An investigation into the usability of synchronous information technology for a virtual e-learning and information sharing environment at a university in South Africa

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT:As the information age evolves, society is undergoing changes based on developmentsin technology that have tremendous implications for the educational systems. Institutionsof tertiary education are increasingly facing the pressures of globalisation. Associatedwith this is the knowledge society that demands experience with technology, differentskills and a different learning experience (US, 2001). Furthermore, new information andcommunication technologies have demonstrated the potential to transform the way thatknowledge is packaged, delivered, accessed and acquired, thereby altering highereducations' core production and delivery processes. Institutions of tertiary education thatwant to remain competitive, both locally and internationally, should, therefore, act proactivelyto facilitate the successful and innovative integration of relevant technologiesinto currently established practice and procedures.The University of Stellenbosch (US) recognises the importance of staying abreast withthese global and local changes. The Virtual Information Space (VIS) project for optimalinformation sharing is a research initiative that developed as a direct response to theneed for an inquiry into the functionality of alternative synchronous and asynchronouscomputer-mediated communication media (CMC), to be provided as part of thetechnological infrastructure of the US for enhanced information sharing andcommunication. The VIS project provides the framework within which this study wasconducted.The aim of this study was to conduct an exploratory study through the use of empiricalresearch and prototyping, by quantification of the usability of synchronous CMC media,for application in the South-African on and off-campus tertiary education environment(focused at post graduate level), in order to enhance information sharing between interalia, information service suppliers, lecturers, students and researchers at the US. It wasanticipated, however, that the degree to which the synchronous CMC media add valueto the learning and information sharing processes within the VIS, will be influenced bythe usability of the software applications within which the media are embedded, theperceived need of the role-players for the media, as well as the feasibility and viability ofthe systems when employed within the technological infrastructure of the US. Theseelements were, therefore, empirically investigated by conducting several usabilityexperiments in a setting which simulated a usability laboratory, in order to acquire thenecessary subjective and objective data, related to the identified goals and objectivesthat encapsulate the aim of this study.In order to demonstrate the value of the VIS environment, a theoretical perspective isprovided by means of a literature review of the fundamental concepts of communities ofpractice and flexible learning. It is proposed that the use of the synchronous CMC media(embedded within the software applications) will assist in the creation of a VIS thatsupports the more advanced educational paradigm of constructivism by linking usersinto collaborative conversational networks, thus forming learning communities (betterknown as communities of practice) in cyberspace. The purpose of these communities isto create a means through which ideas and materials can be shared and exchanged,aiding individuals in building their own conceptual networks of interrelated ideas,strategies and theories and therefore construct and share knowledge.Information was obtained concerning participants' characteristics, preferences, needsand evaluation of the usability of the two software applications, NetMeeting and YahooMessenger, when utilised within the technological infrastructure of the US for thepurpose of increased information sharing and communication. Performancemeasurement data (related to selected usability criteria) was obtained during theexperimental phase, as well as information about the feasibility and viability of thesystems when utilised within the technological parameters of the US. The analysis of theinformation consisted of descriptive statistics as the research aimed to illustrate theattitudes concerning usability, the perceived needs for the software applications, as wellas the feasibility and viability of the systems.The results revealed that both NetMeeting and Yahoo Messenger were perceived by theparticipants as usable, achieving a positive rating on almost all of the dimensions ofusability it was tested on. In the case on NetMeeting, technological limitations imposedon the system (such as bandwidth and network traffic) severely limited the effectivenessof the system as a whole and require further investigation to ensure successfulimplementation. Technological limitations in the case of Yahoo Messenger mainlycentered on the unstable server environment that the system functions within. Hence,further research is therefore needed to ensure successful implementation and utilisationof NetMeeting and Yahoo Messenger within the technological parameters faced by theUS.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University