Information Technology Skills Training Research Articles

Factors Hindering the Adoption of the Customs Electronic Licensing System (CELS) by Clearing and Forwarding Agents in Zambia

While the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) aims at improving and making it much easier, more efficient and faster to process clearing agents’ licenses added to mass sensitization and training on the Customs Electronic Licensing System (CELS), the adoption and utilization of the system among the clearing and forwarding agents in all the Zambian border posts is very low. This study aimed at determining the factors that impede the adoption and implementation of the CELS by the clearing agents and recommending the best ways in which ZRA can enhance the utilization of the electronic platform and boost compliance. The study was conducted within the population of the Zambia Revenue Authority and duly licensed Clearing Agents domiciled at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport (KKIA) as well as those working at Nakonde, Chirundu, Mwami, Katima Mulilo, Kasumbalesa and Kazungula border posts. We employed the mixed method approach, the quantitative and qualitative methods with a study sample of 263 licensed clearing and forwarding agents. However, analysis was based on 178 agents (the response rate was 68%). Binary Logistic was fitted on the date to determine the bottlenecks to the adoption of CELS. Factors which determined as bottlenecks to the adoption of the CELS are “Not Having ICT Skills”, “Not Having an electronic Device PC/Smartphone”, “No Access to Internet”, “Difficulty of Use of the CELS” and “Not Having Knowledge on CELS”. The challenges faced by clearing and forwarding agents include; not having electronic devices personal computers (PCs) or Smartphones, not having the required information technology skills, not having access to internet, and not having adequate knowledge about the system. To promote compliance among the agents, ZRA needs to do the following; make the possession of a computer or smartphone to be a mandatory requirement for an individual to be given the clearing and forwarding license; provide the required information technology skills training specifically on CELS; provide free internet only accessible to the registered agents to allow them to fully access the CELS, as well sensitization programs to ensure that all agents have knowledge on CELS.

Online simulation for information technology skills training in higher education.

The purpose of this study was to explore student’s experiences when practicing information technology skills with an online simulation environment. After using the online simulation environment over a five-week period, 215 undergraduate students were surveyed regarding their usage-related experiences, satisfaction with the environment, and perceived learning. Both quantitative and qualitative data collection methods were employed. The quantitative results suggested that perceived ease of use had a direct effect on student’s satisfaction with the online simulation environment, and that the satisfaction with the online simulation environment led to higher perceived learning. The qualitative findings revealed that technical problems, not being able to accomplish the objective of a step due to the precision required by the task, and the inflexibility of certain features of the online simulation environment were the commonly referenced issues, which might have impacted student’s satisfaction and their perceived learning.

ICT skills acquisition and competencies of librarians

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is an audit of information technology (IT) skills set of librarians in some Nigerian university libraries with the aim of examining their relevance and adequacy to the digital environment. Nigerian universities as knowledge creators and their libraries as gatekeepers of knowledge are rapidly witnessing the introduction of various IT. One of the challenges facing IT/digital library projects in Nigeria has been the readiness of the university libraries in terms of knowledge and skills to implement the digital and electronic library services.Design/methodology/approach– This paper used the survey approach. The sampling technique for the selection of the universities was stratified and for the librarians (respondents), census. The sampling frame was the approved list of universities released by the National Universities Commission as of the time of this study. The data were analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences.Findings– The findings of this paper revealed that many of the respondents do have knowledge and skills of email use and word processing tasks but lack knowledge of search engines and directories other than Google and Yahoo, respectively. Many of them do not know how to evaluate and catalogue e-resources; have no knowledge of subject gateways, specialised databases and some open-access library databases; have no knowledge of database management; are not skilled in Web design; and are equally not familiar with Web design applications.Originality/value– The study recommends management support for IT skills training and/or continuous professional development to improve the librarians. Librarians are also challenged and encouraged to explore the range of training resources available over the Internet for self-development.

Counterfactual thinking and anticipated emotions enhance performance in computer skills training

The present study examined the relationship between novice learners' counterfactual thinking (i.e. generating ‘what if’ and ‘if only’ thoughts) about their initial training experience with a computer application and subsequent improvement in task performance. The role of anticipated emotions towards goal attainment in task performance was also assessed. Undergraduate students (N = 42) with minimal experience in using computer spreadsheets underwent basic training in using Microsoft Excel. All participants were assessed on their anticipated positive and negative emotions regarding goal attainment at the outset. After completing their first task, participants allocated to a counterfactual condition received instructions to generate counterfactual thoughts regarding their initial task performance, whereas participants in a control condition did not. The counterfactual group showed only marginally greater improvement in task performance (measured by task completion time and accuracy) than the control group. However, we also found that positive anticipated emotions were associated with improvement in task performance but for the counterfactual group only. Our data have implications for incorporating counterfactual thinking into information technology skills training to enhance learning outcomes for novice learners.

Current status and future prospects

User education, information skills training, information technology skills training, health informatics training, information handling skills, information literacy, literature searching training and finding information for evidence-based practice are all terms used or in use to describe the teaching undertaken by health librarians—whether within an academic or NHS library setting. Whatever it is called, and in whichever shape or form it is delivered, teaching is an activity in which the majority of health libraries and health librarians are actively engaged.

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

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

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

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