Use Of Information And Communication Technologies Research Articles

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and Employee Performance: Relationship

This paper aimed to gain an insight about the relationship between Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and employee performance at Private Management Colleges in the Kathmandu District. Descriptive analysis was used to explore the dimensions of academic performance. To conduct this research, a quantitative methodology was employed. Questionnaires was the main instrument used for the data collection. The study restricts to the private management colleges and institutions only. A Total of 45 teaching faculties of Kathmandu district were selected for the study to explore the use of ICT in relation to the employee performance. Individual consent was taken for ethical consideration. Mean, Standard deviation and Correlation was adopted to measure the objectives. The findings showed that the role of ICT to uplift teaching and learning practice at Private Management College seems to be substantial in the current scenario. The performance of faculty members in private management colleges in the sense of efficiency of work (r=0.612**, p=0.00), planning the work(r=0.632**, p=0.00), creativity and innovation(r=0.547**, p=0.00) and making effort(r=0.454**, p=0.02) was significantly contributed by the use of ICT. ICT played a significant role to uplift the performance of faculty members of private management college of the Kathmandu district. All the results presented so far in the study have been found to be indicating strong and positive relationship between ICT and employee performance. Statistically, it can be concluded in one sentence that if one point changes in ICT, it can bring 4 to 6 times positive changes in employee performance. In the future, the researcher should also investigate the impact of workforce diversity on team performance.

“Technology is killing me!”: the moderating effect of organization home-work interface on the linkage between technostress and stress at work

PurposeThe fear of the pandemic, confinement at home and the need to work created a unique situation. The pandemic catalyzed work-from-anywhere practice by adopting information and communication technologies (ICT) across all industries. While ICT saved organizations, it increased technostress among the workforce. A better understanding of the adverse effects of ICT usage might enable organizations to manage the mental well-being of the workforce. While technostress is gaining increasing interest, scholarly work investigating the dimensions of technostress and its impact on creating stress across various employee demographics and industry types is missing. Contrary to the prevalent assumptions, the authors theorized and tested the adverse moderation effect of the home-work interface on the linkage between technostress dimensions and stress. This paper aims to discuss the aforementioned objective.Design/methodology/approachThe study captures dimensions of technostress and the resulting stress at work using a survey-based analysis of 881 working employees in India, representing multiple industries and functions.FindingsThe study indicates that techno-overload, techno-complexity and techno-invasion significantly impact employees during the pandemic. The authors further found that the home-work-interface is a powerful factor in understanding the complex linkage between dimensions of technostress and its outcomes.Research limitations/implicationsBased on the Conservation of Resources Theory and the Job-Demand-Resources model, this study highlights the adverse impact of this trend on employee well-being. However, the study suffers from a cross-sectional research design. The technostress research has focused primarily on static, at-premise environments and mostly on high ICT usage industries. Due to the pandemic, it has neglected the impact of various technostress dimensions across employee cohorts subjected to rapid technology-enabled working. Further, most studies focus on the voluntary choice of remote work. Employees struggle with the unexpected and involuntary shift to technology-enabled remote work. This study contributes to the literature by examining the consequences of technostress in the context of non-voluntary remote work. Contrary to prevailing assumptions, this study highlights the adverse effect of organizational home-work interface in influencing ICT-created stress.Practical implicationsThe increasing use of ICT enables telecommuting across the workforce while increasing organizational productivity. Due to the pandemic, these trends will likely change the future of work permanently. To minimize employee stress, practitioners need to reconsider the dimensions of technostress. Further, the study cautions against the prevalent interventions used by practitioners. While practitioners facilitate a home-work interface, it could have adverse consequences. Practitioners may consider the adverse consequences of home-work interface while designing organizational policies.Social implicationsThis study during the pandemic is crucial as research forecasts the likelihood of other cataclysmic events, such as future pandemics and political or climate change events, which may sustain technology-driven remote work practices and remain a feature of the future workplace. Hence understanding the implications of the dimensions of technostress would help organizations and policymakers to implement necessary interventions to minimize employee stress.Originality/valueThe present study examines the dimensions of technostress across multiple industries and job functions in an emerging market marked by a high economic growth rate and an Eastern cultural context. This study presents the dark side of excessive ICT adoption and indicates how organizations and HRM practices can help mitigate some of these effects.

Beyond Smart: How ICT Is Enabling Sustainable Cities of the Future

Cities around the world face pressing sustainability challenges such as climate change, resource scarcity, and unsustainable growth. Smart cities have emerged as a response to these challenges, leveraging information and communication technologies (ICTs) to create more efficient and liveable urban environments. However, the concept of smart cities is often defined in vague and ideologically driven terms that lack clear guidelines for promoting sustainability. In this study, we use qualitative methods to examine how the use of ICTs can support the goals of sustainability in smart city development, resulting in what we call a ‘smart sustainable city’. Drawing on a case study involving stakeholder analysis, semi-structured interviews, and document analysis, we investigate the key roles of local government, ICT firms, and citizens in shaping sustainable urban development through smart city initiatives. Our findings shed light on the potential of ICTs to promote sustainability in smart cities and provide insights for policymakers, practitioners, and scholars working towards creating more sustainable urban environments. The findings of this research showed that ICT’s role in supporting sustainability in smart cities relies on understanding the interests and priorities of civic, ICT firms, and citizens, promoting effective collaboration and avoiding self-serving outcomes.

The Dynamics of Access to ICT and Technology Practices of Secondary School Teachers

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of access to Information and Communication Technology (ICT) for effective teaching and learning. Access to ICT is a complex and dynamic phenomenon that significantly impacts teachers' technology practices. There is a need for more extensive studies to explore the dynamics of access and teacher technology practices in various contexts. This study explored the influence of access on the technology practices of secondary school teachers in the Western Cape, South Africa. A qualitative online survey was used to explore the lived experiences of teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic. A diverse sample, in terms of gender, age, years of experience of teachers, and socio-economic status of schools, of 22 teachers voluntarily participated in the study. Van Dijk's cumulative model of access to ICT provided a useful lens to explore how and when the dimensions of access supported or hindered teachers' appropriation of ICT. This study found that most respondents were primarily exposed to traditional face-to-face teaching before March 2020. The suspension of in-school teaching, however, caused a dramatic shift in the way teachers interacted with technology, learning materials and learners. Three dimensions of digital inequality, associated with physical access, manifested in South Africa, namely the Virtual Classroom, WhatsApp, and Radio-Television groups. Most participants in this study returned to traditional teaching practices with increased use of technology when schools reopened again. The findings of this study suggest that access to technology is not a linear progression of successive stages that by default culminates in usage. This paper proposes a more holistic contextualised approach to access to create enabling environments for the use of ICT and empower teachers to use ICT in their teaching practices.

DEMYSTIFYING DATA PROCESSING TEACHERS’ PROCEDURAL, FUNCTIONAL, PEDAGOGICAL, AND CONTENT KNOWLEDGE IN AN ICT-BASED CLASSROOM IN SOUTH AFRICA

The paper examines the level of Procedural, Functional, Pedagogical, and Content Knowledge (PFPCK) competency needed by Data Processing (DP) teachers to effectively use Information and Communication Technology (ICT) tools in ICT-based classrooms. A descriptive survey research design was used in the study. Three research questions were raised, and one hypothesis was formulated to guide the study. 130 DP teachers randomly selected from 11 Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges in Gauteng province in South Africa formed the sample population. The instrument used in the study was a self-developed questionnaire titled Data Processing Teachers Competency of Procedural Functional Pedagogical Content Questionnaire (DPTCPFPCQ). Personal and observation checklists were also used in the study. The data were analyzed using mean scores and t-tests. The results showed that DP teachers possessed the necessary competency of PFPCK needed to use ICT tools in the digital classroom. It was also revealed that there was a significant difference in the level of competency and acquisition of skills between the pre-service and in-service DP teachers in the use of ICT in the class. It was therefore recommended that the management of TVET colleges and other similar institutions should help to improve DP teachers procedural, and functional knowledge in the use of ICT as a pedagogical tool in ICT-enhanced classrooms. KEYWORDS: ICT-based classrooms, Procedural, Functional Knowledge, DP teachers.

CHALLENGES FACING ONLINE TEACHING AND LEARNING IN AFRICAN HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS: EMPIRICAL REVIEW

Increasing demand for higher education coupled with globalization has led to the adoption of online teaching and learning to cope with the growing number of students. Even though online teaching and learning have advantages, some challenges bedevil its smooth implementation. The purpose of this article was to present a literature review of the challenges that higher education institutions in Africa face concerning online teaching and learning. The method that was employed in the review was the scoping review method. Empirical studies from 25 African countries published between 2000 and 2023 were assembled and reviewed. In all, 65 studies were reviewed in terms of three themes namely: 1) level of readiness/preparedness for online teaching and learning 2) access and participation in online teaching and learning, and 3) effectiveness of online teaching and learning. The results suggest that most of the challenges confronting online teaching and learning in African higher education institutions include inadequate preparation/readiness to adopt an online mode of teaching and learning. Issues of lack of readiness include inadequate ICT infrastructure, low levels of ICT literacy among students and teachers, weak pedagogical skills of teachers, and weak institutional policy framework to drive online teaching and learning. The results further revealed that access and participation of students in online teaching and learning in most parts of Africa are poor due to poor internet connectivity, lack of electricity, lack of access devices such as laptops and smartphones as well as higher cost of data. The review additionally revealed issues of effectiveness such as limited collaboration and interaction among participants in the e-teaching and learning, inability to engage in practical work such as laboratory practical and some mathematical computations. Other issues discovered include poor pedagogical skills of teachers. These challenges must be addressed to enable African higher education institutions catch up with the rest of the world in the adoption and utilization of ICT in teaching and learning.<p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/soc/0075/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>

On the Use of ICT by Enterprises to Activate Industrial Heritage

Despite the increasing use of information and communications technology (ICT) by enterprises engaged in industrial heritage, the academic community lacks sufficient understanding of how ICT enables the sustainable development of industrial heritage. This article fills this gap by analyzing the application of ICT by Taoxichuan Ceramic Art Avenue (the Company) to promote its organizational innovation and achieve the sustainable development of industrial heritage. To start with, the authors conceptualized the two stages, adaptive change, and breakthrough change, of ICT-induced organizational changes in industrial heritage. Secondly, they extended the research of affordance from the technical field to the social theory field and proposed the concept of organizational affordance. Finally, the authors provided suggestions for future research to employ organizational affordance to deepen our understanding of relevant fields.

Teacher’s Perceptions of STEM Education at the Primary Level in Morocco

STEM education is critical in developing students' interest in science and technology. Primary schools establish the groundwork by teaching fundamental technology ideas. Digital programs are favored over old paper-based approaches in response to current demands. The essential objective of this research is to show how information and communication technology (ICT) can improve the quality of teaching, learning, and motivation among primary school students. A questionnaire has been sent to 80 teachers at elementary schools, and a quantitative methodology was utilized to examine their thoughts. As an evaluation instrument, an eight-question quiz has been utilized to assess the usefulness and significance of ICT in promoting active and autonomous learning, resulting in creating a student-centered education approach. According to the research, the majority of teachers support the use of ICT as an of use pedagogical tool that fosters a proactive learning culture in young learners.

A gender-oriented analysis of digital skills and ICT use intensity in tourism companies in Extremadura (Spain)

PurposeThis study aims to use a novel approach, focusing on the manager’s gender, to explore whether it acts as a differentiator in the following aspects of tourist accommodation companies in Extremadura (Spain): the level of information and communication technology (ICT) specialisation of employees, managers’ knowledge of ICTs and the social media and online tourism platform use intensity of managers.Design/methodology/approachA questionnaire was sent to 238 accommodation companies. The data collected from the questionnaire were analysed using statistical inference techniques and linear and logistic regression.FindingsIn general, ICT specialist profiles are more common amongst the employees of male-led companies. Male managers also use Booking and analyse online feedback more intensively. There appear to be no gender-based differences in terms of the ICT knowledge of managers.Practical implicationsThese results highlight issues of major practical interest for the sector’s managers and decision makers, especially in Extremadura. They reveal the digital divide in certain aspects between men- and women-led firms in Extremadura. This finding has important consequences for the sector in terms of competitiveness. It highlights the need to continue working to eradicate gender gaps in digital settings.Originality/valueThe study shows the role of the manager’s gender as a differentiating factor in terms of the existence of specialist ICT profiles and ICT use intensity in tourism companies. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study provides the first evidence of such a finding for the tourism sector in general, as well as for the specific case of a rural destination such as Extremadura.

Transforming education through ICT: Exploring students' study practices in a resource‐constrained university setting

AbstractEast African universities are confronted with new opportunities and challenges in responding to societal demands while also handling a growing number of students. Thus, they face challenges in offering quality education due to limited learning resources; outdated pedagogical approaches and teaching and learning practices; and inadequate skills in information and communication technology (ICT). This study is part of an effort to transform university education towards better responding to these educational challenges by providing insights into the existing traditions, practices and resources. The research is an explorative qualitative investigation of students' study practices, emphasising the role and use of ICT: How do students employ ICT in their study practices and what challenges do they face in doing so? The investigation is based on activity theory and the idea that an activity analytically may be divided into three levels: the overall motive, specific goals and the conditions for achieving these goals. This hierarchical structure inspired the data collection approach. Three workshops were conducted with 11 students from three different programmes: computer science (BSc + MSc), business and development studies (BA) and education (BA + MA). The workshops focused on (1) tools and spaces, (2) tasks and collaboration, and (3) aims and visions, reflecting the activity hierarchy. Data were generated using photovoice, presentations and discussions based on the students' photos. The paper applies thematic analysis to identify some of the main issues within each level of analysis: the importance of access to WiFi and electricity; smartphones as the most frequently used tools by students. Tasks are primarily curriculum directed, and different forms of productive collaboration are used; students are dedicated to pursuing their professional careers, but personal strategies and care for the community also feature in their overall aims and visions. This study shows that transforming education entails more than developing strategies and implementing new tools; it involves creating insights into existing practices and giving voice to all stakeholders, including students. Practitioner notesWhat is already known about this topic The pedagogical approach in higher education must change to enhance the employability of university graduates. Implementing change using ICT is rather difficult and requires a systematic and participatory approach. Higher education institutions in the Global South are resource constrained in delivering quality education. What this paper adds An in‐depth understanding of the actual conditions of students' study practices. Practical problems, such as access to WiFi, power and other tools, have an organising impact on students' actual study practices and when and where these practices occur. Using activity theory and photovoice to organise and engage students in providing insights into their study practices. Implications for practice and/or policy Transforming education requires a profound understanding of students' study practices. Access to power and WiFi are basic tools, not add‐ons—that is, not things which are ‘nice to have’ but ‘must‐haves’. The research findings can be used to involve and engage all stakeholders in change processes.

Boundary Work and Transactive Memory Systems in Teams: Moderating Effects of the Visibility Affordance

Individuals in work teams frequently cross boundaries across teams, often by using information and communication technologies (ICTs). The current study investigates the effects of members’ boundary work and the visibility affordance of teams’ ICTs on Transactive Memory Systems (TMS) in teams. Survey data from 212 full-time employees whose work hours were divided between multiple teams reveals that boundary spanning enhances the focal team’s TMS specialization and credibility and negatively influences TMS coordination. Additionally, boundary reinforcement positively affects TMS credibility and coordination. The visibility affordance has a direct positive effect on all three dimensions of TMS and a moderating effect for boundary reinforcement such that higher visibility overrides the positive direct effect of boundary reinforcement on TMS. These findings suggest that different types of boundary work contribute to different dimensions of TMS and that teams might consider prioritizing the use of ICTs with high visibility to enhance their TMS.

How COVID-19 altered perceived household resource consumption in the United States: Results from a survey

Abstract The COVID-19 pandemic has led to unprecedented changes in the daily lives of people in the United States and across the world, particularly around how households consume critical resources. We fielded a survey to a national U.S. sample (n = 1214) to quantify the nature and extent of perceived change in household consumption of energy, water, information and communication technology (ICT) services, transportation, and grocery and non-grocery shopping during the COVID-19 pandemic. We find that most survey respondents report increased consumption of electricity and water, but they did not report altered heating and cooling energy consumption. Respondents reported sharp increases in work-related ICT usage for medium- and high-income respondents, and increased ICT usage for recreation and entertainment across all income categories during the pandemic. Nearly half of car-based commuters stopped commuting, with higher shares of medium- and high-income respondents shifting to working from home instead of commuting by car. Respondents shopped less frequently, spent more on both grocery and non-grocery items, and moved their shopping online—indicating that the pandemic hastened the ongoing shift to online modes of resource consumption. Low-income households and respondents of color reported different shifts in consumption in comparison to higher income households and white households. Finally, more than half of our respondents stated that their altered consumption patterns will persist post-pandemic, pointing to potential long-term shifts in consumption behaviour. These findings provide useful empirical evidence for perceived changes in household resource consumption during the pandemic, suggest that we need to better protect low-income and Black households from the effects of large-scale disruptions, and can inform more effective and equitable disaster response policies.

A longitudinal study on ICT workload in the extended stressor-detachment model: testing moderated mediation models for extended work availability and workplace telepressure

ABSTRACT Information and communication technologies (ICTs) are seen as essential tools for mastering knowledge work in the twenty-first century. However, ICTs do not solely improve workflows, but are experienced by employees as an additional demand described as ICT workload. In this study, we apply the stressor-detachment model in the context of ICT, and investigated relations of ICT workload to psychological detachment and emotional exhaustion. Furthermore, as extended work availability and workplace telepressure are organisational and individual factors associated with ICT use, we extend the stressor-detachment model by testing moderated mediational effects. Specifically, we investigated whether extended work availability and workplace telepressure strengthen the indirect effect of ICT workload on emotional exhaustion via psychological detachment. In a longitudinal study of 228 employees with three measurement points, ICT workload was positively related to emotional exhaustion over time. Additionally, we found tentative support for a mediation via psychological detachment, that is stronger for higher levels of workplace telepressure. In sum, our study shows that employees experiencing high levels of ICT workload have a higher risk of suffering from emotional exhaustion. An impaired ability to psychologically detach and high levels of workplace telepressure play a crucial role in this relationship.

Современные цифровые средства коммуникации и их влияние на построение личных отношений

The article examines a new sociological problem related to the role and place of remote information and communication technologies (ICT), digital means of communication in interpersonal relations, their impact on the individual and changes in society as a whole. The object of the study is interpersonal relations implemented through the use of digital technologies and mobile devices. The analysis of the conceptual provisions of mod-ern theories of society on the prerequisites and causes of the transformation of interpersonal relationships and the phenomenon of intimacy in the transition and wide distribution of communication through mobile devices is presented. New digital forms of interpersonal communication such as online dating, ghosting are character-ized. The use of ICT, especially mobile devices (gadgets) and the transition of online dating to a mobile plane with the help of various digital applications in social networks, has led to disappearance of the boundary be-tween real and virtual space is becoming much more blurred, and the level of certainty in the environment is decreasing in social space and in personal relationships for both the initiator and the recipient of communica-tion. The easiness to contact with potential romantic partners breeds a lower commitment to maintaining the relationship. If in the real world there are always doubts, then the Internet space offers an infinite number of partners who are definitely open to acquaintances and communication. Therefore, the rupture of digital rela-tions occurs without explanation, simply interrupting communication, there is no need for efforts to end the rela-tionship. Conclusion dwells upon the fact that, despite the obvious advantages of using modern ICT in every-day life, the simplicity and lightning speed of establishing contact, the multiplicity of choices lead to psychologi-cal strain, to the problem of long-term preservation of close relations between partners. A sense of loneliness among people in the modern world arises and grows, posing a threat to the society’s well-being as a whole.

Remote Bridge Inspection and Actual Bridge Verification Based on 4G/5G Communication Environments

The close-up visual inspection of bridges faces several problems, including a lack of financial resources and human personnel. Hence, there has been increasing use of artificial intelligence (AI) and information and communications technology (ICT) to solve them. We previously investigated remote inspection—in which skilled engineers provided on-site support from a remote location—with the aim of reducing the labor required for on-site work and addressing the lack of personnel through the use of AI and ICT. Sharing images of bridges from inspection sites to remote locations via the Internet enables remote assessment of the sites and the ability to consider and diagnose damage. Mobile communications can be used to upload images, although the volume of image data required for inspection can be enormous and take considerable time to upload. Consequently, in this study, we investigated image uploads using 5G communication—that is, the fifth-generation technology standard for broadband cellular networks. Moreover, we measured the upload times when using 4G and 5G services and examined their operation based on differences in the communication environments. We concluded that the simulated remote inspection can be efficiently performed by adjusting the inspection method to the communication environment.

The Role of Information and Communication Technology in Public Sector Administration: The Readiness of the Local Authorities in the Arab Sector in Israel.

This research paper investigates the readiness and integration of ICT in local authorities' administrative processes and service delivery. This is an important topic to explore, given the technological stalemate that is currently witnessed in the Israeli Arab localities. This has caused a significant hindrance to the successful fulfillment of public administrative functions in a rather "technologically advanced" country in the Middle East. Essentially, this research aims to review the incorporation of ICT in the Arab sector in relation to the articulation of the same in Jewish localities. To obtain these results, this study explores qualitative and quantitative research designs, interviews, and surveys with stakeholders and teachers in Arab schools. The results from this research will be used to examine the preparedness level of the Arab public sector in harnessing ICT potential. It also assesses the challenges the local authorities face in leveraging Israel's ICT potential by specifically focusing on the level of digital literacy Arab education sector. The data findings indicate a low-to-moderate degree of ICT integration among teachers, highlighting the importance of pedagogical knowledge and attitudes toward change in facilitating successful ICT implementation. Further, the study contributes to the understanding of ICT utilization in public sector administration and provides recommendations for overcoming obstacles and improving ICT practices in the Arab sector of Israel.

Pathways Linking Information and Communication Technology Use and Loneliness Among Older Adults: Evidence From the Health and Retirement Study.

This study investigated the association between information and communication technology (ICT) use and loneliness among community-dwelling older adults (aged 65+), as well as the mediating effects of social relations, perceived control, and purpose-in-life. The study used data from the 2014 and 2018 Health and Retirement Study (N = 3,026), employing autoregressive path models with contemporaneous mediation to assess the association of 2 kinds of ICT use, social media communication and general computer use, with loneliness through the pathways of perceived social support, social contact, perceived constraints, and purpose-in-life. Social media communication had a negative association with loneliness. Perceived social support and social contact mediated this association, but not perceived constraints, or purpose-in-life. General computer use did not have a significant total effect on loneliness; however, a significant indirect effect through perceived constraints, purpose-in-life, and social contact was found. Our findings extended the existing literature regarding the important factors associated with variation in loneliness among older adults. Health programs and ICT solutions could be more effective in mitigating loneliness if they target the root causes of loneliness, including reducing perceptions of constraints and increasing a sense of purpose-in-life, along with strengthening social relationships.

Digital Media and Green Development Path in Asia: Does Digital Financial Inclusion Matter?

We are entering a new epoch characterized by pervasive digitization, where a significant proportion of our daily activities rely on advanced digital and informational technology. Consequently, this study intends to scrutinize the repercussions of digital media and digital financial inclusion on environmentally sustainable growth across 38 selected economies. The research incorporates four distinct empirical analysis techniques: two-stage least squares (2SLS) and the generalized method of moments (GMM). The assessment reveals a meaningful and positive association between digital financial inclusion and green growth per the 2SLS and GMM methodologies. This affirms the notion that digital financial aid fosters ecological sustainability. Conversely, the metrics linked with information and communication technology (ICT) have shown positive significance across all four utilized estimation models. This suggests that an increase in ICT utilization can play a vital role in advancing green growth. In the same vein, the estimated coefficients of research and development initiatives and renewable energy consumption have demonstrated positive significance across all four models. Furthermore, the metrics associated with trade openness have exhibited a positive significance in both the 2SLS and GMM models. Meanwhile, the metric linked with education has displayed a positive significance solely with the GMM technique. Upon evaluation, it can be concluded that digital media, the consumption of renewable energy, and research and development endeavors are principal contributors to green growth.

Spontaneous volunteers and the flood disaster 2021 in Germany: Development of social innovations in flood risk management

AbstractIn the response of the flood disaster in Germany 2021 a vast number of spontaneous volunteers (SVs) participated. They organized coordinating services, developed emergent forms of SVs and thus hold the potential to improve existing flood managing capacities. This raises the need for in‐depth knowledge about SVs and organization, the use of information and communication technologies (ICT), social and individual aspects. This article analyzed results of an online survey (n = 2636) with the aim to discuss challenges and potentials to develop SVs as social innovations in flood risk management. As a result, SVs are strong value‐based motivated, can be psychologically stressed and travel long distances, especially when they got aware of helping possibilities via social media. Disaster relief organizations rarely cooperate with or integrate SVs, but when they collaborate, SVs' satisfaction with authorities increases significantly. Based on the results, this article derives preplanning of useful concepts consider safety aspects, ICT utilization, foster mutual respect between SVs and authorities and supporting sense of community as key results for development of social innovations. Especially in light of pandemics, social crisis like refugee movements, and climate change‐related disasters, the requirement rises for engaging SVs.

Cognitive-motivational engagement in ICT mediates the effect of ICT use on academic achievements: Evidence from 52 countries

Despite huge investment of information and communication technology (ICT) in schools across the world, recent studies showed its non-positive association with academic achievement. While educators or policymakers may doubt the contribution of ICT in education, few studies examined the indirect effect of ICT use on academic achievement via ICT-related dispositions, such as students' perceived autonomy, competence, and interest in ICT (cognitive-motivational engagement in ICT). Guided by self-determination theory (SDT) and related literature, we hypothesized a three-level structural equation model to examine the interplay between ICT use, cognitive-motivational engagement in ICT, and academic achievement based on 15-year-old secondary students from 52 countries in the PISA 2018. The results showed cognitive-motivational engagement in ICT exerted a positive mediating effect between ICT use and academic achievement at the student and school levels, indicating ICT use exerted an indirect positive effect on academic achievement, and satisfaction of students' basic psychological needs in a specific area such as ICT is likely to promote their optimal functioning in other areas such as learning. Hence, students should be provided more opportunities to orchestrate technologies in formal and informal contexts helps develop their self-determination, discernment, and self-regulation in ICT use, and thereby creating the conditions in which better learning outcomes are more likely to occur. These findings also deepen our understanding of SDT and provide a guiding framework for educators to design pedagogies that can better address students’ ICT-related psychological needs. Finally, this study shows that a quadratic term should be modeled when examining the relationship between ICT use and academic achievement.