Conrad Shayo

The role of training in preparing end users to learn related software

The aim of this chapter is to determine what types of formal training methods can provide appropriate “mapping via training” of a new but related software application (in this case, a database management system [DBMS]), given that “mapping via analogy” is also taking place. To this end, trainees’ existing mental models were measured, and then the trainees were exposed to one of the three training methods. Training methods were varied in an experimental setting across two dimensions: the training task context (generic versus relevant), and the number of DBMSs demonstrated (one versus two). Outcomes were measured in terms of learning performance and perceptions of ability to transfer skills to a new but related DBMS. The results indicate that both task context and the number of software packages learned are important training variables that influence trainees’ mental models of the software, their transfer self-efficacy expectations, and their perceptions about the usefulness of the training.

The Virtual Society: Its Driving Forces, Arrangements, Practices, and Implications

Publisher Summary This chapter provides insights into the forces, dilemmas, and implications of the oncoming virtual society. The virtual society transcends cities, states, nations, and continents, and represents an evolutionary as opposed to a revolutionary movement. Although information technology (IT) is the main enabling force of the virtual society, other components are also at work, namely, economic, political, cultural, and social forces. The finite level forces include global economies, policies, and politics, enlightened and diversified population, and the information technology infrastructure. These forces continue to create the necessary conditions for the eventual realization of the virtual society. Current virtual workplace arrangements and practices of virtuality include telework (at the individual level), virtual teams (at the group level), virtual corporations (at the organizational level), and virtual communities (at the community level). Other arrangements and practices continue to evolve. Once a critical mass of these virtual activities and practices permeates all levels of society, the outcome will be the virtual society. The economic, social, political, and technological forces unleashed by the information society are inevitably leading to the virtual society.

Enterprise Systems Training Strategies: Knowledge Levels and User Understanding

Enterprise systems ESs are customizable, integrated software applications designed to support core business processes. This paper reports research contrasting the relative effectiveness of two strategies for ES end-user training that differentially reflect the Sein, Bostrom, and Olfman 1999 hierarchical knowledge-level model. One strategy-procedural-involves training that targets the three lowest knowledge levels of the model command-based, tool-procedural, and business-procedural; the other-tool-conceptual-involves training that also includes a higher knowledge level tool-conceptual. A non-equivalent quasi-experimental design was used for groups of senior business students being trained to use an authentic ES. Performance measures were administered during training and ten days after training concluded. Both experiments demonstrated that training involving the tool-conceptual knowledge level leads to superior mental models, compared with training oriented toward lower knowledge levels, as expressed in the recollection and communication of ES concepts. Tool-conceptual knowledge-level training can be used to promote understanding and communication, and should be incorporated into training strategies for ES.

The Virtual Society

Publisher Summary This chapter provides insights into the forces, dilemmas, and implications of the oncoming virtual society. The virtual society transcends cities, states, nations, and continents, and represents an evolutionary as opposed to a revolutionary movement. Although information technology (IT) is the main enabling force of the virtual society, other components are also at work, namely, economic, political, cultural, and social forces. The finite level forces include global economies, policies, and politics, enlightened and diversified population, and the information technology infrastructure. These forces continue to create the necessary conditions for the eventual realization of the virtual society. Current virtual workplace arrangements and practices of virtuality include telework (at the individual level), virtual teams (at the group level), virtual corporations (at the organizational level), and virtual communities (at the community level). Other arrangements and practices continue to evolve. Once a critical mass of these virtual activities and practices permeates all levels of society, the outcome will be the virtual society. The economic, social, political, and technological forces unleashed by the information society are inevitably leading to the virtual society.

The role of conceptual models in formal software training

1. ABSTRACT The aim of this paper is to determine how conceptual models provided to end users as advance organizers in one formal relational database management system (rdbms) software training program influence their learning performance and perceptions of ability to transfer skiIIs to a new but simiIar rdbms. To this end, trainees’ knowledge of rdbmss was measured. Then they were exposed to one of two abstract conceptuaI models. Trainees’ rdbms knowledge was classified into two categories: “none” versus “some”, and each category was provided with either a “comparative/expository” conceptual model or a “comparative” conceptual model. Outcomes were measured in terms of learning performance and perceptions of ability to transfer skiIIs to the learning of a new but related rdbms software package. The results indicate that initial knowIedge of dbmss and rdbmss and the type of conceptual model provided during training influence the trainees’ 1 earning performance, transfer selfeffhzacy expectation, and perceptions about the usefulness of the training.

Integration of IT into the school curricula: perceptions of kindergarden to highschool (K-12) teachers

Computer use in schools is still low compared to use in other sectors of the economy. Recent surveys have found that even in schools on the leading edge in computer use, slightly less than half (42%) of the teachers use computers for instruction. This pilot study investigates the perceptions of K-12 teachers with respect to the integration of computers into the school curricula. The study is important given the recent efforts by federal, state and local governments to stimulate the use of computers in schools. A total of 1280 teachers from a South Western USA school district participated in the survey. Preliminary analyses show that causes of non-integration of computers in the school curricula are not solely determined by individual or software characteristics but the result of interaction between individual, software, and school environment characteristics. The findings confirm interactionist theories of resistance of change.

The role of training in preparing end users to learn new but similar software packages

The aim of this paper is to determine what types of formal training methods can provide appropriate “mapping via training” of a new but related database management system given that “mapping via analogy” is also taking place. To this end, trainees’ existing mental models were measured, and then the trainees were exposed to one of the four training methods. Training methods were varied in an experimental setting across two dimensions: the training task context (generic versus relevant), and the number of DBMSs demonstrated (one versus two). Outcomes were measured in terms of learning performance and perceptions of ability to transfer skills to a new but related DBMS. The results indicate that both task context and the number of software packages learned are important training variables that influence trainees’ mental models of the software, their transfer self-efficacy expectation, and their perceptions about the usefulness of the training. Organizations, software learning researchers, and end users all have a stake in ensuring the effectiveness and efficiency of software training. Kev words: software training, transfer of training, selfefficacy, mental models, end-users

The Columbia Disaster: Culture, Communication & Change

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is a government organization, founded to explore space to better understand our own planet and the universe around us. Over NASA’s history, there have been unprecedented successes: Apollo missions that put people into space and walking on the moon, the remarkable findings of the Hubble space telescope and the Space Shuttle Program, allowing astronauts to perform scientific experiments in orbit from a reusable space vehicle. NASA continues to be a source of national wonder and pride for the United States and the world. However, NASA has failures too. In February of 2002, the Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated as it returned to Earth. This event occurred 16 years after the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded during take-off. As information was collected, investigators found that many of the problems uncovered during the Challenger investigation were also factors for Columbia. Underlying both disasters was the problem of relaying complex engineering information to management, in an environment driven by schedule and budget pressure. Once again, NASA is looking at ways to better manage space programs in an environment of limited resources.

Training pre-assessment: is it feasible?

This paper reports of a study of the impacts of doing preassessments on the outcomes of software training. Preassessment is defined here as a pre-training interview des&ned to learn the needs of the trainee and to gain insights into training design that can aid the trainee. The context of the study was a training program for a database retrieval software package in a medium-sized manufacturing company. Approximately half the trainees received pre-assessments. The method of training was also varied so that half of each group (those with or without pre-assessments) were exposed to either applications-based (relevant problem focused) or a construct-based (generic training approach) training. Both quantitative and qualitative data were gathered through questionnaires, quizzes, and interviews. There was no firm evidence to accept the value of pre-assessments, but the evidence was not strong enough to reject using pre-assessments. Thepaper discusses some potential critical success factors for making pre-assessments more effective.

Corporate psychopaths: implications for the IS workforce

The main purpose of this panel is to raise awareness on the prevalence of corporate psychopathy and draw on preliminary findings on a research in progress to discuss the implications of corporate psychopathy on IT workers. This is an issue that has not received much attention in the Computer and People Research community. The panel will propose measures that IT scholars, educators and practitioners can take to prevent or mitigate the impact of corporate psychopaths.