Examining the Effects of Technology Attributes on Learning: A Contingency Perspective

Abstract

Executive SummaryIn today's knowledge economy, technology is utilized more than ever to deliver instructional material to the learner. Nonetheless, information may not always be presented in a manner that maximizes the learning experience, resulting in a negative impact on learning outcomes. Drawing on the Task-Technology Fit model, a research framework was developed to investigate the influence of vividness, interactivity, task complexity, and learning style on performance, satisfaction, interest, and perceived mental effort in the context of learning how to use an office productivity tool via a computer-mediated learning environment.It was hypothesized that vividness and interactivity would increase satisfaction and interest and that the affects of vividness and interactivity on performance and perceived mental effort would vary depending on the complexity of the task. It was also hypothesized that vividness and learning style would interact to influence performance and perceived mental effort when a task was more complex. A laboratory experiment was employed to test the research model. The experiment manipulated two levels of vividness, interactivity, and task complexity, resulting in six unique treatment conditions. In each of these treatment conditions, subjects viewed a computerbased tutorial on how to complete a task using a specific tool in Microsoft Excel. Subjects were then asked to complete a similar task using this same Excel tool.Overall, strong support was found in support of the hypotheses. Findings indicate that presenting information in a more vivid or more interactive learning environment will significantly increase satisfaction with the learning environment as well as interest in the topic. Furthermore, strong support was found for utilizing a more vivid or more interactive presentation to increase performance and reduce perceived mental effort when a task is more complex. Mixed support was found regarding the influence of vividness and learning style on performance and perceived mental effort for a more complex task.This research contributes to our theoretical understanding of instructional design and the influence of technology characteristics on learning outcomes. These findings also serve to guide those who design and disseminate information in computer-mediated contexts. MoreMaterial published as part of this publication, either on-line or in print, is copyrighted by the Informing Science Institute. P ermission to make digital or paper copy of part or all of these works for personal or classroom use is granted without fee provided that the copies are not made or distributed for profit or commercial advantage AND that copies 1) bear this notice in full and 2) give the full citation on the first page. It is permissible to abstract these works so long as credit is given. To copy in all other cases or to republish or to post on a server or to redistribute to lists requires specific permission and payment of a fee. Contact 0HPublisher@InformingScience.org to request redistribution permission. ...

Use of ICT in the Classroom Teaching of Management

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Sustaining Behaviour Change Through Immersive Technologies: Trends, Perspectives, and Approaches

“…Vividness, i.e. the degree of richness of representations of an environment and how an environment presents information to a person's senses (Steuer, 1992) can be increased by the incorporation of more modalities used to appeal to different senses (Nicholson et al, 2008). For a successful and engaging conveying of information, technology tools need to be adaptable to their circumstances, user requirements as well as situations.…”

Is Technology Mediated Learning Really Improving Performance Of Students?

“…Another aspect to be considered is that technology characteristics can enhance or inhibit efficient delivery of instructional material (Alavi and Leidner, 2001) and thus may play a crucial role in influencing the learning process (Kozma, 1991). Nicholson, Nicholson and Valacich (2008) analyzed two key characteristics: vividness and interactivity. In their study they proved that a more vivid and interactive presentation is likely to increase both students' satisfaction and interest.…”

“…This means that students that have to face more complexity need to reach higher levels of attention and engagement in order to succeed and to obtain better performance. A direct consequence of this fact is that students will have higher performance in tasks that are more complex when vividness and interactivity are high, and the same applies for the students' perceived mental effort (Nicholson, Nicholson and Valacich, 2008). Schools have to analyze all of these elements when making the choice between face-to-face lessons and Technology Mediated Learning, and they also have to deeply assess the kind of technological support they want to invest in.…”