Barriers to Removing Barriers of Online Learning

2023 | Communications of the Association for Information Systems | Citations: 1

Authors: Gunawardena, Maya; Dhanapala, Kusumi

Abstract: In response to the turmoil and anxiety created by the COVID-19 pandemic, many u ... Expand

Abstract: In response to the turmoil and anxiety created by the COVID-19 pandemic, many universities transitioned to online delivery with limited support and resources. University teachers adapted to the online environment to ensure the effectiveness of students' reaching their outcomes. Using the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) as a framework, this study analysed ethnographic data from two experienced university teacher narratives about their online teaching strategies in two different university settings, in a developed and a developing country. The results showed that teachers used similar strategies based on the affordances provided within the Learning Management Systems (LMS) and by accessing other existing technological tools. However, the results showed inequalities in students' participation due to their financial, economic, and socio-cultural backgrounds. This paper emphasises the need to investigate personalised and inclusive learning for consolidating and accommodating social and geographical barriers to minimise inequalities in students' access to education. Students should not be deprived by the digital and technical divide limiting equal opportunities for learning and development in the so-called 'global village' in the 21 st century and beyond.Maya Gunawardena is currently an assistant professor in teacher education at the faculty of Education, University of Canberra, and she formerly worked as a lecturer and a research fellow at UNSW. She is interested in empowering teachers with the knowledge of ecologies and epistemologies of learning sciences. Her research includes topics such as personalised learning, teacher beliefs and application of their pedagogical content knowledge, learning materials design, scaffolding students' critical thinking, and practice of evidence-based learning. She has extensive experience in teaching in K-12 classrooms and tertiary institutes in Australia and Sri Lanka.Kusumi Vasantha Dhanapala is a professor in English Language Education at the Department of Languages, Sri Palee Campus of the University of Colombo, Sri Lanka. She has published in the fields of applied linguistics, blended learning, reading comprehension, English language education, motivation and learning, , and adopting technology in language education. She has a wide range of experience in teaching and education research in a diverse context such as Japan, Sri Lanka, and Cambodia. She worked as a post-doctoral research fellow in Japan for two years, engaging in research on teaching reading skills for tertiary learners. Her current research project is on modelling motivation in blended learning environments. Collapse

Topics: online learning system digital literacy laptop computer internet technology affordance

Methods: survey action research

Bounce Forward Resilience Attributes: Information System Strengthening in Response to Crisis

2023 | European Conference On Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Russpatrick, Scott; Amarakoon, Pamod; Hedberg, Calle

Abstract: Previous information system resilience studies have predominantly focused on an ... Expand

Abstract: Previous information system resilience studies have predominantly focused on analyzing bounce back, return to pre-shock state, resilience. This paper explores the phenomena of bounce forward information system resilience through longitudinal analysis of the COVID-19 responses in Sri Lanka and Sierra Leone. Both of these countries were able to significantly expand their information systems in terms of functionality, scale, and coordination in response to the pandemic. The goal of this paper is to derive new bounce forward attributes that were present in the information system landscapes of these countries prior to the pandemic. Through the analysis of these cases against the previously identified resilience attributes found in the literature, we defined capacity for coordinated agility, configurable and extensible innovation platform infrastructure, and human resource action potential as unique information system attributes that can constitute bounce forward outcomes when systems face shocks or are under stress.2013; Russpatrick et al., 2021). In response to this gap, we propose the following research question: Are there unique attributes of an information system that can bounce forward when responding to and adapting from a crisis such as COVID-19? We identify specific system properties, referred to as attributes, that enable a bounce forward of the IS. We derive these attributes through a critical realist, empirical investigation of longitudinal case-studies of the COVID-19 surveillance systems in Sri Lanka and Sierra Leone. Driven by fresh case data and new research, we build on, refine, and fill the gaps of previously identified bounce back and bounce forward resilience attributes (Russpatrick et al. 2021; Amarakoon et al., 2022, Park et al., 2021 Kinkade et al. 2022. We examine in both countries the use of the free and open-source District Health Information Software 2 (DHIS2) platform for COVID-19 surveillance.The paper is organized as follows. First, we define our conceptualization of resilience attributes through the analysis of the existing resilience attributes from prior research. Next, we present a detailed description of each case-study. From there, we present a cross-case analysis through the lens of established bounce back attributes to explicate the bounce forward outcomes. In the discussion we present new bounce forward resilience attributes through corroboration with the case data and triangulation against existent literature on bounce forward resilience. Finally we briefly recapitulate our findings in the conclusion. Collapse

Topics: innovation management pandemic human resource management application programming interface health information system

Methods: case study triangulation qualitative interview longitudinal case study field study

Disruptive Technologies for Achieving Supply Chain Resilience in COVID-19 Era: An Implementation Case Study of Satellite Imagery and Blockchain Technologies in Fish Supply Chain

2022 | Information Systems Frontiers | Citations: 0

Authors: Sengupta, Tuhin; Narayanamurthy, Gopalakrishnan; Moser, Roger; Pereira, Vijay; Bhattacharjee, Devleena

Abstract: In supply chains where stakeholders belong to the economically disadvantaged seg ... Expand

Abstract: In supply chains where stakeholders belong to the economically disadvantaged segment and form an important part of the supply chain distribution, the complexities grow manifold. Fisheries in developing nations are one such sector where the complexity is not only due to the produce being perishable but also due to the livelihood dependence of others in the coastal regions that belong to the section of economically disadvantaged. This paper explains the contextual challenges of fish supply chain in a developing country and describes how integrating disruptive technologies can address those challenges. Through a positive deviance approach, we show how firms can help unorganized supply chains with economically disadvantaged suppliers by carefully redesigning the supply chain through the integration of satellite imagery and blockchain technology. With COVID-19 in the backdrop, we highlight how such technologies significantly improves the supply chain resilience and at the same time contributes to the income generating opportunities of poor fisherfolks in developing nations. Our study has important implications to both developing markets and food supply chain practitioners as this paper tackles issues such as perishability, demand-supply mismatch, unfair prices, and quality related data transparency in the entire value chain. Collapse

Topics: supply chain management disruptive innovation blockchain pandemic digital platform

Methods: case study triangulation literature study

Oppositional Logics and the Antecedents of Hybridization: A Country-Level Study of the Diffusion of Islamic Banking Windows, 1975–2017

2020 | Organization Science | Citations: 0

Authors: Boone, Christophe; Özcan, Serden

Abstract: Little is known about when and where hybrid organizations diffuse. We argue that ... Expand

Abstract: Little is known about when and where hybrid organizations diffuse. We argue that neo-institutional perspectives, which stress the constraining role of market categories and institutional logics, have to be complemented with demand-side perspectives that stress the enabling force of economic incentives to explain the origins of hybrids. We develop theory to predict the country-level diffusion of hybrid forms in Islamic banking in the 1975–2017 period, during which many conventional banks invaded the domain of Islamic banking by starting to sell Islamic banking services, or so-called “Islamic windows.” Our findings underscore the relevance of simultaneously studying the impact of constraining and enabling forces. Consistent with neo-institutional theory, we find strong evidence that a lack of constitutive legitimacy of the window form—only in countries where Muslims make up a large share of the population—and the ideological polarization of local audiences reify the ideological boundaries between the oppositional banking logics, which in turn hampers the diffusion of windows in the focal country. At the same time, however, it appears that the failure of local credit markets and country-level economic globalization, the latter even more in countries with a Muslim majority, provide potent economic incentives for the diffusion of windows. By stressing the role of utilitarian incentives and material exchange as drivers of hybridization, we bridge the gap between neo-institutional and more rationalist approaches of institutional change. Collapse

Topics: database system website digital media social identity

Methods: hazard function descriptive statistic robustness check regression analysis method likelihood-ratio test

Theories: institutional theory dominant logic

Addicts without substance? Social media addiction when Facebook shuts down

2020 | International Conference on Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Sedera, Darshana; Lokuge, Sachithra

Abstract: In March 2018, a series of anti-social and racial riots in Sri Lanka led to a go ... Expand

Abstract: In March 2018, a series of anti-social and racial riots in Sri Lanka led to a governmentcontrolled ban of all social media use in the country for 14 days. This nation-wide ban included the use of all social media such as Facebook, Twitter and communication apps like WhatsApp, Viber and WeChat. Until the day of the sanctions, a population of 23 million in Sri Lanka had never experienced government sanctions, restrictions or interventions on social media use. This sudden ban provided a unique window of opportunity to investigate social media non-use and use and how it might lead to psychological distress. Using a longitudinal study design of two surveys, analyzing data of 476 and 205 respectively, this study makes insightful preliminary observations of social media non-use and use continuum. Collapse

Topics: social media social media addiction mobile application missing data information system use

Methods: longitudinal research survey partial least squares regression longitudinal data analysis structural equation modeling

Design for Empowerment: Empowering Sri Lankan Farmers through Mobile-based Information System

2020 | Communications of the Association for Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Ginige, Tamara; Richards, Deborah; Ginige, Athula; Hitchens, Michael

Abstract: We developed a mobile-based information system (MBIS) to empower users to improv ... Expand

Abstract: We developed a mobile-based information system (MBIS) to empower users to improve their livelihood activities. To do so, we first developed an empowerment framework (since one does not exist) as a basis to develop the MBIS. In particular, we conducted this research to solve an agriculture over-production problem in Sri Lanka where farmers remain trapped in a poverty cycle. They cannot make informed decisions due to lack of access to timely, contextbased actionable information to achieve a good revenue. We had to generate some essential information such as current production level in real-time by capturing farmers’ decisions such as what and how much to grow. For this purpose, we needed to empower farmers to actively engage them in informed decision-making process through the MBIS. In evaluating the impact of the MBIS, we found a statistically significant positive change in farmers’ empowerment levels based on measuring self-efficacy, sense of control, and motivation before and after they used the application. Commercial organizations have since adopted this mobile-based system in India and Sri Lanka to solve agricultural problems, in universities Africa to mitigate hidden hunger, and the Corporative Research Center in Australia to develop digital health applications to manage chronic diseases, which indicates the approach’s wide adoptability. Collapse

Topics: self efficacy mobile phone decision making smartphone information system use

Methods: survey descriptive statistic design science personal interview Student's t-test

Theories: self determination theory

THE ROLE OF CONTRADICTIONS AND NORMS IN THE DESIGN AND USE OF A TELEMEDICINE SYSTEM: A HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS PERSPECTIVE

2019 | European Conference On Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Schwalb, Pascal; Klecun, Ela

Abstract: Telemedicine’s potential to improve accessibility and quality of healthcare has ... Expand

Abstract: Telemedicine’s potential to improve accessibility and quality of healthcare has been advocated for decades. However, its adoption has been fraught with problems. This paper applies a socio-technical approach, and specifically activity theory, to study the adoption and use of telemedicine by healthcare professionals (HCPs) in Sri Lanka. It depicts how contradictions in the initial activity system mediated by improvised telemedicine were addressed by the intended telemedicine application and how this motivated HCPs to adopt it. It also highlights the influence of social norms on the use of telemedicine. Collapse

Topics: electronic health social norm usability systems design human computer interaction

Methods: case study qualitative interview cluster analysis personal interview qualitative content analysis

Theories: activity theory socio technical theory

Controlling Corruption in Developing Country Public Sector: A Process Ecosystems Perspective

2019 | International Conference on Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Syed, Rehan; Bandara, Wasana

Abstract: Public sector organisations in developing countries are in immense pressure to d ... Expand

Abstract: Public sector organisations in developing countries are in immense pressure to deliver citizen-centric services. While corruption is well recognised as a critical obstruction for progress, it is not well understood. This paper consists of a revelatory case study aimed to explore and conceptualise how corruption takes place and what factors contribute to control corruption. It explains how corruption emerges as ‘parasitic process ecosystems’, innate and cultivated due to inefficiencies in the main processes, and how IT-enabled process transformations can alleviate the existence and impact of such parasitic processes. The process ecosystem perspective used here to conceptualise corruption is novel. Derived from the case evidence and supported by existing theories, a conceptual model of corruption control is presented. Insights extrapolated from the case study are presented as useful normative guidelines for practice. Future research to further build on the outcomes of this exploratory study is proposed. Collapse

Topics: business process improvement organizational change database system client-server model communication service infrastructure

Methods: case study qualitative interview conceptual modelling qualitative content analysis

Extending DSR with Sub Cycles to Develop a Digital Knowledge Ecosystem for Coordinating Agriculture Domain in Developing Countries

2018 | DESRIST | Citations: 0

Authors: Ginige, Tamara; De Silva, Lasanthi; Walisadeera, Anusha; Ginige, Athula

Abstract: Still a large percentage of the world population, especially in developing count ... Expand

Abstract: Still a large percentage of the world population, especially in developing countries are depending on agriculture for their livelihood. The agriculture domain in many developing countries is not well coordinated leading to over and under production of crops resulting in widely fluctuating market prices, waste and economic hardship for farmers. Rapidly growing Smartphone usage among farming community has opened new possibilities to develop a mobile based artefact to coordinate the agriculture production. We have developed an overall artefact; a Digital Knowledge Ecosystem using Design Science Research (DSR) methodology to solve this complex problem. The main project had many research challenges to solve and they were assigned to several sub-projects to address. The outputs of sub-projects created several artefacts. They were integrated to develop the overall artefact to achieve the main goal of the overall project. Managing the complexity of the overall project was a challenge. For this, we had to split three main cycles of DSR: Relevance, Design and Rigor into 6 DSR sub-cycles; Relevance – Problem Understanding and Relevance – Suitability Validation, Rigor – Learning and Rigor –Contribution, Design - Heuristic Search and Design - Functional Validation. This split enabled us to better coordinate the activities to address different aspects of the problem performed by different researchers, often in parallel at multiple geographical locations. The resulted mobile based Digital Knowledge Ecosystem initially developed for farmers in Sri Lanka is now being trialled in India and adapted to develop a Mobile based Information System for Nutrition Driven Agriculture for African Countries. Collapse

Topics: usability user requirement self efficacy decision making human computer interaction

Methods: design science survey design artifact qualitative interview survey design

INNOVATE OR COPY: A QUALITATIVE DOCUMENT ANALYSIS TO ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

2018 | European Conference On Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Lokuge, Sachithra; Sedera, Darshana; Nanayakkara, Kanishka Samudaya

Abstract: There is a consensus that entrepreneurs need to come up with new ideas, new prod ... Expand

Abstract: There is a consensus that entrepreneurs need to come up with new ideas, new products and services and organizing methods to be successful in their new ventures. However, entrepreneurship doesn’t necessarily need to invent, but take an existing idea and make it better. The advent of digital technologies has provided entrepreneurs with myriad opportunities to be creative and create new ventures. The rise and growth of born digital organizations such as Uber, Airbnb and Alibaba.com are strongly attributed to the advancements in technologies. In this research, by conducting a qualitative document analysis for twenty-five South Asian start-ups, we explore how idea generation occurs in entrepreneurs in developing countries. The study contributes to the academia and practice by introducing four idea generation strategies executed by entrepreneurs in developing countries. Collapse

Topics: idea generation entrepreneurship innovation management Uber information system use

Methods: qualitative content analysis qualitative interview survey