A Method of Measuring Fitness
of Learning Tasks to Blackboard
Technology
Richard Orwig
Susquehanna University
November 6, 2004
ISECON, Newport, RI
Research in progress
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Motivation
Literature
Theory building
Data gathering task
Initial results
Future work
ISECON, Newport, RI
Motivation: Task-Technology Fit
 From an organizational perspective,
intuitively…
 Task: Organization-wide integration
 General Motors, Intel, Dell, …
 Large consulting (Accenture, EDS, …),
Large law firm, University
 Tech: ERP Technology Roots
 SAP – Manufacturing
 Peoplesoft – Human Resources/Service
ISECON, Newport, RI
Motivation: Task-Technology Fit
 From an organizational perspective,
intuitively…
 Task: Organization-wide integration
 General Motors, Intel, Dell, …
 Large consulting (Accenture, EDS, …),
Large law firm, University
 Tech: ERP Technology Roots
 SAP – Manufacturing
 Peoplesoft – Human Resources/Service
ISECON, Newport, RI
Literature
 TTF: Goodhue (1995, 2002)
 Business Alignment
 Extensive: Luftman (Align in the Sand,
2003)
 BPR/Workflow
 More extensive: Hammer & Champy,
etc., Orwig (HICSS, 1998)
ISECON, Newport, RI
TTF
 The “Fit” is the degree to which
technology supports business
activities
 Assumptions:
 “Socio” issues (power, culture, …)
addressed in the process of obtaining
consensus upon a business activity
model
 Activities NOT equal to Processes
ISECON, Newport, RI
Theoretical Perspective
Business Analysis
Zachman
ISECON, Newport, RI
Technical
Task
Context
Theory: Theory in use
Conceptual Framework
Organizational Vision/Mission/Goals/Objectives
As Is
Strategy
Business Activities
To Be
Business Activities
Reengineer
Migration
Legacy Systems
DoD Supported Systems
ISECON, Newport, RI
Theory: Business Activity Model
 Consensus upon business activity
definition is difficult but feasible
 Managers think in terms of outcomes
of problem solving tasks (not in terms
of classes and objects of their
activities)
 Problem solving consists of:
 Defining the problem (what)
 Describing the process of solving it (how)
ISECON, Newport, RI
Theory: “IDEF0”ish Viewpoint
Controls
Inputs
HM Rqmnts for Processes
Installation Master Plan
Material/MSDS
Mobilization Rqmnts
P2 Impl. Directives
Waste
Approved Budget
Audit Findings
Economics & Trade-offs
Personnel Qualifications/Training
Regulations/Policies/Directives
Technical Documentation
A0
Manage Hazardous
Substances
Life cycle management of
hazardous substances.
HW Disposal Shipments
Redistributed Material
Reports to ...
Purchase Requests
Strategy/Planning
Contractors
Facilities/equipment
Funds
Information Systems
Personnel
ISECON, Newport, RI
Mechanisms
Outputs
Theory: “IDEF0”ish Viewpoint
Produce
Transcript
Transcribe
Deliver
ISECON, Newport, RI
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Type
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Dictate
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Capture
Speech
Proofread
&
Correct
Theory: “IDEF0”ish Viewpoint
Produce
Transcript
Proofread
& Correct
Deliver
ISECON, Newport, RI
…
…
…
Print
…
Edit
…
Trans
late
…
Transcribe
…
…
…
Capture
Speech
Theory: Hypotheses
 We should be able to map activities to
functions that support them
 Supporting high-level activities have
a greater risk-return relationship
 Task-Technology Fitness is about:
 Making outputs better (effectiveness)
 Reducing overall costs of activities
(efficiency)
ISECON, Newport, RI
Data
 33 Student-built Activity Models
 Model learning activities associated with
completing MIS 448 – IT Project Mgmnt
 Models must be at least 3-levels of
abstraction
 Merge 33 Models into one Global
model
 Identify Functions of Blackboard
ISECON, Newport, RI
Initial Results
 68 activities identified
 42 activities supported by Blackboard
in some manner
 Group activity modeling is needed to
better refine the model
ISECON, Newport, RI
Future Work
 Define learning activities in
collaborative session instead of
individual assignments
 Identify more specific functions of
Blackboard that address specific
activities
 Attempt to quantify benefits/costs
from the student perspective
ISECON, Newport, RI
Questions
?
ISECON, Newport, RI