Login

Publications  •  Project Statistics

Glossary  •  Schools  •  Disciplines
People Search: 
   
Title/Abstract Search: 

Dissertation Information for Thomas James Bell III

NAME:
- Thomas James Bell III
- (Alias) Thomas J. Bell

DEGREE:
- Ph.D.

DISCIPLINE:
- Library and Information Science

SCHOOL:
- University of North Texas (USA) (1999)

ADVISORS:
- Donald B. Cleveland

COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
- Herman L. Totten
- Demetria Ennis-Cole
- Gerald A. Knezek

MPACT Status: Fully Complete

Title: The effects of task-based documentation versus online help menu documentation on the acceptance of information technology

Abstract: The objective of this study were (1) to identify and describe task-based documentation; (2) to identify and describe any purported changes in users attitudes when IT migration was preceded by task-based documentation; (3) to suggest implications of task-based documentation on users attitude toward IT acceptance.

Questionnaires were given to 150 university students. Of these, all 150 students participated in this study. The questionnaires served as a pretest baseline that ultimately was used in comparison to the same post-test questionnaire for notable mean differences. The delta between the pretest and post-test sample mean was used: (1) to ensure that the two population from which the samples were drawn have equal variances; and (2) to determine if the data was statistically significant enough to accept or reject the null hypothesis.

The study determined the following: (1) if favorable pre-implementation attitudes toward a new e-mail system increase, as a result of training, if users expect it to be easy to learn and use; (2) if user acceptance of an e-mail program increase as expected perceived usefulness increase as delineated by task-based documentation; (3) if task-based documentation is more effective than standard help menus while learning a new application program; and (4) if training that requires active student participation increase the acceptance of a new e-mail system.

On the basis of the information gained from this research, the following conclusions were reached. (1) Positive pre-implementation attitudes toward a new e-mail system are not affected by training even if the users expect it to be easy to learn and use. (2) User acceptance of an e-mail program does not increase as perceived usefulness increase when aided by task-based documentation. (3) Task-based documentation is not more effective than standard help menus when learning a new application program. (4) Training that requires active student participation does not increase the acceptance of a new e-mail system.

On the basis of the findings of this study, the following recommendations are made. (1) It is recommended that an extensive study be made on the use of documentation while learning a new application program. Such study should analyze several types of documentation including Task-based documentation. (2) Further study should be conducted to review the different kinds of documentation and determine which are appropriate for newer IT applications. This study would be helpful to persons responsible for developing application documentation. (3) Studies which looks at how long a user should use IT before a dubious comfort level or sense of familiarity thwart the acceptance of newer IT. (4) This study should be replicated with the following changes: (a) the sample should include college or university faculty members, and (b) the experiment time frame should be expanded to study the effects of IT implementation over a full academic year.

MPACT Scores for Thomas James Bell III

A = 0
C = 0
A+C = 0
T = 0
G = 0
W = 0
TD = 0
TA = 0
calculated 2008-06-08 20:05:26

Advisors and Advisees Graph

generating graph, please reload

Students under Thomas James Bell III

ADVISEES:
- None

COMMITTEESHIPS:
- None