Predicting Laptop Usage : an Empirical Investigation

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• Predicting Laptop Usage an Empirical
  Investigation
• Jacques Raynauld, Ph.D.
• HEC-Montréal
• Maison des technologies
• University of Montréal

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Overview

• Genesis of this session
• HEC-Montréal
• Virtuose program
• Technology acceptance model (TAM)
• Survey
• Results
• Conclusions

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Genesis of this session

• ThinkTank 2001 at Wake Forest
• Difficult to assess the impact of laptop programs
  on learning indirect measures like usage
• Immersed in the same environment, students report
  very different laptop usage intensity
• Any evaluation of a laptop program must take into
  account studentsexpec-tations prior to entering
  the program

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Genesis of this session

• Work of some of our colleagues in IT (Henri
  Barki) which have studied the generic question of
  technology acceptance in a very rigorous way
• Technology acceptance model will guide our
  analysis (TAM)

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HEC-Montréal

• Ecole des Hautes Etudes Commerciales (HEC) is a
  large business school part of the University of
  Montreal campus
• 200 full time faculty
• 10 000 full-time and part-time students

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HEC-Montréal

• New building in 1996
• All classes are wired and equiped with a
  video-data projector
• 8 000 network outlets
• All faculty have laptops since 1996

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Virtuose Program

• First laptop initiative at the MBA level in 1997
  ....
• ... undergraduate BBA in 1998
• 3-year program
• Most of our students commute - do not live on
  campus

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Virtuose Program

• Phased-in approach
• Students buy from the student run co-op
• HEC ThinkPad ensemble including the laptop,
  software, carrying bag, etc.
• Over 3 200 students currently enrolled

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Virtuose program

• The laptop as a daily communication and working
  tool ...
• ... used in class in some chosen courses
• ... and during some exams (20-25 each term)
• First year
• 12 sections of 65 students for the whole year -
  imposed 9h to 3h schedule
• 10 core courses (5 per semester)

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Technology Acceptance Model

• Davis, Fred D. et. Al. (1989), User acceptance
  of computer technology a comparaison of two
  theoretical models, Management Science, Vol. 35,
  No. 8, 982-1003.
• Taylor, S. and P. A. Todd (1995), Understanding
  Information technology Usage a test of
  compiting models, Information System Research,
  Vol. 6, 144-176.

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Technology Acceptance Model
Perceived Usefulness
Attitude
Behavioral Intention
Usage Behavior
Perceived Ease of Use
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Survey

• Two surveys were conducted electronically
• 77 questions
• N755 in August 2001 when they first took
  possession of their laptop
• 52.6 male 47.4 female
• N235 in April 2002 (31 response rate, 42.4
  male 57.6 female)
• 4 50 prizes were offered!

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Technology Acceptance Model

• Perceived usefulness
• Using the laptop would enhance my study
  effectiveness (5.54)
• Using the laptop would improve my performance in
  the BBA program (4.27)
• Using the laptop would increase my productivity
  (5.23)
• I would find the laptop useful in the BBA program
  (5.65)
• Very unlikely 1 2 3 4 5 6
  7 Very likely

Perceived Usefulness
Attitude
Behavioral Intention
Usage Behaviour
Perceived Ease of Use
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Technology Acceptance Model

• Perceived ease of use
• It will be difficult to use correctly my laptop
  (5.21)
• Learning to use the laptop will be difficult for
  me (5.35)
• Using the laptop every day will be easy for me
  (5.26)
• I will be able to learn by myself how to use the
  software installed on my laptop (4.88)

Perceived Usefulness
Attitude
Behavioral Intention
Usage Behavior
Perceived Ease of Use
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Technology Acceptance Model

• Attitude
• Using the laptop is a bad/good idea (5.82)
• Using the laptop is a foolish/wise idea (5.74)
• I dislike/like the idea of using the laptop
  (5.81)
• Using the laptop will be pleasant/ unpleasant
  (5.83)

Perceived Usefulness
Attitude
Behavioral Intention
Usage Behavior
Perceived Ease of Use
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Technology Acceptance Model

• Behavioural intention
• I intend to use the laptop frequently in the
  coming year (6.24)
• I will bring the laptop regularly to HEC in the
  coming year (6.41)
• I will be a heavy user of the laptop in the
  coming year (6.12)
• In the coming year, the laptop will be my daily
  communication and working tool (6.17)

Perceived Usefulness
Attitude
Behavioural Intention
Usage Behaviour
Perceived Ease of Use
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Technology Acceptance Model

• Usage behaviour
• I have used the laptop frequently in the last
  year
• I have brought the laptop regularly to HEC in the
  last year
• I have been a heavy user of the laptop in the
  last year
• In the last year, the laptop has been my daily
  communication and working tool

Perceived Usefulness
Attitude
Behavioural Intention
Usage Behaviour
Perceived Ease of Use
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August vs. April respondents
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Correlations
August 01
April 02
Perceived Usefulness
.57
.43
Attitude
Behavioral Intention
Usage Behavior
.27
.13
.51
Perceived Ease of Use
.29
.24
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BI mean 6.43 U mean 6.14
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Conclusion

• Very interesting and structured way to look at
  the question of laptop use
• Expectations of laptop use are very high at the
  beginning of the semester
• Behavioral intention are useful in predicting
  usage
• Core group of heavy user (29)
• Significant group of converts (14)
• Back to earth group (20)

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Conclusion

• Getting a better measure of usage
• Laptop as a learning tool!!
• Back to the 51 other questions

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Questions? Comments?

• jacques.raynauld_at_hec.ca