20100930 - Womble, E-Learning:...Learner Satisfaction, Self-Efficacy, Usefulness

E-learning: The relationship among learner satisfaction, self-efficacy, and usefulness by Womble, Joy Chastity, Ph.D., Alliant International University, San Diego, 2007 , 132 pages; AAT 3298903 My Interest: 1) E-Learning. 2) Reliability and Validity. 3) Usefulness. 4) Learner Satisfaaction. Action: To read the Dissertation in future. The problem. The year 2000 marked a new era of growth for online learning (American Society for Training & Development, 2002). Implementing e-learning is common practice in public and private sectors (Zimmerman, 2001). Training mandates are central among the factors fueling this upsurge (Tucker, 2005). Although an increasing number of organizations are developing e-learning strategies to address their training needs, exploring online learning theoretically and identifying key factors that will enhance its effectiveness is necessary. While previous research studies have examined student satisfaction in a distance-learning environment, this topic has not been given adequate attention (Biner, Dean & Mellinger, 1994). Despite the growing convergent research threads on e-learning (Davis, 1989; Malhotra & Galletta, 1999; Wang, 2003), few have strong theoretical foundations (Salas & Cannon-Bowers, 2001). Social learning theory and attitude-behavior theory can aid in developing guidelines for creating elearning training. The present research measured the relationships among learner satisfaction, self-efficacy, and usefulness within an elearning context. Method. The sample consisted of 440 government agency employees in the Southwestern United States. Participants completed mandatory elearning courses in Training and Development's learning management system. They were asked to complete a demographics survey and three scales, Mungania's (2004) E-learning Self-Efficacy Scale, Davis' (1993) Perceived Usefulness Scale, and Wang's (2003) Electronic Learner Satisfaction Instrument. These were used to measure the relationships among employees' perceptions of self-efficacy, usefulness, and satisfaction of e-learning. LITERATURE REVIEW E-Learning in Organizations Satisfaction: An Indication of E-Learning Success Self-Efficacy Self-Efficacy and Performance E-Learning Self-Efficacy Computer Self-Efficacy Internet Self-Efficacy Usefulness Usefulness and Technology Use and Acceptance E-Learning Satisfaction, Self-Efficacy, and Usefulness Research Questions and Hypotheses Definition of Jey Terms CHAPTER II: METHODS …… Instrumentation E-Learning Self Efficacy Scale Reliability and Validity Internet Self-Efficacy Scale Reliability and Validity Computer User Self-Efficacy Scale Reliability and Validity Perceived Usefulness Scale Reliability and Validity E-Learner Satisfaction Scale Reliability and Validity ………

20100922 - Fu, Usability Evaluation of Web Page Design

Usability evaluation of Web page design by Fu, Limin Paul, Ph.D., Purdue University, 1999 , 196 pages; AAT 9951955 My Interest: (1) Usability Evaluation conceptual model. (2) User Satisfaction conceptual model. (3) 3 or 5 Hypotheses – how to conclude "Supported" or "Not Supported." (4) Explore relationships of DV & IV. Action: To download the entire Dissertation from Proquest. Low priority – read specific parts of Dissertation in future. Usability Evaluation Conceptual Model Based on World Wide Web users' characteristics, a usability evaluation conceptual model for Web page design was proposed. The two dimensions of the model are usability evaluation methods and user's performance level. User Satisfaction Conceptual Model Based on the task characteristics on the World Wide Web and the usability components, a conceptual model for user's satisfaction was proposed. The three dimensions of the model are user's satisfaction, task type, and usability components. Hypotheses & Experimental Design Three hypotheses were proposed to test the conceptual models and three experiments were conducted with a total 102 subjects to test the models. The dependent variables in experiments were the number of usability problems identified, performance time, error rate, and questionnaire score of Usability for Web Page Design, satisfaction scores, and number of item in shopping cart. The independent variables were the usability evaluation method, interface type, apparent usability, inherent usability, and task type. Results Discussion The hypothesis that heuristic evaluation method is more effective than user testing in identifying usability problems associated with rule-based level of performance was supported, and for the skill-based level it was suggestively significant. The hypothesis that user testing is more effective than heuristic evaluation method in identifying usability problems associated with knowledge-based level of performance was supported. The hypothesis that the questionnaire of usability evaluation for Web page design has similar reliability and validity as the other usability questionnaires was not supported. The hypothesis that in searching task inherent usability is the main factor contributes to user's satisfaction was supported. The hypothesis that in browsing task apparent usability is the main factor contributes to user's satisfaction was not supported. Inherent usability was the main factor contributed to user's satisfaction in both searching and browsing task. Apparent usability has a suggestively significant contribution to user's satisfaction. Comments: It is acceptable that our research prediction/hypotheses is proven untrue or "not supported." Note: I have missed downloading the entire Dissertation.

20100921 - Chang, Usability Study of Mouseover

A theory-based usability study of the mouseover abstract interfaces by Chang, Yaowen, Ed.D., Columbia University Teachers College, 2005 , 125 pages; AAT 3175671 My interest: (1) Relationships among Effectiveness, Efficiency, and User Satisfaction. (2) Eight outcome measures – what? (3) Comparison methodology of 2 websites. (4) Measures of Effectiveness, Efficiency, and User Satisfaction. How to analyse? Action: To read specific parts of this Dissertation in future. This study: Investigated the impact of the Mouse-Over-Abstract (MOA) interface on the usability of website interface design with the Cognitive Theory of Hypermedia Learning as the conceptual framework. With the MOA interface design, the researcher aimed to examine whether the provision of the preview/context information and the modality in which the preview/context information is presented have a significant impact on interface usability. explore the relationships among the different perspectives of usability: effectiveness, efficiency, and user satisfaction. The MOA interfaces provided users with an abstract for the linked page in text and/or audio format when users mouse-overed the hyperlinks. Participants explored two websites, one containing astronomy material (pertaining to the phases of the moon) and the other, facts about the Institutional Review Board. After each browsing session, the participants performed assigned tasks. Eight outcome measures were derived from their responses and used to evaluate the efficiency, effectiveness, and user satisfaction perspectives of the interface usability. Contradictory to findings in existing literature, results consistently failed to find supporting evidence for the beneficial effects of context information or modality effects in design usability. Comments: Research findings could also be contrary to popular findings. Phrase "consistently failed to find supporting evidence" is very appropriate; better than saying NO. The correlations among the perspectives of usability indicated that efficiency, effectiveness, and user satisfaction are not interchangeable. Comments: We always know that. So what? What is the impact to usability? Thus, it is essential for researcher to adopt a multi-trait/multi-method approach when conducting usability evaluation. Comments: May need to use this statement in future…to quote in my Dissertation.