Basic Information Technology Skills Research Articles

INTEGRATING TECHNOLOGY WITH SCIENCE IN STEM EDUCATION FOR K-12 STUDENTS

Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Education is vital for the economy and future employment in developing countries. However, STEM education in Pakistan is still an emerging topic, especially in Hyderabad. Numerous challenges have been found in introducing STEM education as it is complex, unavailable, lack of usability in the education curriculum. STEM education is found to be a suitable learning technique for both teachers and students of Kinndergarten-12 (K-12) grade. This paper introduces an integrated technology and science-based web application that provides an animation-based learning and teaching application prototype. A preliminary survey was conducted from teachers to assess their Information Technology (IT) knowledge and its use in learning and teaching. There were 60% teachers used projectors in the lectures, while the 33.3% used class board and markers, and the remaining 6.7% used only hand gestures to teach their students. Later, the prototype was experienced to see the feasibility and understanding of teachers. 46.7% of teachers voted for the prototype interface as interesting to use while the remaining percentage voted as an average and confusing interface. It was noted that teachers with less education levels had less interest to use this prototype application, however, teachers who were familiar with basic IT skills were likely to use this application. In the end, the last question about using the prototype application in their lectures showed that 80% of teachers will use this application in every practical lecture while 20% of teachers would use this application whenever they get time to prepare for it.

Creating learning health systems and the emerging role of biomedical informatics.

IntroductionThe nature of information used in medicine has changed. In the past, we were limited to routine clinical data and published clinical trials. Today, we deal with massive, multiple data streams and easy access to new tests, ideas, and capabilities to process them. Whereas in the past getting information for decision‐making was a challenge, now, it is how to analyze, evaluate and prioritize all that is readily available through the multitude of data‐collecting devices. Clinicians must become adept with the tools needed to deal with the era of big data, requiring a major change in how we learn to make decisions. Major change is often met with resistance and questions about value. A Learning Health System is an enabler to encourage the development of such tools and demonstrate value in improved decision‐making.MethodsWe describe how we are developing a Biomedical Informatics program to help our medical institution's evolution as an academic Learning Health System, including strategy, training for house staff and examples of the role of informatics from operations to research.ResultsWe described an array of learning health system implementations and educational programs to improve healthcare and prepare a cadre of physicians with basic information technology skills. The programs have been well accepted with, for example, increasing interest and enrollment in the educational programs.ConclusionsWe are now in an era when large volumes of a wide variety of data are readily available. The challenge is not so much in the acquisition of data, but in assessing the quality, relevance and value of the data. The data we can get may not be the data we need. In the past, sources of data were limited, and trial results published in journals were the major source of evidence for decision making. The advent of powerful analytics systems has changed the concept of evidence. Clinicians will have to develop the skills necessary to work in the era of big data. It is not reasonable to expect that all clinicians will also be data scientists. However, understanding the role of AI and predictive analytics, and how to apply them, will become progressively more important. Programs such as the one being implemented at Wake Forest fill that need.

Information Technology Skills and Labor Market Outcomes for Workers

Job erosion is a major concern globally, especially given the COVID-19 pandemic. Unemployment and low wages remain pressing societal challenges in the wake of increased automation, more so for traditionally disadvantaged groups in the labor market, such as women, minorities, and the elderly. However, workers who possess relevant information technology (IT) skills may have an edge in an increasingly digital economy. In this study, we examine the role of IT skills in labor market outcomes for workers, using a household IT use survey from an emerging economy that captures detailed, individual-level data on IT skills, which are also integrated with data on workers’ wages, occupations, and industries between 2007 and 2015. The results indicate that basic IT skills increase individuals’ employment probability, which is driven by both higher labor force participation and a higher probability of transitioning from unemployment to employment, after accounting for the decision to participate in the workforce. Advanced IT skills do not provide a significant incremental effect on employment probability on top of basic IT skills. However, having advanced IT skills helps workers to earn higher wages while incrementally increasing the probability that they are employed in higher-paid jobs. Interestingly, the effect of basic IT skills on employment is significantly larger for the female and older workforce that typically has a higher preference for flexible work options. These results emphasize the importance of providing necessary IT access and offering basic IT training to traditionally disadvantaged groups to close the IT skills gap and the digital divide. We offer implications for the future of work, education, and public policy for designing IT training policies for workers, students, and organizations to stimulate employment with higher wages, particularly in developing economies and for traditionally disadvantaged segments of the workforce, such as women and the elderly, particularly after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Conceptualising the modern proactive internal auditor amidst the 4th Industrial Revolution: a literature review

Since its formal recognition, internal auditing has undergone significant changes such as moving from auditing around the computer towards auditing through the computer. Electronic devices have been acknowledged as important audit tools, resulting in internal auditors having to become all-rounders in a business dispensation and possessing an array of skills. With the responsibilities of internal auditors being periodically revised by the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA), while considering the rapid changes in the business landscape, the primary aim of this study was to conceptualise the modern proactive internal auditor amidst the 4th Industrial Revolution (4IR). This study was both non-empirical and exploratory and constituted qualitative research (literature review). From the research conducted, the modern proactive internal auditor amidst the 4IR was conceptualised as a natural person that is responsible for executing prescribed key tasks, while possessing a multitude of sufficiently developed basic business-skills and basic information technology-skills.

Securing the information systems of libraries and the influence of tech-skills of librarians and users

Advances in Information and Communication Technology have significantly affected the way information is acquired, processed, stored, retrieved, communicated as well as secured. This has changed the way Librarians handle and secure information systems while users are expected to have some level of information and communication technology skills to access and utilize information systems to their full benefits. This study investigated the influence of tech-skills of librarians and users in securing the information systems of selected Nigerian University libraries, employing multiple regression as well as mean and standard deviation involving a survey of 48 librarians and 44,508 registered users of purposively selected university libraries in South-west Nigeria. The study established that most librarians have basic information technology skills but are poor at advanced skills, furthermore, library users also have basic IT knowledge and skills but most users are fairly skillful at advanced information technology.Basic information technology skills of librarians did not significantly influence information systems security, whereas advanced information technology skills does.On users basic information technology skills, there is significant inverse influence on information systems securitywhile advanced information technology skills of users had significant positive influence on information systems security.The result also revealed that there was significant joint influence of basic and advanced information technology skills of librarians and users on information systems security. The study concludes that it is pertinent that librarians have advance skills in order to ensure secure information systems. The paper recommends structured training and capacity building initiatives to re-tool and up skill librarians.

Influencing the Influencers: The Role of Mothers in IT Career Choices

This paper reports on the outcomes from a pilot study targeted at mothers of school children in Melbourne, Australia. The aim of the study was to engender a positive view of technology in the participants and to introduce the concept of Information Technology (IT) as a potential career. Mothers were given the opportunity to develop basic IT skills and learn about different IT career pathways for their children with an emphasis on their daughters’ choices. Mothers were offered an evening course over a four week period that was designed to introduce them to a range of social media and Web 2.0 tools. Their opinions were documented using both questionnaires and informal discussions. It explored whether their attitudes towards IT can be changed by up-skilling and introducing them to the technologies their children commonly use. The findings of the pilot study suggest that addressing this demographic has the potential to make the participants question their pre-conceptions about IT careers for women.

Use of the Internet and SME Characteristics to Expand Scale and Geographic Scope of Sales

The potential of the Internet to both geographically expand customer bases and provide a source of sales growth has led to a rapid embracement of the Internet by a majority of small businesses in the United Kingdom. However, many studies suggest that much of this adoption takes the form of simple Web sites representing little more than an electronic brochure. Although theories and models have been proposed suggesting adoption and development of e-commerce takes a staged process, with firms moving to more complex e-commerce processes after first mastering simpler forms of Web site, studies have found mixed evidence with regard to this. This paper investigates the level of Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) Web site adoption and functionality and how this relates to growth aspirations, specifically the geographical expansion of customer bases. One potential explanation for this slow uptake of true e-commerce is a lack of employees with basic and advanced IT skills. The possibility that Information Technology (IT) skills shortages could explain the gap between the Internet’s potential and the extent of involvement by a vast majority of UK SMEs is explored. Discussion within the paper is complemented with analysis of data from a large survey of SMEs.

Adult trainers in Greece: qualifications, teaching effectiveness, and competency-based selection

The purpose of the research has been to investigate the views of adult education trainers with regards to the qualifications which form part of the ‘effective adult trainer profile.’ Trainers in Adult Education were asked to express their views on the specific qualifications (e.g. work experience, studies, etc.) which increase (and to what extent) their effectiveness, while they perform their training duties. Moreover, since these trainers have participated in several selection processes when they seek work, they have been asked to express their views regarding the extent to which the specific selection tools they have encountered, have measured their competences in a reliable and valid manner. The question was whether they trust the tools (such as gleaning qualifications from application forms and transcripts, interviews, references, etc.) that Adult Education organisations employ during their selection processes. The research has followed an interdisciplinary approach, combining the Adult Education and Human Resource Management fields. This is an original approach, given that these issues have not been addressed to any significant extent by the academic community in Greece. The research has followed a quantitative approach (questionnaires administered to a sample of 271 adult trainers), deriving its data from an EU subsidised programme called ‘Adult Education in basic information technology skills, Heron-2.’ This programme took place in Greece nationwide and was effective from November 2008 to November 2011. The research showed that the qualification that adult trainers value the most is their teaching experience within the groups of adult trainees. It also showed that among all tools of personnel selection, they consider that the process of gleaning qualifications from application forms and transcripts is the most reliable and valid way to measure their ability to teach.

The effect of information literacy on physical education students' perception of a course management system

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of information literacy on students' perception toward the educational services offered by an asynchronous course management system (e-Class) for the support of the traditional instruction method in tertiary physical education (PE) institutions. Participants were 211 PE students between the ages of 19 and 24 years, who were sorted into three groups according to their information literacy level: high, medium, and low users of technology. Data was collected using an online survey during a one-week period. One-way analyses of variances (ANOVAs) revealed significant differences between the three user groups, in each factor of the perception questionnaire: ‘interaction’, ‘participation’, ‘educational material’, ‘usefulness,’ and ‘user control’. In the above factors, the high and medium user groups reported better results than the low-technology user group. In conclusion, learner familiarity with computer and online technologies made positive contributions to their perception toward course management systems. Hence, it is essential that physical education students should have basic information technology skills to feel more satisfied with their online learning experiences.

Diagnostic online assessment of basic IT skills in 1st‐year undergraduates in the Medical Sciences Division, University of Oxford

AbstractAttitude, experience and competence (broadly covered by the European Computer Driving Licence syllabus) in information technology (IT) were assessed in 846 1st‐year Medical Sciences Division undergraduates (2003–06) at the start of their first term. Online assessments delivered during induction workshops were presented as an opportunity for self‐evaluation and to provide performance‐related recommendations for training. Results were consistent over 4 years. There was no difference in attitude between years or programme of study and the majority selected ‘competent to use a range of applications’. Nor were there any differences in competence between all students in any year; however, male Medical Science students performed significantly better than females (2006). Students with a recognised IT qualification also did significantly better than those without. There was a discrepancy between measured skill and individual self‐evaluation of competence; in particular, weaker students overestimated their competence. In all years, some students showed a fundamental lack of understanding of basic IT skills. Introducing online diagnostic testing raised the profile of the importance of IT skills to both academic staff and students.

The ability of students to convert their knowledge of IT concepts into IT competencies

The current syllabus (programme of education) prescribed by the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA) emphasises that it is important for students to acquire knowledge and skills in interacting with information technology (IT). One of the basic IT skills identified by SAICA is the ability of students to apply controls to personal systems in order to ensure the processing integrity of IT resources and to ensure that IT resources are secure and properly safeguarded. The research questions investigated in this article are whether and where students acquire the knowledge and skills they need in using passwords as a control mechanism, and whether they actually apply the knowledge and skills they have acquired when they access information systems and networks. On the basis of a survey, the article concludes that there is a definite increase in the level of students’ knowledge of which actions are considered to be good password practices from the time when they have recently matriculated to their third year. However, it is also clear from the results of the survey that these competencies are not yet being fully applied in the real‐world arena of accessing online password‐protected accounts.

Competence in nursing informatics among nursing students and staff at a nursing institute in Sweden

Information technology (IT) has slowly been implemented in many health-care organizations (i.e. hospitals). The use of computers has advanced to home care and long-term facilities. Consequently, it is important that nurses are able to demonstrate competence and feel confident in the use of IT. Yet, research has reported that nursing students have varying degrees of competence and experience with IT. The purpose of this study was to ascertain nursing students' and nursing educators' self-reported attitudes, skills and experiences using IT. Data were collected through a written survey distributed and completed by 247 nursing students (45 of whom were registered nurses who participated in extension courses) and 52 staff members from the nursing faculty at a university in Sweden. Two-thirds of the students and 92% of the nursing educators had access to the Internet from their homes. Of the students, 71% identified their IT skills as being sufficient for their current or future work as a registered nurse. Nurse educators were less confident in the students' ability, reporting that only 29% of nursing students had sufficient IT skills. Comparatively, 48% of the nursing educators believed that they themselves had sufficient IT skills for their role as a nurse educator. It is important that nursing students have basic IT skills and are familiar with e-mail, word-processing and various databases on the World Wide Web. Findings indicate that participants had a deficit in these skills, suggesting the need to integrate IT into the nursing curriculum.

Demand-led e-learning and the elusive total solution

Demand-led learning offers resources to learners when they want them; total solution learning takes the learner from induction to final accreditation through a seamless process. The University of Southampton attempted to deliver basic information technology skills through the support of these processes. Steps in the seamless process were designed, developed and implemented. Face-to-face intervention was eliminated, apart from initial learner induction and online-test invigilation. Feedback loops were planned so that success (eg, in completing the accreditation) might encourage further success through collaborative and competitive peer learning. Critical dependency issues arose whilst implementing the solution. When learning delivery was disrupted by systems failure, the indirect effects on learner motivation and resourcefulness proved as damaging as system breaks themselves. This made the institutionalisation of the learning elusive, but key areas have been identified for further investigation.

Factors affecting people with intellectual disabilities in learning to use computer technology

Using information technology (IT) in work and leisure has become an essential part of life. However, people with intellectual disabilities (ID) may have difficulties in learning the complex skills involved in IT. The aim of this study was to explore (1) level of competency in IT, (2) requirements to learn IT and (3) factors related to IT competency for people with ID. Three-hundred-and-fifty-three adults (age 16 years or above, mean age=28.77 years) with ID were assessed on basic IT skills using a self-developed skill-based checklist including the use of the keyboard and mouse and getting onto the Internet. A short questionnaire was sent out to the parents and caregivers to explore the various factors affecting the learning-teaching process. Results indicated that only 6.2% (22) of the participants knew how to operate the keyboard and mouse and 9.1% (32) were able to get onto the Internet; 33.1% of participants could not operate the computer system at all. Younger people with ID and with mild-grade ID have better IT skills. Three-hundred-and-twenty-seven (92.6%) caregivers reported that although they had a computer in their home or at their work place, people with ID were not given any opportunity to use it. They also reported difficulties in training people with ID to use IT due to insufficient knowledge on training techniques and a lack of software that is suitable for training. As modern society relies more and more on IT in daily activities, the poor computer competency of people with ID may lower their level of participation in leisure, functional and vocational aspects of life. Their general perception was that with sufficient training and support, people with ID could also join the world of IT.

Use of Information and Communication Technology Among Dental Students at the University of Jordan

The aim of this study was to investigate the current knowledge, skills, and opinions of undergraduate dental students at the University of Jordan with respect to information communication technology (ICT). Dental students from the second, third, fourth, and fifth years were asked to complete a questionnaire presented in a lecture at the end of the second semester in the 2002-03 academic year. The response rate was 81 percent. Besides free and unlimited access to computers at the school of dentistry, 74 percent of the students had access to computers at home. However, 44 percent did not use a computer regularly. Male students were more regular and longer users of computers than females (p<0.001). A significant number of students (70 percent) judged themselves competent in information technology (IT) skills. More males felt competent in basic IT skills than did females (p<0.05). More than two-thirds acquired their computer skills through sources other than at the university. The main educational use of computers was accessing the Internet, word processing, multimedia, presentations, Medline search, and data management. More clinical students felt competent in word-processing skills (p<0.05) and many more used word processing for their studies (p<0.001) than did preclinical students. More males used word processing for their studies than females (p<0.001). Students used computers for personal activities more frequently than for academic reasons. More males used computers for both academic (p<0.01) and personal activities (p<0.001) than did females. All students had access to the Internet at the university, and 54 percent had access at home. A high percentage of students (94 percent) indicated they were comfortable using the Internet, 75 percent said they were confident in the accuracy, and 80 percent said they were confident in the relevance of information obtained from the Internet. Most students (90 percent) used email. Most students (83 percent) supported the idea of placing lectures on the web, and 61.2 percent indicated that this would not influence lecture attendance. Students used the Internet more for personal reasons than for the study of dentistry. More clinical students used the Internet for dentistry than preclinical students (p<0.001). More males than females used the Internet for dentistry (p<0.01) as well as for pleasure (p<0.01). Time and availability were the main obstacles to Internet use. Dental students at the University of Jordan have access to substantial IT resources and demonstrated attitudes toward the computer and Internet technology and use that were similar to other students in other nations. However, the educational use of ICT among Jordanian students remains low.

Learning effectiveness in a Web‐based virtual learning environment: a learner control perspective

AbstractWeb‐based technology has a dramatic impact on learning and teaching. A framework that delineates the relationships between learner control and learning effectiveness is absent. This study aims to fill this void. Our work focuses on the effectiveness of a technology‐mediated virtual learning environment (TVLE) in the context of basic information technology skills training. Grounded in the technology‐mediated learning literature, this study presents a framework that addresses the relationship between the learner control and learning effectiveness, which contains four categories: learning achievement, self‐efficacy, satisfaction, and learning climate. In order to compare the learning effectiveness under traditional classroom and TVLE, we conducted a field experiment. Data were collected from a junior high school of Taiwan. A total of 210 usable responses were analysed. We identified four results from this study. (1) Students in the TVLE environment achieve better learning performance than their counterparts in the traditional environment; (2) Students in the TVLE environment report higher levels of computer self‐efficacy than their counterparts in the traditional environment; (3) Students in the TVLE environment report higher levels of satisfaction than students in the traditional environment; and (4) Students in the TVLE environment report higher levels of learning climate than their counterparts in the traditional environment. The implications of this study are discussed, and further research directions are proposed.

Identifying information technology competencies needed in Singapore nursing education.

The purpose of the study was to identify Singapore's healthcare industry's minimum information technology (IT) performance standard expectations for nurses' competencies. A needs assessment was conducted with a panel representing nursing education, nursing management and nursing practice. The findings in this study would provide suggestions to improve the current diploma and advanced diploma nursing programs curricula to meet the present workforce demands. The experts agreed that information technology is necessary and there were two main categories of IT skills identified, basic IT skills and work-related IT skills.

Web-Based Virtual Learning Environments: A Research Framework and a Preliminary Assessment of Effectiveness in Basic IT Skills Training

Internet technologies are having a significant impact on the learning industry. For-profit organizations and traditional institutions of higher education have developed and are using web-based courses, but little is known about their effectiveness compared to traditional classroom education. Our work focuses on the effectiveness of a web-based virtual learning environment (VLE) in the context of basic information technology skills training. This article provides three main contributions. First, it introduces and defines the concept of VLE, discussing how a VLE differs from the traditional classroom and differentiating it from the related, but narrower, concept of computer aided instruction (CAI). Second, it presents a framework of VLE effectiveness, grounded in the technology-mediated learning literature, which frames the VLE research domain, and addresses the relationship between the main constructs. Finally, it focuses on one essential VLE design variable, learner control, and compares a web-based VLE to a traditional classroom through a longitudinal experimental design. Our results indicate that, in the context of IT basic skills training in undergraduate education, there are no significant differences in performance between students enrolled in the two environments. However, the VLE leads to higher reported computer self-efficacy, while participants report being less satisfied with the learning process.