Search results

Most research on information and communication technologies (ICT) differences has been related to gender and ethnicity, and to a lesser extent religious affiliation. The purpose of this paper is to contribute to this field of research by situating the discussion in the context of British Muslims and extending current research into ICT differences beyond gender and ethnicity.

This paper explores the ICT differences in access and use by British Muslim teenage girls at Islamic faith schools, and ICTs’ perceived influence on learning. The qualitative research was undertaken by conducting 45 semi-structured interviews with British Muslim teenage girls in Islamic faith schools.

The study provides tentative findings that Islamic faith schools are not only framed by the wider diverse Muslim community, but also by the supplementary schooling of madrasahs. The findings suggest that the home use of ICTs was reinforced rather than compensated for by the Islamic faith schools. This seemed to inhibit many pupils’ access to online educational resources. The authors found that didactic instruction was prevalent and this provided tentative insights into the types of digital inequity experienced by many pupils.

The research into ICT differences in the UK adopted the premise that the unity in Muslim identity increasingly transcends ethnicity and gender in the Muslim community.

The aim of this paper is to evaluate ICT literacy differences in trainee student teachers from the view of sexuality.

In the research, sender differences in self‐reported ICT experience and ICT literacy among first year graduate trainee teachers were investigated. The questionnaires were made available in two forms: printed and online. Also, dynamic model of ICT literacy was employed. Three main components of aspiring teachers' ICT literacy were covered: present general problem‐solving and technical ICT capabilities; situational and longitudinal sustainability; and transferability of ICT capabilities into future professional domain.

Results show no significant differences were found between females' and males' previous experience with ICT. However, males on average worked with computers significantly more hours per week than females. Significant differences between males' and females' technical ICT capabilities and situational and longitudinal sustainability were observed. Males' scores were higher. In the regression analysis, when the impact of the background and ICT experience variables was controlled, gender failed to be a significant predictor of the sustainability scores. However, it remained a significant predictor of some trainee teachers' scores, related to their technical ICT capabilities.

This paper adds to the literature on the evaluation of ICT literacy differences in trainee student teachers from the view of sexuality and will be of interest to those in the field.

This study aims to use a novel approach, focusing on the manager’s gender, to explore whether it acts as a differentiator in the following aspects of tourist accommodation companies in Extremadura (Spain): the level of information and communication technology (ICT) specialisation of employees, managers’ knowledge of ICTs and the social media and online tourism platform use intensity of managers.

A questionnaire was sent to 238 accommodation companies. The data collected from the questionnaire were analysed using statistical inference techniques and linear and logistic regression.

In general, ICT specialist profiles are more common amongst the employees of male-led companies. Male managers also use Booking and analyse online feedback more intensively. There appear to be no gender-based differences in terms of the ICT knowledge of managers.

These results highlight issues of major practical interest for the sector’s managers and decision makers, especially in Extremadura. They reveal the digital divide in certain aspects between men- and women-led firms in Extremadura. This finding has important consequences for the sector in terms of competitiveness. It highlights the need to continue working to eradicate gender gaps in digital settings.

The study shows the role of the manager’s gender as a differentiating factor in terms of the existence of specialist ICT profiles and ICT use intensity in tourism companies. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study provides the first evidence of such a finding for the tourism sector in general, as well as for the specific case of a rural destination such as Extremadura.

The purpose of this study/paper is evidence to suggest that information communication technology (ICT) capital projects are different from non-ICT projects and that as a result the appraisal of such projects is more difficult. This may suggest that organisations would use dissimilar financial and risk assessment models or place different importance levels on such models between the two types of investment. The purpose of this paper is to investigate this issue and present the results of research into the practices of organisations in Czech Republic that have recently undertaken an appraisal of both ICT and non-ICT capital projects.

A factual and attitudinal survey was developed and conducted during the end of 2011, addressed to organisations based in the Czech Republic. The object of the survey was the identification of current practices in respect of the appraisal of both ICT and non-ICT projects and the opinions of senior executives on a number of important issues regarding such practices. This paper focuses on the issues relating to ICT projects being “different” from non-ICT projects.

The empirical findings support the literature in that ICT projects are, in many respects, different from non-ICT projects. However, the evidence indicates that, in practice, there is no significant difference in the financial and risk assessment models used in their appraisal. This indicates that any perceived difficulties, which may infer that the projects are “different”, are overcome (or ignored), to some extent, when it comes to the formal financial and risk assessment stage of project appraisal. There is also evidence to suggest that practitioners use assessment models that academics regard as unsophisticated. The findings also show that strategic issues are more important with respect of ICT projects than non-ICT projects. The research therefore supports the view that ICT projects are perceived to be different, but that the current conventional (financial and risk) appraisal models are adequate to appraise such capital projects, provided they are supported by a strategic assessment.

As the findings are based on a survey of companies in the Czech Republic only, we accept that the research results may have some limitations in terms of drawing general conclusions. The concern over drawing general conclusions is also brought about by the relatively low response rate, although the rate is in line with previous published research.

ICT projects are different and as such these differences must be taken into account when appraising capital projects. The evidence supports the need for practitioners to review their appraisal of ICT capital projects, by adopting more sophisticated financial and risk models (as prescribed by academics) and linking their appraisal to corporate strategic goals. Future research should be aimed at identifying the formal and informal strategic approaches adopted by practitioners in the appraisal of ICT capital projects.

This is the only survey to simultaneously address the appraisal issues concerning both ICT and non-ICT projects in the Czech Republic. As such, it gives a valuable insight into the practices of Czech Republic organisations in their appraisal of ICT and non-ICT capital projects. The identification of the four main problem areas with respect to the appraisal of ICT projects will help to focus academic research in the future.

The purpose of this paper is to present a preliminary analysis of age and gender across a number of questions asked in a survey of ethical attitudes of professionals in the information and communication technology (ICT) industry in Australia. While a large number of demographic questions regarding ethics and regulation, only those concerning age and gender are examined here.

An online survey was conducted of the ICT workplace in Australia. The results were analyzed using SPSS.

There are some significant differences across the generations as well between the genders. Gen Y is different when compared to the others on how important ethical regulations ought to be. Gen Y thinks that ethical regulations ought to be less important. When gender was examined it was clear that males thought that ethical regulations ought to be significantly less important when compared with what females thought.

While a larger sample size was desired, the consistency of the replies, when compared against a number of comparative populations, indicated that the replies we received were representative of the ICT workforce.

This paper raises many issues that demand greater care and attention be given when constructing new models of governing ethics within the Australian ICT workplace.

The aim of this study is to analyse teachers’ perceptions of information and communication technologies (ICT) and the effect they have on their students, comparing male and female teachers in rural and urban areas of Mexico.

This is a quantitative study with a validated questionnaire that records the perception of school teachers from a state in the northeast of Mexico. The questionnaire was designed by interviewing 20 teachers who have had problematic situations in the use of technology by students. The main problems that were perceived in their students were cyberbullying, cyberviolence, online pornography, excessive use of videogames and also lack of ability to use digital technology. Hypothesis testing was applied to identify differences between gender (female or male) and region (rural or urban), considering these problems and the efforts made by the school to address these issues.

Both the gender of the teaching staff and the region where the school is located are variables that are influencing the willingness to incorporate ICT issues that are affecting the well-being of students into the educational agenda. While teachers are the main actors in preparing their students on how to face these challenges, students in schools with mostly male teachers, or located in rural areas, will be in a situation of greater vulnerability to be victims of the problems that arise as part of ICT risks in a digital society

This article only offers a first approach to ICT and teachers’ perceptions. It is necessary to broaden the scope of this type of research to include different educational contexts and to ask questions that reveal in greater detail how schools are dealing with ICT and its possible risks and the factors that have influenced the successes or failures they are having in these attempts.

This finding can help schools to promote programs focused to apply ICT for student flourishment and help them to deal with the risk that digital technology is generating in young students.

Although multiple research have been conducted to address teachers’ perception about diverse topics, there has been no specific research on the self-perception of teachers in dealing with technology and preparing students for the problems presented by ICT and its risks. This research contributes to the literature on the impact that teachers’ perceptions can have on the adoption of technology in education, and how this can be different by gender and region.

The purpose of this study is to investigate secondary school students’ pedagogical use of information communication and technologies (ICT), their attitudes toward integration of ICT and the differences in their attitudes based on gender, school type and location.

The data was collected and analyzed using descriptive statistics, multivariate analysis of variance and multiple regression analysis.

The study revealed that students’ use of ICT to support their learning was low. Students mostly used ICT to communicate with peers. Students’ methods of assimilating knowledge were through teacher-centred teaching, even though they somewhat used ICT for collaborative and inquiry learning. Students in public schools perceived the use of ICT more valuable than students in private schools. Also, the study provided evidence that students in urban and rural schools differed in their attitudes in terms of perceived value and cost of ICT use, but no differences in attitude in terms of expectancy of success were found to exist among students in all locations.

The study provided further evidence that the value of ICT positively related to students’ pedagogical use of ICT, but the effect was very limited. This implies that although students have positive attitudes toward the benefits of ICT in learning; many do not integrate the technology into their learning. Lastly, the study was able to provide additional evidence that perceived cost negatively related to students’ pedagogical use of technology, but the result was very small. This indicates that since many students do not utilize ICT in their learning they rarely encounter barriers or challenges when it comes to the integration of the technology into their studies.

Information communication technologies (ICTs) are widely seen as having the potential to contribute positively to economic growth and development and to improve the livelihoods and quality of life of individuals and households and yet access to ICTs and usage of them remains highly inequitable. This paper aims to identify areas of inequality in access to ICTs between men and women in Africa.

Drawing on the Research ICT Africa (RIA) household and individual ICT survey conducted in 17 African countries between 2007/2008 the paper provides an empirical basis for assessing gender dimensions of ICT access and usage. Additionally, focus group studies were conducted in Cameroon, Ethiopia, Nigeria, South Africa and Uganda to gain a greater qualitative understanding of access to and usage of ICTs from a gender perspective.

Although the results confirmed in many countries the widely held belief that men have greater access to ICTs than women in some instances more women than men owned mobile phones such as in South Africa and Mozambique. In Cameroon women were found to have greater knowledge of the internet than their male counterparts. Most significantly perhaps is the finding that when women have similar income, education and employment status they have comparable access to ICTs as their male counterparts. However, as women generally do not have the same access to those core factors that enhance ICT access and usage, their access to ICT is generally lower.

The quantitative as well as focus group results of this study confirm gender differences in access to ICTs, raising important questions about the points of policy intervention to redress such imbalances.

The purpose of this study is to examine empirically the impacts of gender differences, telecommunication technology (ICT) and other determinants on private savings in 28 selected Asia–Pacific countries.

This study employs the panel data from 2010 to 2017 across 28 selected Asia–Pacific countries. To enhance robustness and address the possibility of endogeneity issue, the present study utilises the fixed effect instrumental variable (IV) estimator to estimate the private savings model for Asia–Pacific region.

The present study finds that private savings is positively related to disposable income and ICT, but it is negatively associated with the degree of dependency. However, the association between interest rates and private savings are inconclusive as both positive substitution and negative income effects on private savings were observed. Moreover, the results also indicate that working females tend to save less than working males and that of the educated female, despite their impacts are varied across educational attainment levels.

This study provides a novel insight into private savings patterns by focussing upon the gender differences and ICT aspects. In stark contrast to previous literature on the issue, the authors find that working and educated females negatively impact private savings in Asia–Pacific economies due to income inequality and consumption habits. However, the results show that ICT accelerates private savings as it provides easy access to financial services and the requisite frameworks, such as e-business platforms, for generating passive income as well as provide the modalities for more cost-efficient shopping such as price and product comparison frames that yield costs savings which can then be potentially channelled into private savings.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the main factors influencing government openness, develop a global government openness index (GGOI) for assessing the progress of government openness and investigate how the factors contribute to the advancement of open government by individual countries and country groups by income.

This study identifies the four factors and adopts them into four variables for making GGOI: accountability (ACC), citizen participation and freedom (CPF), transparency (TRA) and information and communication technology (ICT). To calculate GGOI, panel data for 134 countries from 2006 to 2015 were used.

GGOI scores constantly improved with an annual growth rate of 2.09 percent. Countries with high ACC values tend to have high TRA scores, resulting in high GGOI scores. While the differences in ACC and TRA were steady over the period, ICT increased the most in all groups. To boost ICT performance as a channel to support other variables, middle-income countries should make further effort for citizens to use ICT capabilities toward enhancing the levels of CPF and TRA.

This study presents a global picture of the advancement of open government and provides insights into specific areas that can be diagonalized.

The GGOI could be used as a useful assessment tool to measure the progress of government openness in countries and implement policies and action plans for improving government openness.

The GGOI covers the areas related to legal, administrative, participatory and technological factors and provides the factors’ inter-relationships for the composition of GGOI.