Developing and investigating an electronic performance support system (EPSS) for academic performance

The aim of this study was to develop an electronic performance support system (EPSS) to improve students’ performance in the topic of scientific research methods. A review of the literature shows that EPSSs are usually developed using advanced programming technologies. This limits the widespread use of EPSS for educators and researchers. In this study, a mid-level EPSS was developed by integrating Moodle to a static (non-interactive) educational system, without using advanced programming. The study was designed and carried out using the developmental research method. Study participants were second year students from the Faculty of Medicine of Hacettepe University in Turkey. The system was designed by taking students’ needs into account, as well as other issues that the literature identified as points of consideration when developing an EPSS. The mid-level EPSS developed within the framework of this study increased the students’ academic achievement and students stated that the system met their expectations. Implications for practice or policy: Educators can support scientific research methods courses with EPSSs. Educators and researchers may take advantage of detailed steps in this research, if they want to develop such an EPSS. A mid-level EPSS is taken as reference when developing an EPSS without advanced programming skills.

Creating a Framework for Future Learning

This chapter proposes the use of a two-pronged framework to reinforce, support, and extend learning far beyond the classroom. This approach uses a community of practice (CoP) in conjunction with an online resource tool called an Electronic Performance Support System (EPSS). The CoP begins in the classroom, whether physical or online, during higher education or training and is intended to continue throughout the person's working career. The EPSS, an online data storehouse of sorts, also provides ongoing benefits, since its content can be continually updated and expanded. The EPSS can be accessible on desktop or mobile devices and could potentially allow for user-generated content.

A Model of Factors Explaining the Adoption and Use of Electronic Performance Support Systems in Portuguese Organizations

This article describes how the huge investments in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and the increasing impact of Information Systems (IS) on the functioning and competitive capacities of organizations justify and stress the need to identify factors influencing the adoption and use of EPSS (Electronic Performance Support System). Following the models and theories of IT adoption by the available theories of Acceptance as well as studies conducted in the field of EPSS, which indicate the existence of several factors influencing the use and success, a study was conducted to assess possible changes in these factors considering the idea of some authors assume that there are differences by type of IT. In this sense, it was felt that it would be advisable to know the circumstances that arise from the adoption and use of three types of EPSS - extrinsic, intrinsic, and external, arguing that such knowledge can be obtained by identifying a set of enabling factors to characterize those circumstances. The performance of three-case studies and reflection made that it derived a set of factors that influence the strategy of adopting and using EPSS, which were grouped and organized in a model of adoption of EPSS. This model brings together all the key factors considered and classifies them, according to their origin in four different categories, designated by the organizational environment, individual performance characteristics of the tool and task requirements.

A Model of Factors Explaining the Adoption and Use of Electronic Performance Support Systems in Portuguese Organizations

This article describes how the huge investments in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and the increasing impact of Information Systems (IS) on the functioning and competitive capacities of organizations justify and stress the need to identify factors influencing the adoption and use of EPSS (Electronic Performance Support System). Following the models and theories of IT adoption by the available theories of Acceptance as well as studies conducted in the field of EPSS, which indicate the existence of several factors influencing the use and success, a study was conducted to assess possible changes in these factors considering the idea of some authors assume that there are differences by type of IT. In this sense, it was felt that it would be advisable to know the circumstances that arise from the adoption and use of three types of EPSS - extrinsic, intrinsic, and external, arguing that such knowledge can be obtained by identifying a set of enabling factors to characterize those circumstances. The performance of three-case studies and reflection made that it derived a set of factors that influence the strategy of adopting and using EPSS, which were grouped and organized in a model of adoption of EPSS. This model brings together all the key factors considered and classifies them, according to their origin in four different categories, designated by the organizational environment, individual performance characteristics of the tool and task requirements.

Electronic Performance Support System (EPSS) Tools to Support Teachers and Students

This chapter describes the use of a family of Electronic Performance Support Systems (EPSS) to support teachers and students with mild disabilities, especially those with special learning and behavioral needs. This approach uses technology to support students in educational environments. In this chapter, the authors provide a brief overview of the family of tools and describe the need, rationale, and technical development process of the latest tools in the family, PictureTools™ and PictureTools-Mobile™. These tools are designed to support positive behaviors of young children, incorporate both images and video, and in the case of PT-Mobile, the capacity to run on iPod and iPad. In addition, they report the results from two federally funded projects related to development, usability, and feasibility testing of these tools. Future research directions are discussed.