Abstract:

Exploratory survey about the transformation from traditional examinations to e-exams. This study was conducted among the higher education students and teachers in technical university and business school in Finland. We wanted to find out the perceived usefulness and ease-of-use of e-exam system among students and teachers. Furthermore, we wanted to compare the attitude and acceptance rate of students and teachers towards the new system. The research was conducted in the phase where there was still possibility to choose between traditional examination in lecture hall with pen and paper and novel electronic examination.

We used Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) from information technology theory [1]. The model suggests that when users are presented with a new technology (here e-examination), a number of factors influence their decision about how and when they will use it. TAM model [1] distinguishes perceived usefulness (PU) and perceived ease-of-use (PEOU).

In our study we assessed PU and PEOU among students in their studies and among teachers in their work. The four research arguments were:
(1) The PU among students; The degree to which a student believes that using an e-exam system would enhance his or her learning outcomes and students perceived advantages in education process.
(2) The PEOU among students; The degree to which a student believes that using an e-exam system would be free from effort.
(3) The PU among teachers; The degree to which a teacher believes that using an e-exam system would enhance his or her work performance.
(4) The PEOU among teachers; The degree to which a teacher believes that using an e-exam system would be free from effort.

In the conceptual part of the paper we discuss the acceptance of the new system based on self-efficacy theory [2] and cost-benefit paradigm from behavioral decision theory (Payne 1989). Finally, we introduce the statistical calculation based on TAM-model, and explain the result. We suggest further research ideas, such as comparative international study among Italian respondents and possible use of more advanced extended TAM models with external variables.


References:
[1] F. D. Davis, "Perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and user acceptance of information technology", MIS Quarterly, vol 13, no 3, pp. 319–340, 1989.
[2] A. Bandura, "Self-Efficacy Mechanism in Human Agency," American Psychologist, vol 37, no 2, pp. 122-14, 1982.
[3] J. W. Payne, "Contingent Decision Behavior," Psychological Bulletin, vol 92, no 2, pp. 382- 402,1982.

Keywords:

TAM, e-exam, self-efficacy, cost-benefit paradigm, higher education.