Towards a Model of Information Systems User Competency

The ability to utilize information systems (IS) effectively is becoming a necessity for business professionals. However, individuals differ in their abilities to use IS effectively, with some achieving exceptional performance in IS use and others being unable to do so. Therefore, developing a set of skills and attributes to achieve IS user competency, or the ability to realize the fullest potential and the greatest performance from IS use, is important. Various constructs have been identified in the literature to describe IS users with regard to their intentions to use IS and their frequency of IS usage, but studies to describe the relevant characteristics associated with highly competent IS users, or those who have achieved IS user competency, are lacking. This research develops a model of IS user competency by using the Repertory Grid Technique to identify a broad set of characteristics of highly competent IS users. A qualitative analysis was carried out to identify categories and sub-categories of these characteristics. Then, based on the findings, a subset of the model of IS user competency focusing on the IS-specific factors – domain knowledge of and skills in IS, willingness to try and to explore IS, and perception of IS value – was developed and validated using the survey approach. The survey findings suggest that all three factors are relevant and important to IS user competency, with willingness to try and to explore IS being the most significant factor. This research generates a rich set of factors explaining IS user competency, such as perception of IS value. The results not only highlight characteristics that can be fostered in IS users to improve their performance with IS use, but also present research opportunities for IS training and potential hiring criteria for IS users in organizations.

What is higher education?

"The problems that exist in the world today cannot be solved by the level of thinking we were at when we created them." - Albert Einstein What is higher education? It is a key tool to our gaining the level of thinking Einstein describes - the level of thinking needed to solve the problems that exist in the world today. I am not saying higher education is the only thing that prepares people to think - far from it. But higher education, if it does what it is meant to do, prepares us with a solid base of skills to think critically and analytically to deal successfully with an ever-changing world. It instills in us the desire and ability to be lifelong learners, able to grow and participate as members of both local and global communities. Learning skills, critical analysis skills, skills that allow us to deal with and be successful in the ever-changing world around us are the skills higher education must provide.

“Let’s Review.” A Look at the Effects of Re-teaching Basic Mathematic Skills

In this action research study of my classroom of 8th grade mathematics, I investigated the effect of reviewing basic fraction and decimal skills on student achievement and student readiness for freshman Algebra. I also investigated the effect on the quality of student work, with regards to legibility by having students grade each other’s work anonymously. I discovered that students need basic skill review with fractions and decimals, and by the end of the research their scores improved. However, their handwriting had not. At the end of the research, a majority of the students felt the review was important, and they were ready to take math next year in high school. As a result of this research, I plan to implement weekly fraction and decimal review assignments in all middle school grades: 6th, 7th, and 8th. In addition, fraction and decimals must be incorporated into daily assignments, where appropriate, in order to encourage students to retain these skills.