culture. Specifically, reinforcing individual’s intrinsic motivation and creating an organizational context characterized by trust, identification and pro-sharing norm are likely to encourage both management and employees to socialize and interact frequently with each other by means of driving knowledge sharing intention. Finally, the study has implications for public manager and policy maker to formulate policies and appropriately to ensure the effective creation of a knowledge sharing culture.