ERIC Number: EJ1140775
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2014-Jul
Pages: 12
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: EISSN-1545-679X
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Available Date: N/A
Tool Choice for E-Learning: Task-Technology Fit through Media Synchronicity
Sun, Jun; Wang, Ying
Information Systems Education Journal, v12 n4 p17-28 Jul 2014
One major challenge in online education is how to select appropriate e-learning tools for different learning tasks. Based on the premise of Task-Technology Fit Theory, this study suggests that the effectiveness of student learning in online courses depends on the alignment between two. Furthermore, it conceptualizes the formation of such a fit through the lens of Media Synchronicity Theory: each type of learning task in the online environment requires a certain level of media synchronicity, and various e-learning tools enable different levels of media synchronicity. Their alignment forms along two dimensions of media synchronicity: the purpose dimension ranging from conveyance to convergence and the process dimension ranging from asynchronous to synchronous. The conceptualization leads to research hypotheses that posit the aligned relationships between learning tasks and e-learning tools in terms of purpose and process. The hypotheses were tested with the observations collected from an experiment, and the conjoint analysis results support that students do perceive and prefer the fit between learning tasks and e-learning tools along the two dimensions. The findings yield helpful insights on the best practices concerning the utilization of information technology for the enhancement of student learning outcomes in online course design.
Descriptors: Online Courses, Educational Technology, Electronic Learning, Assignments, Hypothesis Testing, Alignment (Education), Models, Teaching Methods, Undergraduate Students, Gender Differences, Student Attitudes
Information Systems and Computing Academic Professionals. Box 488, Wrightsville Beach, NC 28480. e-mail: publisher@isedj.org; Web site: http://isedj.org
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
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