Ravi Paul

Analyzing the structure of expert knowledge

Knowledge is either explicit or tacit. The elicitation, codification, storage, and distribution of tacit knowledge are extremely challenging tasks that require innovative methods and techniques. This paper reports the results of a study in which the tacit knowledge of domain experts was elicited, represented, and analyzed for validity. The subjects were a group of instructors and students at a USPS training school whose memory structures were analyzed for evidence of two common characteristics of expertise: holistic perception and use of abstract concepts. No evidence of either characteristic was found in the more experienced instructor group but, when the subjects were regrouped based on observed performance, the cognitive models of the high performers contained structural evidence of both characteristics. This finding led to the conclusion that experience alone is not an indicator of expertise. Other factors, such as the cognitive ability to correctly structure those experiences, must also be present.

Computer Self-Efficacy, Anxiety, and Learning in Online versus Face to Face Medium.

The purpose of this research is to examine the relationships between changes to computer selfefficacy (CSE) and computer anxiety and the impact on performance on computer-related tasks in both online and face-to-face mediums. While many studies have looked at these factors individually, relatively few have included multiple measures of these factors concurrently and assessed the effects over a period of time in a realistic environment. Transactional Distance Theory and previous research are used to develop a theoretical model integrating these factors. Transactional distance can be viewed as an outcome of the culture within an educational environment. As such the three transactional distance variables structure, dialogue, and learner autonomy may be measured by certain aspects of that culture. Describing the two mediums in terms of transactional distance allowed us to explore the interrelationships between the changes in CSE, Anxiety, and Performance in face-to-face and online classes.

Relationship analysis in requirements engineering

This research addresses a major shortcoming in today’s requirements analysis techniques—the lack of a rigorous and comprehensive process to explicitly capture the relationship structure of the problem domain. Whereas other analysis techniques lightly address the relationship discovery process, relationship analysis (RA) is a systematic, domain-independent analysis technique focusing exclusively on a domain’s relationship structure. This paper describes RA’s taxonomy of relationship types and corresponding brainstorming questions for eliciting the relationship structure from a domain expert. A preliminary case study analysis of online bookstores using RA as well as a formal experiment have both confirmed RA’s effectiveness in helping the analyst produce significantly higher quality requirements. RA should become an invaluable tool for analysts, irrespective of the software engineering approach taken during systems analysis.

Revisiting Zhang’s scale of transactional distance: refinement and validation using structural equation modeling

Transactional distance has been defined as barriers to students’ engagement with learning in the online environment. This research updates Zhang’s (2003) scale of transactional distance, which quantified the extent of the barriers, in light of the massive changes in today’s web-based learning environment. The resulting revised scale of transactional distance (RSTD) is a parsimonious version with 12 elements (compared to 31 original) that measure the transactional distance between student and teacher, student and student, and student and content. The RSTD has excellent factorial validity and reliability, yields better fit statistics, and is easier and less time-consuming to apply. The transactional distance values are unique predictors of student satisfaction, which is correlated to learning and persistence (a major concern with massive open online courses). This information can form the basis for a systematic approach to improving the design of today’s contemporary open, flexible, distance education courses and thus serve as a valuable tool for researchers and educators alike.

Relative Proximity Theory: Measuring the Gap Between Actual and Ideal Online Course Delivery

Based on the Theory of Transactional Distance and Needs Assessment, this article reports a procedure for quantitatively measuring how close the actual delivery of a course was to ideal, as perceived by students. It extends Zhang’s instrument and prescribes the computational steps to calculate relative proximity at the element and construct level. Radar graphs are shown to provide a useful visualization of relative proximity. Stepwise multiple regression is used to determine the impact of changes in construct relative proximity on student satisfaction. This allows for the implementation of a systematic, data-based, continuous course improvement process.

Global Virtual Team Performance: The Effect of Coordination Effectiveness, Trust, and Team Cohesion

Research problem: Subgroup formation in global virtual teams could negatively impact team performance due to difficulties in coordination, trust, and team cohesion. Research questions: What role do trust and team cohesion play in the relationship between coordination effectiveness and team performance of global virtual teams with two distinct subgroups? Literature review: Prior research suggests that coordination effectiveness on team performance is most strongly impacted by coordination of knowledge. This effectiveness is mediated by trust and team cohesion. However, we have a poor understanding of trust and team cohesion dynamics on intergroup relationships in global virtual teams. Methodology: A survey was conducted with 14 teams with a total of 112 participants in the US and India. The teams were tasked with evaluating customer-relationship-management best practices for a global environment. Results and discussion: We evaluated how the process of effective coordination for teams composed of two colocated subgroups is mediated by individual perceptions of out-group trust and overall team cohesion. Our findings show that individual trust and team cohesion share a reciprocal impact on each other, suggesting that effective coordination in virtual teams can create a positive feedback loop with trust and cohesion, improving overall project performance. Implications for theory and practice include the virtuous cycle that trust and cohesion create in global virtual team coordination and the necessity of establishing appropriate project coordination systems and processes to promote both aspects and, thus, achieve excellent project performance for colocated subgroups.

The relationship between individual differences, culture, anxiety, computer self-efficacy and user performance

The purpose of this research was to comprehensively examine the relationships between Computer Anxiety (CA), culture, Computer Self-Efficacy (CSE) and user performance in a training setting. This study sought to extend previous research by longitudinally examining the impacts of individual differences, culture, CA and CSE concurrently on actual performance in a training setting. To accomplish this, previously validated instruments were used to measure culture, CA and CSE. Actual performance was measured using a standardised, hands-on database test and the results analysed using correlation analysis. Support was found for all the four hypotheses.

Personality and its impact on global virtual team performance

This paper describes an exploratory experimental study that examines the impact of personality factors on the performance of globally distributed virtual teams. Previously validated instruments were used to measure various predictor and output variables relating to performance of virtual teams. This study was conducted using subjects from two distant countries - USA and India. The results show that the personality dimension of conscientiousness in team members plays an important role in the success of virtual projects. Furthermore, extraversion in team members appears to support the goals of learning in a virtual team environment. The differences in findings between the team members in USA and India seem to suggest that sociocultural factors need to be studied along with other predictor variables in future studies of this nature.

Relationship analysis: a research plan for enhancing systems analysis for Web development

This research addresses a major shortcoming in todays analysis techniques. Neither structured nor object-oriented analysis techniques provide a formal process to identify relationships in a system being modeled. Existing techniques leave the relationship determination implicit; they are supposed to appear as a byproduct of the other analysis activities. We propose a comprehensive, systematic, domain-independent analysis technique, relationship analysis (RA), which focuses exclusively on a domains relationship structure. RA serves two major purposes. First, it helps users, analysts and designers develop a deeper understanding of the application domain through making the relationships explicit. Second, RA results in fuller and richer application analyses and designs. Integration of RA with the object oriented analysis techniques like UP can provide a complete system architect solution.

Students’ Collaborative Learning Attitudes and Their Satisfaction with Online Collaborative Case-Based Courses

ABSTRACT Case-based learning is an interactive group learning approach that embodies the principles of Socratic inquiry. It is a common pedagogy used in many disciplines including business, law, and health. With online learning being the fastest growing segment of higher education, case-based learning is also finding its way into online courses. This research was conducted on a population of 698 students enrolled in online case-based courses. The use of Structural Equation Modelling provided an understanding of the factors that influence student satisfaction. Through Logistics Regression, the extent to which these factors do influence satisfaction was determined. The findings indicate that the greatest predictors of student satisfaction were the interaction and understanding between the students and the instructor. Furthermore, a student’s pre-existing attitude toward interactive group learning is also a significant factor in predicting student satisfaction. The conclusions point to a lack of understanding by students on how to engage in effective interactive online group learning. The recommendation is that training in online collaborative skills be considered as a front-end to any online case-based course.