Technology Anxiety on Attitude Towards Technology: The Moderating Effect of Age-friendly Environment

The purpose of this study was to examine the moderating effect of an age-friendly environment on the relationship between technology anxiety and attitude towards technology among Korean older adults. We collected data by online surveys in February 2021, and the sample was 324 Korean older adults aged 65 and above. The dependent variable was the attitude towards technology, which meant the appraisal about using a wearable robot for exercise. The independent variable was technology anxiety, meaning an individual’s apprehension of using a wearable robot. The moderating variable was age-friendly environment, which comprises domains of the physical environment, social environment, and municipal services. The higher the score is, the more age-friendly the environment was perceived. Control variables were age, sex, education, household income. The moderation effect was estimated by bootstrapping and PROCESS macro. Results showed that when older adults showed a higher level of technology anxiety, their attitude towards technology was less positive. Moreover, the moderation effect of an age-friendly environment was significant. Concretely, in the case of living in a less age-friendly environment, older adults with a higher level of technology anxiety were more likely to report a less positive attitude towards technology. However, the effect of technology anxiety on attitude towards technology was not significant among older adults living in a more age-friendly environment. It suggested that a practical intervention to reduce the level of technology anxiety is in need in order to promote a positive attitude towards technology, especially for older adults living in a less age-friendly environment.

The Effectiveness of an Intergenerational Technology Program for Older Adults: A Pilot Study

While an increasing number of services and opportunities are available through technology devices such as smartphones and iPad, older adults often lack the technology skills and know-how to access such services. The use of social media, email, and texting can also lessen social isolation of older adults. In this project, nine undergraduate Computer Information Technology students enrolled in a service-learning course served as mentors for older adults. A total of 33 older adults (MAge= 77.9 SDAge= 8.62) participated in a 14 weeks intergenerational technology education at two community senior centers in an urban Midwest city. Fourteen participants completed both pre- and post-surveys. Significant improvement was found between pre- and post- surveys outcomes in technology anxiety and social engagement of the older adults. Findings from our qualitative data revealed that intergenerational program enables older adult to benefit from individual and group learning, make new friends among peers, experience intergenerational interactions, and have confidence in technology use. However, the intergenerational technology program helped to decrease technology anxiety and improve the participants’ social engagement. Engaging technology students in mentoring older adults in small group at a community center proved to be mutually beneficial to both the students and the older adults. The program boosted older adults’ comfort with technology use as well as encouraging social engagement with peers, mentors, and the virtual world.

Understanding Technology Anxiety by the Interaction between Social Support and Educational Context

The purpose of this study was to examine the interaction effects of social support from family and educational contexts on technology anxiety among Korean older adults. We collected data by online recruiting in February 2021, and the sample was Korean older adults without dementia (N=310; 65-89 years old). The dependent variable was technology anxiety, which meant the expected degree of worry under the assumption that a wearable robot for exercise was used. Independent variables were four types of social support (emotional, instrumental, physical, and financial support) provided by family members, such as spouse, children, or siblings. The moderating variable was the binary educational context (high school and under=0; college level and over=1). Interaction effects were estimated by bootstrapping and PROCESS macro with four regression models about each type of social support. Results showed the interaction effect between physical support and educational context was significant on technology anxiety. Concretely, getting more physical support was significantly associated with a lower level of technology anxiety for highly educated older adults, while it was not significant for less-educated older adults. There was no additional type of social support which had not only significant interaction effects with educational context but also main effects on technology anxiety. It suggested that providing direct physical help, including daily care or assistance, could decrease feeling technology anxiety, especially not for less-educated seniors but for highly educated Korean older adults.

Exercise and Attitude for Exoskeletons: The Mediation of Technology Anxiety and Perceived Usefulness

The present study aimed to examine the effects of regular exercise on attitude towards using exoskeletons and the mediating effects of technology anxiety and perceived usefulness among Korean older adults. Data was collected through online recruitment in February 2021. The sample comprised 310 people (Age: 65-89, M=70.18, SD=4.58) who did not report dementia. The dependent variable was the attitude towards using technology, especially lower limb exoskeleton robots for exercise. The independent variable, regular exercise, was coded as a binary variable. The mediating variables were technology anxiety and perceived usefulness measured by the sum of three questions about exoskeleton robots, respectively. Gender, age, education level, and household income were included as control variables. The mediating effect was estimated by serial path analysis and bootstrapping (model fit indices: χ2=18.400, df=8, p<0.05, RMSEA=0.065, CFI=0.973, TLI=0.940, SRMR=0.044). Results showed the total effect of regular exercise was significant (B=1.253, p<0.01) and the total indirect effect of it was significant(B=1.540, p<0.001). There was no significant direct effect of regular exercise on the attitude towards using technology. The association between regular exercise and the attitude of using technology was completely mediated by perceived usefulness (B=1.439, CI=0.569-2.358, p<.01). Although technology anxiety had no mediating effect alone, the serial mediating effect via the path from technology anxiety to perceived usefulness was significant (B=0.119, CI=0.004-0.332, p<.05). This study will be the first empirical study to examine the effects of health habits by expanding the senior technology acceptance model for older adults in Korea.

Technology Anxiety and its Impact on E-Learning System Actual Use in Jordan Public Universities during the Coronavirus Disease Pandemic

<p style="text-align: justify;">During the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, universities were obligated to transform from traditional classroom teaching environments to virtual ones. This sudden transformation highlighted the issue of low e-learning system usage amongst instructors of humanity faculties in Jordan's public universities. This study empirically investigated the moderating impact of technology anxiety on the relationship between the instructor's self-efficacy and the e-learning system's actual use to contribute to solving the problem. A survey was distributed to 468 instructors to test the theoretical framework, which yielded 285 valid and complete instruments analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). Results showed the positive direct effect of self-efficacy on actual use. Furthermore, the level of technology anxiety moderated the relationship. Instructors with low technology anxiety showed a higher level of e-learning system actual usage than those with a high anxiety level. To improve the use of e-learning systems, top management must understand the fundamental role of compulsory training as the Covid-19 pandemic, and the instructor's confidence must be increased by providing training and support.</p>

Adoption of online streaming services: moderating role of personality traits

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to study the adoption of online streaming services from the technology acceptance perspective. A conceptual model incorporating personality traits with the technology acceptance model (TAM) is proposed and tested to predict user's intention to use online streaming services. Apart from the direct effects of personality traits on TAM variables, the study also examines the moderating effect of personality traits on TAM relationships.Design/methodology/approachTo test the proposed model, a structured questionnaire was developed by adapting existing scales for the constructs to suit the online streaming services context. The data for the study were collected from online streaming services users in India. The model was tested using structural equation modeling using AMOS 18. Moderation analysis was performed using the PROCESS MACRO.FindingsThe findings suggest that perceived ease of use, subjective norms and technology anxiety affect intention to use online streaming services. Self-efficacy was found to affect perceived ease of use positively, and technology anxiety was found to have a negative effect on perceived usefulness. The results also evidenced the moderating role of self-efficacy and technology anxiety.Originality/valueThe paper explores the adoption of online streaming services from the technology acceptance perspective. Further, very few studies have examined the moderating role of personality traits in technology adoption. This paper attempts to fill this gap. It expands the understanding of technology adoption literature by assessing the direct as well as moderating effect of personality traits.

The Impact of Perceived Relevance and Technology Anxiety on Readiness to Use Digital Storytelling

This study investigated the effect of pre-service teachers' perceived relevance and technology anxiety on their readiness to use digital storytelling for instructional delivery. The study adopted a mixed-method research design. Pre-service teachers were trained on the basic procedures in creating digital storytelling for classroom instruction. Quantitative data was analysed using inferential statistics and qualitative data was content analysed. The result indicated that there was a high level of readiness among pre-service teachers to use digital storytelling for classroom instruction. Pre-service teachers' perceived relevance also played a significant role in their readiness to use digital storytelling for instructional delivery. It is, therefore, recommended that teacher training institutions need to provide relevant learning resources and digital tools to ensure that prospective teachers are able to acquire requisite skills in creating digital storytelling for effective classroom instruction.

Kiosks as self-service technology in hotels: opportunities and challenges

Purpose The advent of technology has played a crucial role in changing the landscape of the hospitality sector. One such technology is the adoption and installation of kiosks in hotels. While some of the hotels have adopted and installed kiosks for self-services, the other hotels are still not very comfortable with the idea of self-service. This paper aims to explore the possibilities, challenges and issues that hoteliers face while dealing with self-service kiosks, it further investigates the customer’s perspective and its benefits to the end-user. Design/methodology/approach This study has assimilated data from hotel managers and executives that have deployed kiosks. This study involved the collection of primary data through structured interviews. Eight different hotels from the UK and India have been compared and analyzed to formulate subcategories to answer the research questions. A total of 200 customers from both the countries were approached to get the primary data; the customers were from the same hotel where the hotel executives and managers were interviewed. Findings The customers accepted Kiosks as easy to use, fast to run, fun to operate, but, lacking human interaction and counter language issues were simultaneously discussed. Kiosks have been emerging as self-service technologies in hotels and play a key role in reducing bottlenecks in hotel operations. The technology anxiety and counter service argument is merely a transition phase that will fade away gradually. However, the financial feasibility and the level of adoption depend upon the level of operations and the demographic characteristics of customers. Research limitations/implications The dependence of data from the person interviewed and their biases for answers, along with the trust and credibility of the data available online remain the biggest challenge. Increasing the sample size and more participation from different hotels would have made the study even more useful. Originality/value The research seeks to eliminate the gap in research by studying both the hotels' and the customers' perspective toward kiosks deployment in hotels. The results of the study would highlight the potential challenges being faced by hotel operations and opportunities they perceive in kiosks installation, therefore the results are very useful for hotels, hoteliers, academicians and students pursuing a career in the hospitality sector.