Digital Users Research Articles

The podcast in the consumption agenda of Colombian digital users

The proliferation of smartphones as the hub of consumption through screen devices has created a fresh path for accessing information, entertainment, and musical content. The digital ecosystem is revitalizing sound, and users are venturing into narratives and alternative formats that grab their attention and shape a content regimen that defines their sonosphere. This study centers on assessing audience indicators in digital repositories via surveys and systematized focus groups that characterize podcast listeners in Colombia. The main objective is to evaluate the podcast’s reach, thematic interests and developmental structures. In order to identify gaps for the effective expansion and integration of sound in devices and channels where audio content is widely used, this study examines the impact of podcasts on the sound culture of Colombians. In order to identify gaps for the effective expansion and integration of sound in devices and channels where audio content is widely used, this study examines the impact of podcasts on the sound culture of Colombians. The study also profiles Colombian sound consumers through display devices in the current radio landscape. The podcast serves as a means of linking novel audiences with auditory communication, a triangulation of radio content, music, and podcasts which syncs with digital consumption trends and deviates from the simultaneous and drawn-out consumption of radio broadcasts.

Impact of digital burnout on the use of digital consumer platforms

As digital transition processes occur at a high speed, new models and business opportunities are emerging. One such phenomenon is the explosion of digital consumer platforms that are changing consumption patterns, as well as the boundaries of commercial exchange. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in exponential growth of this consumption model, while the motivation for the use of digital platforms intensified. The intensive use of digital devices also threatens the mental health of digital users, enhancing states of stress, anxiety, and digital burnout. Therefore, this study analyses the effects of motivators and digital burnout on customers' use of digital platforms in a post-pandemic context. The sample comprised 202 participants who voluntarily completed a web-based survey. The digital burnout level of the study participants was lower than the theoretical midpoint of the scale and was significantly influenced by their Internet Addiction. Contrary to expectations, digital burnout has a significant positive effect on the use of digital consumer platforms, which is partially mediated by utilitarian motivation. The results highlight the need to consider predictors that potentially lead to digital burnout in consumers and the subsequent identification of the necessary factors to ensure the prevention and management of digital burnout.

Digital Psychosocial Follow-up for Childhood Critical Illness Survivors: A Qualitative Interview Study on Health Professionals' Perspectives.

Digital solutions have been reported to provide positive psychological and social outcomes to childhood critical illness survivors, a group with an increased risk for long-term adverse psychosocial effects. To explore health professionals' perspectives on the potential of digital psychosocial follow-up for childhood critical illness survivors. Using a qualitative approach, expert interviews with six health professionals working at a Norwegian hospital were conducted. Transcribed interviews were analyzed using Braun and Clarke's six-phase thematic analysis framework. Concurrent data collection and analysis using inductive coding was also employed, and a model of codes was constructed. The interview yielded thirteen unique codes regarding the health professionals' perspectives on the potential for digital psychosocial follow-up for childhood critical illness survivors, organized in a model comprising the two main themes: Affecting Factors and Digital Usage. Demographic factors (the child's medical condition, age, gender, and residence) and environmental factors (the child's family and health professionals) tended to affect the current psychosocial follow-up. Hospital limitations concerning a lack of digital solutions, worse relationship building with video communication, and children's already high screen time reflected the current state of digital usage. However, ongoing digitalization, existing successful digital solutions, children's good digital skills, and an ongoing process of creating an artifact are also seen as opportunities for digital usage in future psychosocial follow-up for childhood critical illness survivors. Researchers can build further on these findings to investigate the potential of digital psychosocial follow-up for childhood critical illness survivors, and clinicians can use it as a starting point for improving psychosocial follow-up.

DIGITAL NOMADS AS RECIPIENTS AND USERS OF THE CITY'S OFFER. STATUS AND PROSPECTS OF RESEARCH

DIGITAL NOMADS AS RECIPIENTS AND USERS OF THE CITY'S OFFER. STATUS AND PROSPECTS OF RESEARCH

Sociodemographic factors and health digital divide among urban residents: Evidence from a population-based survey in China.

The deep integration of digital technology and healthcare services has propelled the healthcare system into the era of digital health. However, vulnerable populations in the field of information technology, they face challenges in benefiting from the digital dividends brought by digital health, leading to the emerging phenomenon of the "health digital divide." This study utilized the sample of 3547 urban from the 2021 Chinese Social Survey data for analysis. Models were constructed with digital access divide, digital usage divide, and digital outcome divide for urban residents, and structural equation modeling was implemented for analysis. The impact β coefficients (95% CI) of urban residents' digital access on the frequency of digital use, internet healthcare utilization, and patient experience were (β = 0.737, P < 0.001), (β = 0.047, P < 0.05), and (β = 0.079, P < 0.001), respectively. Urban elderly groups were at a disadvantage in digital access and usage (β = -0.007, β = -0.024, and β = -0.004), as well as those with lower educational levels (β = 0.109, β = 0.162, and β = 0.045). However, these two factors did not have a significant direct impact on the patient experience in urban areas. The health digital divide of urban residents exhibits a cascading effect, primarily manifested in the digital access and usage divide. To bridge health digital divide among urban residents, efforts must be made to improve digital access and usage among the elderly and those with lower educational levels.

Digital transformation challenges in higher education institutions post COVID-19

Higher education institutions (HEIs) encountered an unanticipated and unprepared digital transformation because of COVID-19, which obliged most services, including teaching, learning, and working, to shift from physical to digital and virtual platforms. Digital transformation among employees provided an opportunity for technological upgrades and challenged technological competence and adaptability among employees to enable transitions between physical and virtual platforms. As a result, this paper through the technology acceptance model (TAM) reflects on factors that influence successful transformation of technological adoption among support staff members in a university of technology (UOT). This paper argues that the use of TAM to predict staff members’ attitudes toward adopting new technology can assist HEIs in decision-making regarding technology selection. Using descriptive research design and non-probability sampling method, data was collected from 177 support staff members from different departments. The findings of the study, which emanated from surveys, established that employees’ digital skills need improvement; lack of digital infrastructure funding; poor planning and unclear forms of communication proved to be a recipe for failure to implement a successful digital shift and in creating acceptance digital user behaviour among the employees.

Enhancing Digital User Experiences through Personalized Interfaces and Predictive Modelling

This paper explores the development and implementation of a personalization strategy designed to enhance user experiences on digital platforms. By leveraging user behaviour data and machine learning algorithms, we propose a methodology for creating adaptive user interfaces, predictive actions, and personalized user journeys. The paper presents a real-time example application, complete with data analysis, user segmentation, feature engineering, predictive modelling, and a comprehensive A/B testing framework. We aim to demonstrate how personalization can significantly improve user engagement, satisfaction, and platform efficacy

Language education, digital citizenship, and Juri Lotman’s semiosphere

The present paper explores the use of language teaching for educating students into becoming digitally-literate citizens, as well as conscious, active members of the digital universe. The material discussed derives from the eLang project, a flagship project of the European Centre for Modern Languages. The guidelines, and real-world and reflexive tasks put together by the eLang team of experts, along with the theoretical framework employed are examined with respect to the notion of semiosphere by Juri M. Lotman, and the way this endorses digital transformation in language education. Seen, thus, as partaking in the digital semiosphere, and at the same time in the multiplicity of the semiotic systems ingrained in it, the current language student and future citizen assumes different roles, interacts with distinct as well as overlapping communities, is asked to make sense of multimodal resources, so as to eventually acquire far more than the skills of a digital user. The eLang material addresses, in this way, the demand for training language students in the multifarious literacies that digital literacy has come to encompass. The language student overrides, thus, classroom topography and the boundaries of conventional language education, and traces those of the globalised digital semiosphere, within which it cannot but soar.

GADGETS, PARENTS AND CHILDREN: NAVIGATING THE DIGITAL LANDSCAPE IN FAMILIES

The rapid proliferation of digital technologies has significantly transformed the way individuals interact with the world around them. This digital revolution has also permeated the sphere of parenting, leading to a marked increase in the use of digital devices by both parents and children. While this shift has brought about numerous benefits, it has also raised concerns about potential negative consequences. This article highlights the research undertaken to understand the trends of digital usage among parents and children in Malaysia, by utilising a cross-sectional survey among parents who have 7-9 years old children using an online survey platform. A total of 532 parents responded to the survey and the data were analyse descriptively. This study found that many households own computers, tablets and smartphones, as compared to other devices such as smartwatch and digital game console. In addition, majority of the parents use digital devices between 3 to 5 hours and more than 5 hours daily, while many children use between 1 to 5 hours daily. Parents also use digital devices throughout the day, while children usage was reported higher during the weekend. Majority of the parents use digital devices for communication purpose, to search for information and to stay informed about current news, but most of the children use digital devices to fill free time, to complete school work and for entertainment purpose, but less use to get current news. Majority of the parents prefer WhatsApp, Facebook, TikTok and YouTube, while children prefer video-sharing and entertainment platforms namely YouTube, TikTok and online games. This study contributes to the enhancement of understanding of the trends in digital usage between parents and children.

AI Chatbot Innovation – Leading toward Consumer Satisfaction, Electronic Word of Mouth and Continuous Intention in Online Shopping

AI-powered chatbots have emerged as influential tools in the realm of online shopping, effectively driving digital users toward heightened satisfaction, sustained usage intention and positive electronic word of mouth (e-WOM). This research delves deep into the intricate behavioural dynamics that consumers exhibit in their interactions with AI chatbots. A comprehensive online survey, encompassing 554 respondents who willingly engaged with AI chatbots, was conducted, with a focus on established frameworks like the information systems success (ISS) model, the technology acceptance model (TAM), engagement, and the elicitation of pleasurable feelings. The study’s findings underscore the pivotal role AI chatbots play in elevating user satisfaction and, in turn, predicting positive outcomes. These insights hold immense value for brand managers, offering a nuanced understanding of Indian online shoppers’ behaviour. Furthermore, the study highlights the significant impact of e-WOM generated by AI chatbots within the online shopping domain, further solidifying their role as essential components of digital services in the contemporary landscape. As digital services continue to shape and define modern business operations, AI chatbots have emerged as critical facilitators in enhancing the satisfaction of digital users, making them indispensable for businesses seeking to thrive in the digital realm.

Irreversible effects? How the digitalization of daily practices has changed after the COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting lockdown made individuals rely more on digital technologies – for their work, study, shopping, and other daily routines. Self-isolation and compulsory digitalization increased stress levels due to a lack of traditional, offline interaction. These and other negative effects could cause ‘a digital backslide’ after the end of the quarantine, when people were given back the opportunity to choose between online and offline strategies. This study aims to determine if it actually happened. Based on the panel survey of Russian internet users (N = 1317) – conducted amidst the active phase of the pandemic in 2020 and after the removal of most restrictive measures in 2021 – it demonstrates the use of digital tools decreased for the practices which traditionally combine online and face-to-face, offline interaction (communication, meeting new people, watching/attending sports and cultural events, etc.). For others, there has been even a modest increase of the digitalization level. Such dynamics are observed in the practices mainly performed on the internet: information search, using public, financial and insurance services, etc. The study shows that the users who felt an external pressure to increase their digital usage in 2020, due to COVID-19 restrictions, tended to decrease it after the lockdown was over. A similar trend is shown by the inhabitants of rural areas. The users with a high financial status and those which acquired new digital skills during the quarantine, on the contrary, have further increased their digital usage.The study contributes to the academic discussion of the digitalization of society and empirical analysis of its trends. It confirms that the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the digitalization level of individuals’ daily practices has ingrained: no significant decrease in the use of digital technologies after the lockdown has been identified.

Potensi Artificial Intelligence dalam Dunia Kreativitas Desain

The shift in cultural practices towards digital usage has led companies and product brands to become increasingly adept at utilizing social media for promotion and branding. Creating social media content requires creativity, interactivity, attractiveness, and speed, driving a growing demand for design skills. To support the design process, designers rely on various tools, including AI-integrated applications, such as Canva, Figma, Picsart, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Lightroom, and others. These tools enhance graphic designers' productivity and enable them to edit images, create artworks, and produce creative content for social media. &#x0D; The research explores the usage of AI technology in the field of design and art. It examines several AI applications, including image segmentation, image enhancement, image-to-image translation, face attribute manipulation, creating new artistic expressions, detecting fake paintings, 3D art, and AI influencers. AI has positively impacted the creative design world by enabling artists to explore new artistic expressions, generate more personal and interactive artworks, and streamline the design workflow. AI tools have also facilitated inclusive design, making creative content accessible to diverse audiences. However, there are concerns that AI may replace human artists and create art lacking soul or authenticity. The research aims to provide an overview of the existing studies on AI in design to help designers understand the potential of AI in the creative domain. It also discusses the positive and negative implications of AI's integration into the world of design, emphasizing the need for ethical considerations and the preservation of human artistic contributions.

Digital Transformation Governance at the Organization Using IT Infrastructure Library Framework

Nowadays, most of our daily activities are assisted electronically due to not only time effectiveness but also activity efficiency. Processes that once could only be completed at the office are now able to be done anywhere and anytime, as long as there is internet access. One obvious example is the COVID-19 pandemic which leads to the work-from-home system. Therefore, this spurred the author on to innovation by adapting to the current phenomenon. Most of our daily activities are currently converted to digital, in which these digital users can reap abundant results. This manual-to-digital conversion is known as ‘digital transformation’. The purpose of digitalization in this organization is to transform the disposition distribution of the leaders from manual to digital. The result of the study is the adoption of e-Disposisi application (paperless office) in the organization, which causes the business processes to be more effective and more efficient concerning time, human resources, document storage, and paper use. This implementation results in changes in the business processes, the reduction of time needed to distribute documents, the lower purchase of paper and tint, and the minimized employment of human resources. Generally, the research contributes to the more effortless business processes in the organization, allowing operations to continue without direct contact. Data collection was done through various methods, namely observation, interview, questionnaire, focus group discussion (FGD), and literature. The methodologies used were Soft System Management, qualitative and quantitative referring to the IT Information Library framework. Doi: 10.28991/ESJ-2023-07-06-07 Full Text: PDF

User experience and analytics inform the development of an innovative telehealth curriculum: ROAD MAP (Recovery-Oriented Approach to Dementia through Meaningful Activity Participation)

Objective:To user-test a recovery-oriented, clinician-facilitated, web-based, self-management intervention accessible via mobile device: ROAD MAP. The initial programme theory underlying this research is that supporting the experiences of CHIME (connectedness, hope and optimism, identity, meaning in life and empowerment), in persons living with dementia (PLWD) will have health-promoting benefits for the PLWD.Method:The intervention will be delivered to 20 dyads of community-dwelling PLWDs and their carers via a five-week, online, recovery-based curriculum. Five convenience-sampled occupational therapists (OT) will be trained online in a 10-hour training programme to deliver the intervention. All data collection instruments are informed by realist evaluation (RE) methodology and enquire into initial programme theories (IPTs) used to develop the curriculum and the ROAD MAP digital tool. Data collection, between January and March 2023, will occur during both the OT training and the five-week pilot study. The OT facilitators will provide qualitative feedback on the ROAD MAP technology. Data will be collected via pre-post self-completion forms, semi-structured interviews, a focus group, and weekly guided reflective journal. PLWD’s self-reported, user experience will be live polled within the weekly one-hour long sessions of the pilot. Their digital usage analytics will be generated by the MyGuide platform on which the ROAD MAP intervention is built. These data will be manually screened for IPT relevance and used to test emerging programme theories.Results:All data will be collected by end of March 2023 and analysed by end of May 2023. NVivo will be used to generate refined programme theories according to RE methodology. This will provide evidence of plausible, causal context-mechanism-outcome configurations which may optimize the refined version of the ROAD MAP digital intervention, curriculum and facilitator training methods.Conclusion:This study will increase knowledge of a methodology for developing useable and acceptable recovery-oriented telehealth tools for PLWD. This intervention could directly enhance the education of health care professionals and improve the equitable delivery of dementia services.

Parental perceptions on children’s use of digital technology

Understanding the extensive use of digital technology among modern children and its growing importance in education is essential for higher education institutions to prepare educators who can effectively collaborate with parents to integrate digital technology into early childhood education. Based on ecological systems theory, parental perceptions significantly influence children's digital usage. This paper undertook a systematic review, employing the PRISMA criteria to gain insight into how parental perceptions shape attitudes towards digital adoption to understand how this may influence teachers' integration within the ECE context. It reviewed articles from January 2015 to March 2023, utilising three databases: ERIC, Education Source, and Scopus, resulting in the inclusion of 24 articles. The findings demonstrated that parents possess a comprehensive awareness, considering not only the potential advantages and disadvantages that digital technology brings to their children but also the benefits and drawbacks for parents themselves. Additionally, parental perception is influenced by various factors stemming from both the child and the parent.

Explainability as a Psychological Inoculation: Building Resistance to Digital Persuasion in Online Gambling through Explainable Interfaces

Persuasive interfaces raise ethical concerns when users are unaware of persuasion or find it hard to resist it. Inoculation Theory suggests that attitudes can be inoculated against persuasive attacks. Studies show that disclosure statements in native advertising help people recognize persuasive intent. Likewise, just-in-time disclosure statements in persuasive interfaces may have a similar effect. In this article, explainable persuasion was used as an inoculation intervention to build resistance against persuasive interfaces. The effectiveness of this approach was assessed via a 4x2 online experiment, taking online gambling as an illustrative domain. 240 participants (age range 18–73 years, 138 male, 100 female, 2 participants choose not to disclose) were recruited from the UK. Inoculation was delivered through an animated video, while explainable persuasion was operationalized through the disclosure of persuasive intent. The findings showed that explainable persuasion increased awareness of the presence and risks of persuasive interfaces and strengthened user resistance to persuasive attempts. Explainable persuasion, being information-based, can be a cost-effective strategy for helping people stay in control over their digital usage while engaging with persuasive technologies.

Online Echo Chambers, Online Epistemic Bubbles, and Open-Mindedness

Abstract This article is an exercise in the virtue epistemology of the internet, an area of applied virtue epistemology that investigates how online environments impact the development of intellectual virtues, and how intellectual virtues manifest within online environments. I examine online echo chambers and epistemic bubbles (Nguyen 2020, Episteme17(2), 141–61), exploring the conceptual relationship between these online environments and the virtue of open-mindedness (Battaly 2018b, Episteme15(3), 261–82). The article answers two key individual-level, virtue epistemic questions: (Q1) How does immersion in online echo chambers and epistemic bubbles affect the cultivation and preservation of open-mindedness, and (Q2) Is it always intellectually virtuous to exhibit open-mindedness in the context of online echo chambers and epistemic bubbles? In response to Q1, I contend that both online echo chambers and online epistemic bubbles threaten to undermine the cultivation and preservation of open-mindedness, albeit via different mechanisms and to different degrees. In response to Q2, I affirm that both a deficiency and excess of open-mindedness can be virtuous in these online environments, depending on the epistemic orientation of the digital user.

Digital Media and Younger Audiences

The active digital engagement of children and teens from a very early age makes them the most prolific digital users and online content creators. Simultaneously, this high level of digital exposure enhances their vulnerability to online risks and the potential for them to encounter harmful online content. This dynamic has profound implications for all dimensions and stakeholders within the digital ecosystem. This thematic issue presents a comprehensive review of the significant advantages, critical risks, and challenges arising from the extensive online engagement of children and adolescents. This body of research provides valuable insights and identifies future research avenues related to emotional well-being, identity development, perceptions of social success and self-esteem, as well as examining the critical aspects concerning digital literacy and the regulatory frameworks governing digital content providers.

Trends and challenges of higher education in Nigeria: Fine and applied arts technological literacy

Digitisation has transformed art education. This study examines the trends and challenges faced by higher education art lecturers in fine and applied arts (FAA) in Nigeria, focusing on technological literacy- specifically, the availability, accessibility, and usability of digitised teaching and learning tools. A technology-based theoretical framework, namely van Dijk's (2005) resource and appropriation theory formed the theoretical framework. This qualitative study was conducted at two higher education institutions in Lagos State, Nigeria. Data were collected from 20 student teachers and four FAA lecturers through semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, and classroom observations and analysed by generating themes. The findings suggest that FAA lecturers are guided by their technological literacy-creating pathways for digital usage and access for teaching and learning. The study could encourage curriculum planners to develop policies that advance technological literacy that meet the needs of art education in a global society.

Комуникативни и социокултурни особености на представата за успех сред дигиталните потребители в България

Abstract: The paper presents the results of a survey among digital consumers in Bulgaria. The text proposes a concept of a four-dimensional model of the perception of success among digital consumers in the country. The model includes four sociocultural categories: well-being, happiness, achievement and social capital. The hypotheses are, first, that the sociocultural notion of success includes concepts belonging to at least one of the four dimensions of the success model; second, that the notion of success is associated with topics in respondents' daily lives, such as income size and employability. The aim of the study is to approbate whether and how many of the replicated associations fall into the four sociocultural categories. The study was conducted from January to June 2023, it covers 265 Bulgarian citizens who use the social networks Facebook (Meta) and LinkedIn. The methodology includes a combined questionnaire of a free association experiment and a close-ended questionnaire. The paper communicates some of the results of the free association experiment. According to the results the respondents’ answers belong to all four categories of success. There is a significant difference in the total number of reactions, produced by men and women, which belongs to the social capital category. The following conclusions are drawn at the end of the paper: the digital generation needs to understand its own values and attitudes to have a better quality of life; knowledge of notions of success is useful for team managers and HR professionals; and the new digital generation’s motivation differs from that of the so-called analogue generations. Keywords: success, sociocultural feature, digital users, associative experiment, achievement, well-being.