What do you see as the most crucial learner take-on to ensure successful technology adoption?
Accepting the use of technology is a difficult venture for many individuals, however, learner take-ons or learner responsibilities provide techniques on how to adopt technology systems to ease the adjustment process. Correspondingly, regarding the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), one's perception of usefulness and ease of use of technology will be further influenced by the degree of accepting a multitude of systems and forms. Therefore, I think the most crucial learner take-ons that ensure successful technology adoption are trialability and compatibility.
In terms of trialability, this learner responsibility encompasses the experimentation with technology before deciding to continue to learn through the avenue or renouncing the technological advances (Laurell et al., 2019). As a result of experimenting, the learner is able to dabble with the different functions and get acquainted with the presented program or system. Doing so will also increase the comfort levels in using the technology through all the "failures" encountered while experimenting with the system, which serves as a sign of growth in technological advancements. As follows, an increased hands-on experience further allows the learner to acknowledge the functions of a system in terms of the level of difficulty, therefore, within the TAM model, the learners' perceived ease of use (PEOU) will help gauge their perspectives of job performance in perceived usefulness (PU) (Venkatesh & Bala, 2008). For instance, developing this blog was out of my comfort zone (and still kind of is). However, after going through all the different functions and experimenting with the blog, I realized that the actual content might be more difficult than the platform, which I found fairly easy to use, reinforcing my PEOU. Thus, I appreciate the ability to preview and draft a post before publishing to ensure that the layout of the content is how I want it to appear. I also found the themes and layout settings to be where I spent quite a bit of time showcasing a little bit of who I am in the design (I am a simple girl that is into neutral colors) while editing little details of the blog layout display.
Laurell, C., Sandström, C., Berthold, A., & Larsson, D. (2019). Exploring barriers to adoption of virtual reality through social media analytics and machine learning – an assessment of technology, Network, Price, and Trialability. Journal of Business Research, 100, 469–474. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2019.01.017
Venkatesh, V., & Bala, H. (2008). Technology acceptance model 3 and a research agenda on interventions. Decision Sciences, 39(2), 273–315. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-5915.2008.00192.x
Venkatesh, V., & Davis, F. D. (2000). A theoretical extension of the technology acceptance model: Four longitudinal field studies. Management Science, 46(2), 186–204. https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.46.2.186.11926
Good Evening! I very much enjoy your "neutral colors" on your blog. They are very calming :). What struck me most about your blog post was your words about trialability. I also appreciate the ability to preview and draft on the blogs! That way it isn't such a risk to make a post! As our readings spoke about, computer anxiety can greatly affect trialability! The fact that blogs let the learner "play" and discover decreases that computer anxiety and increases the trialability. Your thoughts on compatibility were also enlightening! Thinking about new technology by making connecting with technology that you are already proficient in is very helpful. We are always asking our students to make connections and that would be an important time to do that!
ReplyDeleteThank you! It definitely took a while trying to find a good color scheme! Just the ability to preview anything before submitting or publishing eases any nervousness of mine! I also "played" with the blog for a good amount of time and doing so decreased my computer anxiety because I was able to learn how to navigate the platform!
DeleteIn looking at the Technology Acceptance Model a bit closer, I found a helpful video that gave some perspective on limitations. For instance, the model indicates that we use technology for two reasons, ease of use, and our perceived usefulness. Our perceptions change and differ from one person to the next. They (the perceptions) are affected by our age, experience levels, and even gender (Recker, 2015). If these factors affect how we will use the technology, and if that use will be successful, then how can we the user rely on the developer of the technology to create a product that is both useful and easy to use for everyone? The theory doesn’t share the how to make the technology useful (lacks design advice). And what’s more, as you mentioned is the compatibility factor. Not all technology will be compatible with all users so there is always going to be a learning curve for someone attempting to use the product.
ReplyDeleteRecker, J. [QUT IFB101]. (2015, February 25). Technology Acceptance Model [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydIFH1q2NHw
Thank you for sharing the limitations! I agree, I think that there are many external factors that are not considered but should be expanded on when using the model/theory. The Lee, Kozar, and Larsen's article, The Technology Acceptance Model: Past, Present, and Future, also reinforces your perspective as they recommend the need for more exploration on broader factors for the model as well!
DeleteAs I read your thoughts on trialability, several of your words resonated with me. For example, “experimentation”, “dabble”, and “failures”. Reflecting on the concept of trialability, I thought back to my early attempts at Wiki pages. Initially, I was satisfied to simply use the rich text editor and make the most of what I could without jumping into HTML.
ReplyDeleteAnd then I saw other students’ Wiki pages and wondered, “How do they DO that?!” I was jealous of those who could break their information into more digestible sections by creating tabs. On my last group project that required a Wiki page, no one in my group had the skills necessary to work with the HTML side, but we all wanted to the page to be a success. They gave me permission to try and fail. I think it was really important, as an external factor, to have the group’s support to experiment, dabble, and if it didn’t work out, to fail. In this case, I would say the external factors influenced my PEOU in an oddly beneficial way (Venkatesh & Davis, 1996). Although my group perceived the ease of use as somewhat difficult, that perception made it ok for me to play with the technology and not fear failure. If they perceived it as easy and assigned me to master HTML enough to accomplish our goal, it might have put enough additional stress on me so as to limit my ultimate success.
Reference
Venkatesh, V. and Davis, F. (1996). A model of the antecedents of perceived ease of use: development and test. Decision Science, 27 (3), 451-481.
I like your your choice of compatibility and definition that focuses on ensuring successful technology adoption by considering all conditions congruous and incongruous to a set of standards (Venkatesh & Davis, 2000). Making connections through what is already known allows individuals to apply the knowledge and techniques to similar platforms, essentially influencing the perceived ease of use and attitude towards technology because of such proficiencies in different skills/experiences. Without those connections we will not grow or extend our knowledge base. I also struggle with the blog aspect of the piece of technology but keep trucking through it, thanks to all of you.
ReplyDeleteI think creating blogs is fairly new for most of us! From the looks of yours, I think you are doing a great job!
DeleteKelly,
ReplyDeleteWhen you said, "...I have a high level of compatibility with the blog format..." I really felt that in my heart. Because your blog is amazing! You are definitely compatible with the blog format of learning, and it's awesome to be able to learn from and with you. I also agree with the point you made about starting where people are at through making connections with what they already know. I find that to be one of the most useful places to start when adopting anything new, technology included! For example, when my software developer husband tries to explain APIs to me, he has to bring it down into the physical realm in order for me to understand what in the world he's talking about. It makes a world of difference to meet people where they are, especially when technology is concerned!