J. Inf. Technol. Educ. Res.最新文献

{"title":"Perception of Instructor Presence and Its Effects on Learning Experience in Online Classes","authors":"Chongwook Park, Dong-gook Kim","doi":"10.28945/4611","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.28945/4611","url":null,"abstract":"Aim/Purpose: One of the most critical challenges to the student learning experience in online classes would be providing interactions between students and instructors as effective as in face-to-face learning. This study introduces perceived instructor presence as a way to promote such interactions and investigates its effects on student learning experience in online learning. Background: Drawing upon theories of constructivism and social presence, this study proposes a research model to explore the causal relationships from the interactivity of a communication tool to the perception of instructor presence and to student learning experiences such as engagement and satisfaction. Methodology: The survey method was used to collect data from online business classes where an interactive communication tool was required to use for class communication and collaboration. Partial Least Squares analysis was used as the primary data analysis tool. Contribution: This study introduces perceived instructor presence in the online learning context and empirically tests its effects on the online learning experience. This study also contributes to the online learning literature by confirming the constructivist’s point of view on learning that interactions lead to better learning experiences, in the online learning environment. Findings: The study results show that the use of an interactive communication tool in online learning fosters strong student-instructor interactions and promotes students’ perceptions of instructor presence, which eventually enhances student engagement and satisfaction in online classes. Recommendations for Practitioners: This study recommends practitioners (e.g., teachers and professors) to use more interactive communication tools such as Microsoft Teams and Slack to promote the instructor presence in their online classes, which ultimately increase student engagement and satisfaction. Practitioners are also recommended to develop and use any other teaching methods or activities that can increase perceived instructor presence, which has a direct impact on student engagement in online learning. Recommendation for Researchers: While the fellow researchers can take one of the future research directions in this paper, it is recommended to consider more fundamental approaches to the study of online learning. For example, the concept of presence is a radical difference when courses are moved from face-to-face to online learning. Future research could investigate how various types of presence can play differently in online learning. Impact on Society: Better learning experiences are likely to have a significant impact on society’s well-being, and the findings of this study suggest how student learning experiences can be improved in online classes. Furthermore, this is particularly useful when many face-to-face classes were forced to switch to online classes abruptly during the COVID-19 pandemic as many students, parents, and edu","PeriodicalId":220667,"journal":{"name":"J. Inf. Technol. Educ. Res.","volume":"39 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-07-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"128223708","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Examining the Impact of Spherical Videos in Teaching Endangered Species/Environmental Education to Primary School Students","authors":"Emmanuel Fokides, Melpomeni Kefallinou","doi":"10.28945/4612","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.28945/4612","url":null,"abstract":"Aim/Purpose: The study examined whether spherical videos are an effective tool in teaching primary school students subjects related to the endangered species. It also examined their feelings/attitudes towards this tool. \u0000\u0000Background: Young students have trouble understanding concepts related to environmental education and, specifically, concepts related to the endangered species. Spherical videos constitute an interesting alternative teaching tool, applicable in diverse scientific disciplines. Additionally, research in this field is rather unsystematic and fragmented, given that the underlying technology is still an emerging one. \u0000\u0000Methodology: A three conditions within-subjects design was applied. Forty-nine, nine-to-ten years-old primary school students attending public schools in Athens, Greece were selected to participate in the project. They had never before been formally taught subjects such as the ones included in the study and had no prior experience in using Google Cardboard compatible head-mounted displays. The participating students were taught using printed material, web pages, and interactive applications in which spherical videos were embedded. The project lasted for nine two-teaching-hour sessions (three for each tool). Data were collected using nine evaluation sheets. About a third of the questions in these tests assessed declarative knowledge, while the rest examined procedural and conditional knowledge. A validated scale was also used, designed to evaluate users’ experience when using digital educational applications. For analyzing the data (from both the evaluation sheets and the questionnaire), several repeated measures ANOVA tests were conducted using SPSS 25.\u0000\u0000Contribution: By examining the learning outcomes from the use of applications in which spherical videos were integrated, by contrasting their impact on knowledge with other tools, and by quantifying their differences, the present study extends the -rather limited- literature regarding the educational uses of this technology. Given that there is a lack of a well-defined teaching framework, the study contributes towards this end, as a modified version of Bybee’s 5Es was tested, with encouraging results.”\u0000\u0000Findings: Post-hoc pairwise comparisons revealed statistically significant differences indicating that students’ performance when using the apps was better than their performance in the web pages and printed material. Statistically significant differences were also noted when analyzing the questionnaire’s data. In detail, the analysis revealed that the apps were considered more motivating compared with both the printed material and the web pages. The same applied to students’ enjoyment. Also, their sense of presence was stronger. Then again, all tools were considered as being equally useful. Finally, no usability issues were reported.\u0000\u0000Recommendations for Practitioners: As the development of apps requires time and effort, a large pool of ready-made apps has to become av","PeriodicalId":220667,"journal":{"name":"J. Inf. Technol. Educ. Res.","volume":"31 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-07-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"122487649","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Trends in Using ICT Resources by Professors in HEIs (Higher Education Institutions)","authors":"Carmen Ricardo-Barreto, Daladier Jabba Molinares, H. Llinás, Judith M. Peña Santodomíngo, Cinthia Milena Astorga Acevedo, Pedro D. Acevedo Rodríguez, Claudia P. Baloco Navarro, S. M. Villa","doi":"10.28945/4601","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.28945/4601","url":null,"abstract":"Aim/Purpose: This study aimed at recognizing and analyzing the trends of ICT use (hardware, software, and digital educational resources) by higher education professors in the Antioquia region (Colombia), and characterizing this population according to their context. \u0000\u0000Background: The inexorable growth of ICT and the convergence of networks have produced great changes in human culture, and particularly in the educational environment. As a result, the development of appropriate technological competencies and the study of the trends of ICT use to meet this requirement become necessary. \u0000\u0000Methodology: The study follows a quantitative approach, with a non-experimental and correlational design. The sample consisted of 97 professors from different universities of the Antioquia region (Colombia), age between 21 and 60 years old, selected in a non-aleatory way, to fill in an online survey. \u0000\u0000Contribution: A contribution is the identification and characterizing of an active population in higher education and the trends in use of digital resources in the classroom from the professors’ perception that allows recognizing the pedagogical potential of these resources to enrich the process of social and educational appropriation of ICT in higher education institutions (HEI). \u0000\u0000Findings: Findings show the level of use (low and high) of ICT (hardware, software, and digital educational resources) by university professors, identifying those that still maintain a predominant use (e.g., desktop PC); those that are innovative (e.g., laptop, smartphone), and those that appear with low frequency (e.g., apps, digital blackboard, clickers). These results show some factors that may influence the development of these trends, such as technological infrastructure, HEI support, teachers’ training, the accessibility and availability of resources, and preference for digital open resources. \u0000\u0000Recommendations for Practitioners: According to the results, universities should provide technological resources and suitable connectivity necessary for educational innovation to professors. Besides, it is suggested to strengthen the pedagogical use of ICT by training according to the trends of use and professors’ competency levels. \u0000\u0000Recommendation for Researchers: This study made evident professors’ great preference of using storage, display, and sound devices, among them the desktop PC and the laptop continue being the key tools to boost the educational process, in contrast to the low use of tools to detect plagiarism, social networks, and apps to boost activities with emergent technologies. Considering the potential and richness these tools may offer in the educational processes, it should be interesting to carry out studies on factors or motivations that influence the little inclination to use them.\u0000\u0000Impact on Society: The analysis of the trends of ICT use from the perspective of university professors about hardware, software, and digital educational resources may suggest greater attenti","PeriodicalId":220667,"journal":{"name":"J. Inf. Technol. Educ. Res.","volume":"24 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-07-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"127535649","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"End-User Software Development: Effectiveness of a Software Engineering-Centric Instructional Strategy","authors":"Ilenia Fronza, Luis Corral, C. Pahl","doi":"10.28945/4580","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.28945/4580","url":null,"abstract":"Aim/Purpose: This work aims to introduce and evaluate an instructional strategy that aids end-users with developing their software products during intensive project-based events. \u0000\u0000Background: End-users produce software in the labor market, and one of the challenges for End-User Software Engineering (EUSE) is the need to create functional software products without a formal education in software development. \u0000\u0000Methodology: In this work, we present an instructional strategy to expose end-users to Agile-based Software Engineering (SE) practices and enhance their ability to developing high-quality software. Moreover, we introduce a SE approach for the collection of metrics to assess the effectiveness of the instructional strategy. We conducted two case studies to validate the effectiveness of our strategy; the comprehensive analysis of the outcome products evaluates the strategy and demonstrates how to interpret the collected metrics.\u0000\u0000Contribution: This work contributes to the research and practitioner body of knowledge by leveraging SE centric concepts to design an instructional strategy to lay the foundations of SE competencies in inexperienced developers. This work presents an instructional strategy to develop SE competencies through an intensive and time-bound structure that may be replicated. Moreover, the present work introduces a framework to evaluate these competencies from a product-centric approach, specialized for non-professional individuals. Finally, the framework contributes to understanding how to assess software quality when the software product is written in non-conventional, introductory programming languages.\u0000\u0000Findings: The results show the effectiveness of our instructional strategy: teams were successful in constructing a working software product. However, participants did not display a good command of source code order and structure. \u0000\u0000Recommendations for Practitioners: Our instructional strategy provides practitioners with a framework to lay foundations in SE competencies during intensive project-based events. Based on the results of our case studies, we provide a set of recommendations for educational practice.\u0000\u0000Recommendation for Researchers: We propose an assessment framework to analyze the effectiveness of the instructional strategy from a SE perspective. This analysis provides an overall picture of the participants’ performance; other researchers could use our framework to evaluate the effectiveness of their activities, which would contribute to increasing the possibility of comparing the effectiveness of different instructional strategies. \u0000\u0000Impact on Society: Given the number of end-user developers who create software products without a formal SE training, several professional and educational contexts can benefit from our proposed instructional strategy and assessment framework.\u0000\u0000Future Research: Further research can focus on improving the assessment framework by including both process and product metrics to shed light ","PeriodicalId":220667,"journal":{"name":"J. Inf. Technol. Educ. Res.","volume":"52 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-06-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"130212479","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Information Technology Asymmetry and Gaps Between Higher Education Institutions and Industry","authors":"Y. Sahin, Ufuk Celikkan","doi":"10.28945/4553","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.28945/4553","url":null,"abstract":"Aim/Purpose: This paper investigates the gaps between industry and academia perceptions of information technology fields, such as computer science, software engineering, and computer engineering, and it identifies areas of asymmetry between curricula and industry expectations. The study mainly focuses on the skills required of IT professionals (graduated students) and on how higher education institutes equip students for industry.\u0000\u0000Background: Higher education institutes have several IT-related departments. However, it is not clear whether these departments have sufficient content to equip students with industry-related skills. Rapid advances mean that some curriculum topics are redundant before the end of a standard two- or four-year degree programs. Balancing the technical/non-technical skills and adjusting the curricula to better prepare the students for industry is a constant demand for higher education institutions. Several studies have demonstrated that a generic curriculum is inadequate to address current IT industry needs. \u0000\u0000Methodology: The study involved a comprehensive survey of IT professionals and companies using a Web-based questionnaire sent directly to individual companies, academics, and employers. 64 universities and 38 companies in 24 countries were represented by the 209 participants, of whom 99 were IT professionals, 72 academics, and 38 employers.\u0000\u0000Contribution: This paper is intended to guide academics in preparing dynamic curricula that can be easily adapted to current industry trends and technological developments, with content directly relevant to student’s careers. In addition, the results may identify the skills that students need to secure employment and the courses that will provide skills in line with current industry trends.\u0000\u0000Findings: The results indicate a lack of emphasis on personal and non-technical skills in undergraduate education compared to general computer science, software development, and coding courses. Employers’ and software experts’ responses emphasize that soft skills should not be ignored, and that, of these, analytical thinking and teamwork are the two most requested. Rather than a theoretical emphasis, courses should include hands-on projects. Rapid developments and innovations in information technologies demand that spiral and waterfall models are replaced with emerging software development models, such as Agile and Scrum development.\u0000\u0000Recommendations for Practitioners: A multidisciplinary approach should be taken to the teaching of soft skills, such as communication, ethics, leadership, and customer relations. Establishing multiple learning tracks in IT education would equip students with specialized knowledge and skills in IT. An effective communication channel should be established between students and industry. It is also important to reduce the distance between academics and students and to provide an interactive environment for technical discussions. Enterprise level computing and Framewo","PeriodicalId":220667,"journal":{"name":"J. Inf. Technol. Educ. Res.","volume":"1 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-06-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"125337310","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Designing Online Learning Environments for Flipped Approaches in Professional Mathematics Teacher Development","authors":"Robert Weinhandl, Z. Lavicza, T. Houghton","doi":"10.28945/4573","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.28945/4573","url":null,"abstract":"Aim/Purpose: Our research aims to explore which design elements and aspects of online learning environments are relevant for teachers when introduced to educational innovations such as flipped learning and, thereby, to enable facilitating the dissemination of these innovations.\u0000\u0000Background: Integrating educational innovations from academic discourses or professional teacher development into teachers’ classroom practices is challenging. Sustaining and reinforcing their effects on professional development is also difficult especially because of the lack of continuous support and inspiration for long term pedagogical changes. Online learning environments could facilitate such assistance, inspiration, and assist in developing supportive teacher communities. The current coronavirus pandemic and the associated homeschooling illustrate that supportive off- and online teacher communities and mutual support and inspiration of teachers will become increasingly significant, especially in virtual learning environments.\u0000\u0000Methodology: To discover key elements and aspects of such learning environments, an online learning environment for flipped mathematics education was developed, and its application was investigated following design-based research principles.\u0000\u0000Contribution: In this paper, specifications of design elements and aspects of our online learning environments for teachers embedded into flipped education and other educational innovations will be introduced.\u0000\u0000Findings: The evaluation of the research data using grounded theory principles indicated that if online learning environments was to promote flipped approaches in mathematics education for teachers in our study the following categories were essential: (a) teachers want to be able to make decisions concerning online learning, (b) online learning environments should illustrate advantages of approaches/technologies as well as their practical relevance, (c) online learning environments should not lead to additional work for teachers, and (d) privacy and security of online learning environments.\u0000\u0000Recommendations for Practitioners: Following results of our study, teachers should be provided with a variety of high-quality learning materials and opportunities for teachers to share their own learning materials through online learning environments in professional teacher development. However, when providing a variety of learning materials, course leaders should ensure not to overburden participants of professional teacher development.\u0000\u0000Recommendation for Researchers: For researchers, it is necessary to verify results of our qualitative study quantitatively and to apply our results in other fields of online learning as well. Focusing on the contradictions between the visibility and dissemination of innovation through OLE and teachers’ request for closed OLE could be fruitful.\u0000\u0000Impact on Society: Results of our study could also have an impact on working lives as a whole, and not just schools or professional t","PeriodicalId":220667,"journal":{"name":"J. Inf. Technol. Educ. Res.","volume":"154 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-06-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"134387587","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Access to and Accounts of Using Digital Tools in Swedish Secondary Grades. An Exploratory Study","authors":"Lars Almén, Sangeeta Bagga-Gupta, C. Bjursell","doi":"10.28945/4550","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.28945/4550","url":null,"abstract":"Aim/Purpose: The aim of the study is to explore students’ encounters with digital tools and how they account for their experiences of using digital tools within formal education.\u0000\u0000Background: While computers have a long history in educational settings, research indicates that digital tools function both as affordances and constraints, and that the role of digital tools in schools continues to be debated. Taking into consideration student perspectives can broaden the understanding of knowledge formation practices. \u0000\u0000Methodology: The study is part of a larger ethnographic project, focusing on agency at all levels with respect to digitalization in schools. The present exploratory study is built primarily on interviews with 31 secondary school students at five different schools (15 girls and 16 boys). The analytical framework was a Nexus Analysis, focusing on discourses in place.\u0000\u0000Contribution: The paper shows how digital tools are conceptualized as being formed by and fitted into the traditions and habits of the institution, rather than acting as a transformative force to change knowledge formation practices in schools.\u0000\u0000Findings: From the students’ narrative accounts, the following key themes emerge: (1) Action in contexts, (2) Agency in contexts, and (3) Equality in contexts. The first deals with the use of digital tools in school and the interaction order as it is accounted for in the use of digital tools in schools. The second frames human agency with regards to usage of digital tools and how agency fluctuates in interaction. The third deals with the compensating role digital tools are supposed to play for students who are identified with special needs and for students with divergent backgrounds, especially socioeconomic standards.\u0000\u0000Recommendations for Practitioners: For teachers, the recommendation is to engage in dialogue with the stu-dents on how and when to use digital tools and the affordances and con-straints involved from a student’s point of view. \u0000For school leaders, the recommendation is to review how organizational structures, culture, and processes hinder or support the development of new practices in digitalization processes.\u0000\u0000\u0000Recommendation for Researchers: The three key themes that emerged in this study emphasize the need to reflect upon how a panopticon view of contemporary classrooms can be challenged. Involving students in this work is recommended as a means to anchor ideas and results. \u0000\u0000Impact on Society: This study is part of a larger project at Jönköping University, focusing on agency at all levels with respect to digitalization in schools. The overall goal is to increase our understanding of how to improve digitalization and implementation processes in schools.\u0000\u0000Future Research: Future studies that address digital technologies in schools need to pay special attention to the interaction between students, teachers, and various kinds of tools to map the nature of the education process, with the aim of challenging the panopti","PeriodicalId":220667,"journal":{"name":"J. Inf. Technol. Educ. Res.","volume":"39 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"116034452","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Variables Affecting E-Learning Services Quality in Indonesian Higher Education: Students' Perspectives","authors":"Theresiawati Tere, H. Seta, A. Hidayanto, Z. Abidin","doi":"10.28945/4489","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.28945/4489","url":null,"abstract":"Aim/Purpose: This research aims to evaluate and analyze the e variables which influence the quality of e-learning services at the university-level based on the perspectives of students (stakeholders). It seeks to identify factors of e-learning quality and satisfaction and to examine the relationship between the dimensions of e-learning quality, satisfaction, and behavioral intention as perceived by university students.\u0000\u0000Background: E-learning is an electronic learning approach that supports online teaching and learning. One of key indicators of the success of e-learning development and implementation is the increased satisfaction of e-learning users. However, research focusing on the service quality of e-learning in universities, especially in Indonesia, has not been widely carried out and has not been comprehensive. Researching the quality of e-learning services in universities, especially in Indonesia, will help to increase the gross enrollment rate (GRE) in tertiary education\u0000\u0000Methodology: This research uses quantitative methods. Research data were obtained by distributing a questionnaire at one of state universities in Indonesia. The study was based on an extension of a service quality model consisting of teacher quality perception represented by factors of assurance, empathy, responsiveness, and reliability, the quality of the Learning Management System (LMS) represented by usability and informativeness, and the quality of lecture materials represented by learning contents. Data collected were analyzed with SmartPLS, using a partial least squares-structural equation model (PLS-SEM).\u0000\u0000Contribution: This research contributes to knowledge in the field of information systems, especially the management of e-learning as an online learning media. Most e-learning research only involves one aspect, for example, teacher quality or service quality. This research investigates several dimensions including teacher quality, LMS quality, and content quality, resulting in a model that incorporates several aspects.\u0000\u0000Findings: The findings of this research indicate that content quality, teacher quality (empathy, responsiveness, reliability, and assurance), and LMS quality (usability and informativeness) have a significant influence on the quality of e-learning based on the students’ perceptions. However, LMS quality does not have a significant effect on satisfaction. The quality of e-learning and user satisfaction are found to have a significant and positive effect on user intention to engage in e-learning. The findings of this study suggest that satisfaction is very influential and has a higher value than e-learning quality in relation to students’ intention to use e-learning.\u0000\u0000Recommendations for Practitioners: The significant influence of the constructs investigated in this research could shape strategies and approaches that are adopted to enhance e-learning service quality and increase the success of e-learning development and implementation, resulting in ","PeriodicalId":220667,"journal":{"name":"J. Inf. Technol. Educ. Res.","volume":"36 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-05-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"125386208","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Improving Business Product Owner Commitment in Student Scrum Projects","authors":"Corey Baham","doi":"10.28945/4549","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.28945/4549","url":null,"abstract":"Aim/Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore and test several improvements for incorporating the Business Product Owner (BPO) role in student software projects using Scrum. \u0000\u0000Background: As the popularity of Scrum has grown, its roles and ceremonies have been utilized in student software projects, yet one of the more challenging roles to implement in the academic context is the role of BPO. Consequently, although the BPO role is central to Scrum, this role is lacking in many student Scrum projects. \u0000\u0000Methodology: Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected at a large university in the U.S. to assess the effectiveness of attempted improvements in incorporating the BPO role in 32 student Scrum projects.\u0000\u0000Contribution: This study is among the first to theorize and examine the bottom-up selection of BPOs where team members select their own BPOs as a unique project requirement. This study extends current theory to expand the development team roles when BPOs are unable to articulate requirements during co-creation activities. This study also informs us of the impact of BPO attributes on team member perceptions and it demonstrates how BPO engagement can be improved in student Scrum projects. \u0000\u0000Findings: The findings suggest that BPO engagement can be improved by (a) formalizing the BPO selection process through time-limiting responses, screening, and contractual agreements, (b) starting the BPO initiation process through co-creation activities (e.g., user story workshop), and (c) expanding the development team’s role in defining and prioritizing features during the BPO execution process through mutual steering. \u0000\u0000Recommendations for Practitioners: Based on the findings, practitioners are recommended to educate BPO’s concerning their role and its impact on the Scrum team. \u0000\u0000Recommendation for Researchers: Researchers are recommended to develop and test additional mechanisms to facilitate ongoing BPO engagement. \u0000\u0000Impact on Society: Higher education needs to explore more ways of involving practitioners in student projects. \u0000\u0000Future Research: Future research should explore ways of reducing BPO attrition in student Scrum projects. \u0000\u0000","PeriodicalId":220667,"journal":{"name":"J. Inf. Technol. Educ. Res.","volume":"18 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-05-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"126843820","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Exploring Student Readiness to MOOCs in Jordan: A Structural Equation Modelling Approach","authors":"A. Al-Adwan, Naser Khdour","doi":"10.28945/4542","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.28945/4542","url":null,"abstract":"Aim/Purpose: The current study has been carried out to reveal students’ readiness to utilize MOOCs at higher learning institutions in Jordan.\u0000\u0000Background: Higher education institutions around the globe are shifting rapidly to reach learners worldwide by providing open education. In accordance with this universal effort, Jordan is committed to offering open access education that allows learners to access knowledge through the Internet and has launched one of the first Arabic “Massive Open Online Course” (MOOC) platforms in the Arabic region. Thus, students must be prepared and ready for this innovation in education. Nonetheless, MOOCs have been incessantly discussed and have faced wide criticism as an insufficient amount of research has been conducted on students’ readiness to be involved in MOOCs. The level of tertiary students’ preparation to utilize and attend MOOCs as a source of learning is unclear. \u0000\u0000Methodology: Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to test the proposed model of students’ readiness for MOOCs. Convenience sampling was used to distribute a paper-based questionnaire to the students of three Jordanian universities during a period of four months from May to September 2019. Out of 700 distributed questionnaires, a total of 537 responses were returned giving a response rate of 76.7%. Out of the returned questionnaires, 69 responses were reported incomplete as most of the questions (>80%) were left unanswered; these 69 questionnaires were eliminated from any further analysis. As a result, a total of 468 questionnaires were valid for statistical analysis. \u0000\u0000Contribution: This study aims to contribute to the existing literature by examining the perceptions of higher education students in Jordan toward MOOCs. The current study extends the continuing debate about MOOCs with respect to determining which factors influence students’ readiness to participate in these courses. Specifically, this study investigates both the cognitive and psychological influential factors that determine the readiness of Jordanian students to adopt MOOCs. The proposed theoretical framework for this research is based on the work of Yu and Richardson, who developed the model of Student Online Learning Readiness (SOLR). SOLR is comprised of three forms of competency assumed to be important in examining students’ readiness for online learning. Specifically, these competencies are (1) social competency represent skills, capabilities, and a sense of control, which is necessary for managing social situations and developing and sustaining relationships, (2) communication competency, “the ability of an individual to demonstrate knowledge of the appropriate communicative behavior in a given situation”, and (3) technical competencies, “self-efficacy in technology”. Furthermore, the research model includes an additional competency: self-management of learning, “the degree to which a student perceives himself/herself as being self-disciplined and is able to engage in","PeriodicalId":220667,"journal":{"name":"J. Inf. Technol. Educ. Res.","volume":"36 2 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-04-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"123723162","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}