Information And Communication Technology Platforms Research Articles

An Overview of the Digital Competencies of Teachers in the Hungarian Secondary Agricultural Vocational Training System

AbstractIn contemporary times, possessing digital competence encompasses not only access to information and communication technologies (ICT) and their utilization, but also the acquisition of suitable knowledge and skills related to them. When it comes to the digital competencies of educators, studies in this field regularly report on the available professional development opportunities, but less attention is given to the educators’ personal attitudes. In our viewpoint, the success of the digital competence development process greatly hinges on realistic and effective teacher self-reflection. Within this framework, digital competence could become an essential component of teacher self-evaluation and emerge as a genuine demand within the predominantly supply-driven professional development market. Based on this observation, we determined to approach 400 instructors teaching at agricultural vocational schools and encourage them to thoughtfully contemplate their own skills and attitudes through our questionnaire. The objective of this exploratory research was to examine the current state of digital competence and future development possibilities among educators, specifically within the context of agricultural education. Moreover, it aimed to identify the actual needs of teachers. The research findings indicate that teachers engaged in Hungarian agricultural vocational education expressed a more positive view of their digital competence than anticipated. Concurrently, infrastructure gaps and developmental directions came to light. Among the novel findings of our research is the fact that real self-reflection is an essential attribute of the teaching career and plays an important role in the development of competences. In this context, a key finding of the research is that respondents strongly expressed their need for subject-specific and didactically-based, thematic and free workshops/courses to learn about the functioning of new ICT tools and platforms and their classroom applications.

Information and Communication Technology Usage in School Management: A Case of Selected Hwange District Schools in Matabeleland North Province, Zimbabwe

Apart from the fundamental function of teaching and learning, schools also ensure the realisation of the institutions' aims and vision. This is possible through use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) which has been identified as an essential global phenomenon for efficient and effective schools. Hence, the purpose of this study was to examine usage of ICT in school management in Hwange District. A qualitative approach driven by the interpretivism paradigm was adopted. A case study design focusing on selected schools was employed. Thematically analysed data were collected through semi-structured interviews and document analysis. Findings indicated that the selected school heads mainly used ICT platforms such as WhatsApp, emails and printed documents for communication. Parents, through School Development Committee, provided internet connectivity for easy communication while the school heads used their personal smart phones. The study found that school heads faced various hurdles in using ICT in their management duties. These challenges included lack of resources, inadequate knowledge and skills to use ICT tools, work overload, inadequate funds to acquire ICT hardware and software equipment, lack of appropriate ICT infrastructure, limited internet access and sporadic power supplies. Despite the difficulties encountered, the study concluded that there were visible pockets of good practices in the use of ICT by selected school heads. The study recommended that the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education should capacitate school heads through ICT training. This will result in efficiency and effectiveness of school heads in execution of their management functions.

ICT’s Impact on Teaching Information Technologies in Albanian Secondary Schools Through an Empirical Study

This study presents an empirical investigation into the effects of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) integration in the pedagogical approaches adopted by secondary school teachers in Albania, specifically focusing on the teaching of information technologies. Through a meticulously designed assessment, data was collected and analyzed to ascertain the impact of ICT utilization on teaching methodologies. The research involved a cohort of secondary school teachers actively engaging with ICT tools and platforms to deliver information technologies education. Findings revealed noteworthy enhancements in instructional delivery, resource accessibility, and interactive learning experiences resulting from ICT integration. Furthermore, the study identified challenges and areas requiring further attention to optimize ICT's potential in fostering enriched learning environments. The outcomes of this research provide valuable insights and implications for teachers, policymakers, and stakeholders seeking to advance educational practices by leveraging ICT tools in teaching information technologies at the secondary level in Albania.

Digital Pathways to Empowerment: Unraveling Women's Journeys in Atmanirbhar Bharat through ICT - A Qualitative Exploration

This qualitative research aims to explore the lived experiences, perceptions, and challenges faced by women in leveraging Information and Communication Technology (ICT) for empowerment within the framework of Atmanirbhar Bharat. Through in-depth interviews and focus group discussions, the study seeks to understand how ICT tools and platforms contribute to women's socio-economic empowerment, including their participation in education, entrepreneurship, governance, and employment. By examining individual narratives and community perspectives, the research aims to uncover the nuances of women's engagement with ICT, as well as the barriers they encounter in accessing and utilizing digital resources. The findings of this study are expected to provide valuable insights into the intersection of gender, technology, and development, informing policy and practice for promoting women's empowerment and self-reliance in India. In the framework of Atmanirbhar Bharat, we want to investigate the relationship between ICT and women's empowerment in this qualitative study. By studying women's experiences, obstacles, and opportunities when using ICT resources, we hope to add to the body of knowledge needed to create policies and programs that support gender-inclusive development and enable women to take an active role in empowering themselves and their communities as they work towards prosperity and self-reliance in India.

Implementation of the Use Of ICT Technology for Cognitive Assessment in Islamic Education Learning at the Elementary School

The benefits of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) have expanded significantly in the field of education, aiding in filling gaps and enhancing teacher efficiency in the teaching and learning process to achieve educational goals. The utilization of ICT by educational institutions, particularly teachers, encompasses various aspects, one of which is facilitating the assessment or evaluation of students' cognitive domains. This study focuses on the utilization of ICT as an instrument in assessing the cognitive domains of students in Islamic Religious Education (PAI) classes. The research methodology employed is field research with a qualitative approach. In conducting qualitative analysis, this study utilizes a taxonomy-based analysis model that focuses on the domain and a single common characteristic. The model analyzes interview results with respondents, along with observations and field documentation. Data collection techniques involve interviews, observations, and documentation. The research findings indicate that PAI teachers at SD Negeri 01 Windurojo have implemented three cognitive domain assessment techniques during online learning, namely written tests, oral tests, and assignments. In their assessment processes, teachers make use of various ICT platforms such as Google Form, WhatsApp, and Google Meet.

A multi-actor ICT platform for increasing sustainability and resilience of small-scale farmers after pandemic crisis

PurposeThis paper proposes an Information and Communication Technology (ICT) platform to increase the sustainability and resilience of smallholders to face supply chain disruptions in the event of COVID-like crises. The platform facilitates interactions between smallholders and buyers, workers and freight transport companies in agri-food ecosystems. Furthermore, this research work presents the implementation of the freight transport companies’ platform module.Design/methodology/approachThe research work begins with a literature review aiming at analyzing current available ICT solutions supporting smallholders and other actors in the agri-food supply chain. This analysis identifies the research gaps which have to be filled by the platform. Then, the authors proceed with the analysis of the operational scenarios of each platform actor by interacting with experts and operators working in the agri-food sector. The results of such analysis resulted in a comprehensive, unambiguous and consistent set of specification being used to define the platform structure and modules architecture. The platform modules have been developed by using the web-application framework Laravel.FindingsPreliminary tests show that the proposed platform is usable and promises to improve the resilience and economic, social and environmental sustainability of agri-food supply chains, with a focus on smallholders.Originality/valueThe research work allows players in the agri-food supply chain and in particular small local producers to react and mitigate the impact of COVID-like crises through development of a platform in which smallholders, citizens (buyers and workers) and freight transport companies are simultaneously present.

Teaching and Learning Processes in Physics: Using Information and Communication Technology: Advantages, Challenges and Remedies

A nation with significant human capital that can govern science and technology will be competent to exist in the future. The success of applying basic science, particularly physics, to numerous technologies is primarily responsible for the advancement of technology today. Physics is a natural science that has made the greatest contribution for the development of many technologies and engineering applications that make life more convenient for humans. As numerous, Physics principles are very abstract and require very depth knowledge and experience to explain to students. The question arises, how to make physics education more engaging, lucid and relevant for students? At this point, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) becomes very beneficial because of its capacity to ease the abstract subject, stimulate interest and enhance learning outcomes in physics education. Despite the importance of ICTs and educational software, these technologies have yet to be incorporated properly into physics education.This article focuses on the contribution of ICT in physics education along with challenges and their remedies. The online link of several ICT platforms that could be utilized in the teaching and learning of physics is also mentioned, which are open source and can be used freely. The benefits of employing instructional software and incorporating ICTs into the physics curriculum are becoming essential in the current scenario. The barriers to ICT integration in the physics classroom are also discussed. It is experienced and recommended that ICT can be used in the form of blended learning as well as potential solutions to the issues that physics teachers /instructors confront.

Investigating influencing factors for ICT adoption that changes travel behavior in response to the COVID-19 outbreak in Indonesia

Mobility and out-of-home activities restrictions from the COVID-19 pandemic have forced people to maximize their in-home activities. Considering the increase in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) adoption during the outbreak, this paper tries to shed light on the factors that influence changing travel behavior. For these purposes, the study uses data collected through an online questionnaire during the outbreak in Indonesia, which was then analyzed using cluster and discriminant analyses. The study found that online adaptation during the outbreak was affected by income level, whereby high-income individuals are associated with high online adaptation. Residential location also influences ICT adaptation during the outbreak. Cities with higher access to the internet and ICT platforms as well as higher income per capita tend to have higher ICT adoption. People with more experience with online platforms or services also record higher online in-home activity adoption during the outbreak. Furthermore, while the lower-income group tends to reduce their travel, the higher-income group still continues to travel to fulfil their household needs during the outbreak, such as in-store shopping. Since the lower-income group and less accessible areas tend to have difficulty in accessing ICT as a substitute for travel, this study recommends that the government and ICT stakeholders ensure equal access to ICT to support physical distancing and to limit mobility in order to flatten the peak of the pandemic.

Role of ICT Tools in Learning Behaviour of EFL Students

This article explores the various Information and Communication Technology (ICT) tools employed by public schools. The study aims at identifying the ways of using ICT tools and platforms and their role in learning behaviour of secondary level EFL students. ICT, though beneficial for most of the cases, may cause serious problems to the learners if improperly adopted. The study is based on qualitative research design and includes the focus group discussion and classroom observation. The data obtained were transcribed and analysed based on the participant’s perception, experience and classroom observation. Findings indicate both positive and negative aspects of technology induced behavioural changes in the learners. The study suggests that continuous monitoring by school management and parents, regulatory intervention on the irrelevant Internet contents and awareness programmes to the students need to be immediately and effectively administered to stop the learner’s behaviour being negatively affected by ICT.

The Needs of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Tools for Research Development: A Case in Laos

Recent advances in information and communication technology (ICT) have allowed humans to accomplish various tasks more effectively. This also applies to the quality of education, research, and development. For this reason, as one of the countries striving to improve the education system quality, Laos aims to leverage the ICT. As the empirical data on the ICT tools needed to achieve this goal in Laos is limited, this gap in extant knowledge has motivated the present study. Its aim is to examine the views of Laotian academics on the ICT tools and platforms needed, level of ICT usage, and required ICT training. The data for this quantitative study was obtained through a survey involving 11 participants who are directly involved in Building Research Building Social Research Capacities in Higher Education Institutions in Lao PDR and Malaysia (BRECIL) under the ERASMUS project. Subsequent analyses revealed that SPSS, Survey Monkey, Google Scholar, and Grammarly are among the tools academics need the most to support them in research. They also require plagiarism and grammar checking, dissemination and networking, and analysis and interpretation platforms. Most of the respondents also indicated the need for training on how to use ICT tools for analyzing research data. These findings can be used by the educational decision makers when formulating their strategies for introducing ICT tools and organizing training for Laotian academics on research and development.

The digitally mediated lives of women MSME entrepreneurs in India: Navigating the “access‐use” conundrum

AbstractThe dialectics of information and communication technologies (ICTs) entail their potential in fostering digital dividends and fomenting digital exclusion. Based on 165 personal interviews with women entrepreneurs of MSMEs in the Ganjam and Gajapati districts of the state of Odisha in India, this study considers the opportunities and challenges regarding the access and use of ICTs. The primary intent of the study is to explore the participants’ views on the diversity of ICT use, the relevance of these technologies for their businesses, and the challenges they face while using the digital technologies. Deploying Amartya Sen's Capability Approach (CA) as the primary theoretical lens, this study documents the popularity of “new ICTs” among the respondents, the constraints they face in performing digital transactions, their views on digital exclusion, and the impact of local factors (language barriers and institutional support) on their digital appropriation. Based on these findings, the study emphasises the need for increased availability of business‐relevant content on ICT platforms, incorporation of ICT training in ongoing programmes, and explores ways of overcoming the language barriers and promoting effective use of digital payment applications. This study aims at enhancing the ICT‐related capability sets of women entrepreneurs in the underdeveloped sub‐regions of India.

Information and communication technology adoption among the older people: A qualitative approach.

Information and communication technology (ICT) can empower the older people and improve their quality of life by sustaining functional independence and effective communication. Nonetheless, in developing countries like India, technology acceptance and use among the older people is limited. Therefore, there is a need to systematically understand the plausible difficulties limiting technology use and the expectations of the older people regarding ICT use. Hence, the present study is a qualitative inquiry to explore the needs, attitudes and perceived limitations of the ICT platforms among the older people. Twenty healthy volunteers across various states of India, between 60 and 75 years were recruited online via purposive sampling. A brief demographic survey was administered online using Google Forms, followed by telephonic semi-structured interviews. Thematic Analysis using inductive and deductive coding was employed to analyse the interview transcripts. Thematic analysis yielded four overarching themes- (i) Usability of ICT, (ii) Anxiety and privacy concerns, (iii) Self-perception of technology use and (iv) Need for technology literacy. The emerging themes reflected the perceptions of the older people towards ICT and identified several psycho-social factors impacting technology acceptance among the older people. The findings suggest that several psychological factors like anxiety, motivation, interest and self-efficacy play a role in technology acceptance among the older people. Additionally, user-friendly interfaces and training on technology use may enhance technology acceptance among older users.

Comprehensive telemedicine solution for remote monitoring of Parkinson’s disease patients with orthostatic hypotension during COVID-19 pandemic

ObjectiveOrthostatic hypotension (OH) represents a frequent but under-recognized phenomenon in Parkinson’s disease (PD). During COVID-19 pandemic, Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) have become pivotal in the management of chronic diseases like PD, not only to assess motor impairment, but also for vital signs monitoring. This pilot study aimed to propose a real-time remote home-monitoring system and protocol for PD patients with OH.MethodsVital parameters were acquired by wireless devices and transmitted to an ICT platform, providing data and smart notifications to the healthcare provider through an interactive web portal. Eight patients with idiopathic PD and OH underwent 5-day monitoring. Data about OH episodes, therapeutic interventions, impact on daily activities, and patient satisfaction were collected and analyzed.ResultsThe proposed solution allowed the identification of 65 OH episodes and subsequent medical interventions. Thirty-five episodes were asymptomatic, especially in the postprandial and in the afternoon recordings. Systolic-blood-pressure (SBP) and diastolic-blood-pressure (DBP) were significantly lower in symptomatic episodes, while the pressure drops resulted significantly higher in presence of symptoms. High usability and patient satisfaction scores were observed.ConclusionThe proposed home-monitoring system and protocol have proved to provide useful information and to allow prompt interventions in the management of PD patients with OH during COVID-19 pandemic.

Minority Language Revitalization and Social Media through the Lens of Covid-19 in Yunnan and Gansu, western China

ABSTRACT The language vitality of non-dominant communities has gained increasing attention worldwide with international declarations and national legislation enacted to protect the right of non-dominant language use and development. As information and communication technology (ICT) has spread, extending ICT to ethnic or indigenous languages has lagged. Nevertheless, their use on social media and other platforms has been growing rapidly, raising the question of their role in supporting non-dominant language vitality. In 2020 in China, non-dominant languages were used on various social media platforms to communicate anti-COVID messages. Drawing on language revitalisation frameworks, the investigators explore how the global pandemic has provided minority nationalities in west China the opportunity to increase recognition of their cultures and languages. We explore how minority communities in Yunnan and Gansu provinces in western China participated in China’s anti-Covid-19 campaign through the creation and dissemination of multilingual materials of different forms, genres, and modes on ICT social media platforms. We argue that using multilingual and multimodal ICT platforms to publicise countermeasures against Covid-19 has the potential to contribute to recognition and use of languages of non-dominant ethnic communities and revitalisation of heritage languages and cultures.

Designing a Multicriteria WebGIS-Based Pre-Diagnosis Tool for Indoor Radon Potential Assessment

Radon (222Rn) is a well-known source of indoor air contamination since in its gaseous form it is a reported source of ionizing radiation that belongs to the group of rare gases. Radon occurs naturally in soils and rocks and results from the radioactive decay of its longer-lived progenitors, i.e., radium, uranium, and thorium. Radon releases itself from the soil and rocks, which mainly occurs in outdoor environments, not causing any kind of impact due to its fast dilution into the atmosphere. However, when this release occurs in confined and poorly ventilated indoor environments, this release can result in the accumulation of high concentrations of radon gas, being recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) as the second cause of lung cancer, after smoking. Assessing the indoor radon concentration demands specific know-how involving the implementation of several time-consuming tasks that may include the following stages: (1) radon potential assessment; (2) short-term/long-term radon measurement; (3) laboratory data analysis and processing; and (4) technical reporting. Thus, during stage 1, the use of indirect methods to assess the radon occurrence potential, such as taking advantage of existent natural radiation maps (which have been made available by the uranium mineral prospecting campaigns performed since the early 1950s), is crucial to put forward an ICT (Information and Communication Technology) platform that opens up a straightforward approach for assessing indoor radon potential at an early stage, operating as a pre-diagnosis evaluation tool that is of great value for supporting decision making towards the transition to stage 2, which typically has increased costs due to the need for certified professionals to handle certified instruments for short-term/long-term radon measurement. As a pre-diagnosis tool, the methodology proposed in this article allows the assessment of the radon potential of a specific building through a WebGIS-based platform that adopts ICT and Internet technologies to display and analyze spatially related data, employing a multicriteria approach, including (a) gamma radiation maps, (b) built environment characteristics, and (c) occupancy profile, and thus helping to determine when the radon assessment process should proceed to stage 2, or, alternatively, by eliminating the need to perform additional actions.

ICT platforms for Indonesian EFL students viewed from gender during the COVID-19 pandemic

The aims of this study are to find out (1) ICT (Information and Communications Technology) platform used by male and female students from Islamic universities in Indonesia, (2) their perception of using ICT, and (3) their barriers to using ICT in English language learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. The data was collected from an online questionnaire (Google Form) from students majoring in English from seven Islamic universities in Indonesia. There were 30 male students and 30 female students from every university who participated in this research, making a total of 210 student respondents. The data were analyzed quantitatively by using the SPSS computer program. First of all, female students used more various types of ICT platforms compared to male students. Second, the female students viewed ICT use more positively than male students in language learning. And lastly, even though the females deemed ICT more optimistically compared to male students, nevertheless the females encountered more barriers in using the ICT platforms compared to the male students in this study. Again, even though male students were more skillful in ICT literacy than female students, female students constructively regarded ICT use in language learning as more beneficial to them in terms of skill, knowledge, and motivational improvement.

Digitalisation and the performance measurement and management system: reinforcing empowerment

PurposeThis study explores how information and communication technologies (ICT) can contribute to empowerment in an Industry 4.0 setting.Design/methodology/approachThe results are based on a case study of a Norwegian manufacturing organisation that has highly automated production and an integrated ICT platform. Data analysis was guided by the Smith and Bititci (2017) framework for performance measurement and management.FindingsWhen powered by advanced ICT, the performance measurement system matures. The design and development of the ICT platform also reinforce the organisation's existing performance management practices. Empowerment is strengthened when automated collection, analysis and reporting of performance data free up middle managers' time so that they, together with operators, can drive continuous improvement.Research limitations/implicationsThe findings are limited to a single case study and require further testing for transferability to other organisations. Future research should explore whether performance management practices are also reinforced by ICT in more command- and control-oriented organisations.Practical implicationsThe paper suggests an alternative strategy of Industry 4.0 transformation for organisations committed to empowerment. Such organisations should rely on in-house, iterative ICT development and build digital competence broadly.Originality/valueThis article contributes to the understanding of how performance measurement and management are interrelated and evolve in the context of Industry 4.0. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, highlighting the role of middle managers in empowering operators through continuous improvement is novel in the performance measurement and management literature.

Implementing Smart City Technologies to Inspire Change in Consumer Energy Behaviour

One of the main challenges in smart city models is consumer behaviour, namely guiding the efforts to promote optimal use of energy in the dynamics of the developing cities, through lower energy consumption without impact on the comfort level. This relates to all energy vectors and can be done through different means. The uptake stage of smart metering and information and communication technologies (ICT) varies in different countries, creating the need for tailored innovative approaches in motivating behavioural change. This paper presents the work carried out within the joint research project ITCity (an ICT platform for sustainable energy ecosystem in smart cities) between the European Union and Latin American Countries. Cooperation of energy researchers and experts in ICT and application developers facilitates adoption of a multipurpose interdisciplinary approach. This work aims at providing the smart city and energy research and innovation community broader understanding of factors influencing adoption of energy efficiency technologies. Different ways of guiding optimal energy use are addressed elaborating on the building blocks for a smart city which consider load patterns based on high resolution, high reporting rate measurements, extensive consumer surveys, available communication solution analysis and end-user interaction with the ICT tool based on gamification principles.

Readiness of Students for Multi-Modal Emergency Remote Teaching at A Selected South African Higher Education Institution

The closures of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) due to the Covid-19 pandemic meant that face to face classes had to be put on hold. However, the growth in information and communication technologies (ICT) made it possible for HEIs to continue with their core activities remotely, primarily using learning management systems (LMSs). The overuse of LMS at the selected HEI resulted in the former’s collapse. The consequence was that management of the institution advised lecturers to use multi-modal emergency remote teaching (ERT) to save the academic year. Lecturers adopted a variety of platforms and approaches, largely depending on their preferences. This study identified the ICT platforms and approaches used by lecturers during remote teaching as well as estimating the readiness of students for emergency remote learning. Readiness was established with the use of the Technology Readiness Index 2.0 (TRI2.0) of the Technology Readiness Model. In addition, the effects of age, gender and level of study on technology readiness were estimated. A self-administered questionnaire was shared with senior students within the accounting department of the selected HEI. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse the data collected from 243 respondents. The study found that Microsoft teams was the commonly used platform whilst pre-recorded lectures and live classes were the popular approaches used. In terms of technology readiness, the study found that students were not ready as indicated by a low TRI 2.0 of 2.8. Age and study level had a positive effect on technology readiness. To provide the best possible learning experiences to students, lecturers need to understand what worked, what did not and why. The results of this study provide invaluable information and lay a foundation for successful future e-learning projects.

Readiness of Students for Multi-Modal Emergency Remote Teaching at A Selected South African Higher Education Institution

The closures of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) due to the Covid-19 pandemic meant that face to face classes had to be put on hold. However, the growth in information and communication technologies (ICT) made it possible for HEIs to continue with their core activities remotely, primarily using learning management systems (LMSs). The overuse of LMS at the selected HEI resulted in the former’s collapse. The consequence was that management of the institution advised lecturers to use multi-modal emergency remote teaching (ERT) to save the academic year. Lecturers adopted a variety of platforms and approaches, largely depending on their preferences. This study identified the ICT platforms and approaches used by lecturers during remote teaching as well as estimating the readiness of students for emergency remote learning. Readiness was established with the use of the Technology Readiness Index 2.0 (TRI2.0) of the Technology Readiness Model. In addition, the effects of age, gender and level of study on technology readiness were estimated. A self-administered questionnaire was shared with senior students within the accounting department of the selected HEI. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse the data collected from 243 respondents. The study found that Microsoft teams was the commonly used platform whilst pre-recorded lectures and live classes were the popular approaches used. In terms of technology readiness, the study found that students were not ready as indicated by a low TRI 2.0 of 2.8. Age and study level had a positive effect on technology readiness. To provide the best possible learning experiences to students, lecturers need to understand what worked, what did not and why. The results of this study provide invaluable information and lay a foundation for successful future e-learning projects.