Postgraduate medical students’ acceptance and understanding of scientific information databases and electronic resources
Abstract
Introduction: The significance and validity of web-based scientific databases are increasing dramatically in the scientific community. Moreover, a great number of students use these resources without having sufficient and accurate knowledge and understanding. In order for students to use these databases and electronic resources optimally, identifying the factors that affect the understanding and acceptance of these resources seems necessary. The aim of this study was to determine postgraduate medical students’ acceptance and understanding of these resources.
Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 311 postgraduate medical students from Kerman University of Medical Science (KMU) in 2013. Data were collected using a researcher-made questionnaire, and the data were analyzed using SPSS. In order to design the model (i.e., the interaction between study variables and to determine the relationships between them in an integrated pattern), LISREL version 8.7 and a structural equation model were used. Descriptive statistics and t-tests also were used in data analysis.
Results: The results showed that the average components of the perception of usefulness, perception of ease of use, attitude towards use, decision to use, using to perform duties, and using to increase knowledge were 4.31, 4.14, 4.24, 16.27, 20.85, and 16.13 respectively. Accordingly, the average of all these indicators was significantly higher than the assumed amount (p < 0.01). Moreover, the results obtained from factor analysis and the structural equation model indicated that the model of the present study fit the data perfectly.
Conclusions: Based on the findings of this study, the more these databases are considered useful and easy to use, the more they are used. Therefore, designers of databases and electronic resources can design systems that are both useful and easy to learn by considering the components of the research model.
References
Cheung Kong S. A curriculum framework for implementing information technology in school education to
foster information literacy. Comput Educ. 2008; 51: 129-41. doi: 10.1016/j.compedu.2007.04.005.
Papi A, Ghazavi R, Moradi S. Determining the level of awareness of the physicians in using the variety of
electronic information resources and the effecting factors. J Educ Health Promot. 2015; 4: 49. doi:
4103/2277-9531.162316, PMID: 26430676, PMCID: PMC4579771.
Teo T. Modeling technology acceptance in education: A study of pre-service teachers. Comput Educ. 2009;
: 302–12. doi: 10.1016/j.compedu.2008.08.006.
Hira T, Zia W. Use of electronic information resources by the students of the faculty of science, University
of Karachi. Int J Digit Account Res. 2014; 4(3): 80-91 .
Roach A, Addington W. The effects of information sources on medical education. Journal of Medical
Education. 2001; 49: 176-280.
Atakan C, Atilgan D, Bayram O, Arslantekin S. An Evaluation of the second survey on electronic
databases usage at Ankara University digital library. Electron Libr. 2008; 26; (2): 249-59. doi:
1108/02640470810864136.
Lederer AL, Maupin DJ, Sena MP, Zhuang Y. The technology acceptance model and the World Wide
Web. Decis Support Syst. 2005; 29: 269–82. doi: 10.1016/S0167-9236(00)00076-2.
Aazami M, Fattahi R, Parirokh M. Evaluating graduate student’s information seeking behavior in Ferdowsi
University of Mashhad in database user interfaces based on Ellis’s information seeking behavior. Library
and Information Sciences. 2010; 60(15): 231-45. [In Persian].
Davis F, Fishbein M. Perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use and user acceptance of information
technology: a comparison of two theoretical models. Management science. 1989; 35(8): 982-1003. doi:
1287/mnsc.35.8.982
Wixom BH, Todd PA. A theoretical integration of user satisfaction and technology acceptance. Inform Syst
Res. 2005; 16: 85–102. doi: 10.1287/isre.1050.0042.
Sheikh shoaee F, Oloomi T. Factors Affecting Adoption of Information Technology by Colleges of
Engineering. University of Tehran's public librarians. 2007; LIS (3): 9-34. [In Persian].
Nazmi Sh, Mirabi A. Introduction and test the acceptance conceptual model of Internet services and
information technology among students of Ferdowsi University of Mashhad. Journal of Information
Processing and Management. 2002; 28(1): 181-202. [In Persian].
Zemani B, Babri H, Mousavi S. Factors related to attitudes of medical students to embrace learning through
mobile phones using the technology acceptance model. Journal of Medical Education Development Center.
; 9(2): 110-17. [In Persian].
Salari M. et al. Factors associated with the adoption of e-learning by nursing students. Journal of Education
Sterategies in Medical Sciences. 2009; 2(3): 103-8. [In Persian].
Bagheri AM, Hamidi Beheshti MT, Alidoosti C. Adoption of internet banking in Iran: the development of
technology acceptance model. Journal of Information Science and Technology. 2008; 3(57): 5-34.
Rose G, Straub D. Predicating General IT use: Applying TAM to the Arabic world. J Global Inform Manag
.1998; 6(3): 39-46. doi: 10.4018/jgim.1998070104.
Tao D. Intention to use and actual use of electronic information resources: further exploring technology
acceptance model (TAM). AMIA Annu Symp Proc. 2009; 2009: 629-33. PMID: 20351931, PMCID:
PMC2815463.
Kripanont N. Using a technology acceptance model to investigate academic acceptance of internet. Journal
of Business System, Governance and Ethics. 2006; 1(2): 13-28. doi: 10.15209/jbsge.v1i2.72.
Lu J, Yu C, liu C, Yao JE. Technology acceptance model for wireless internet. Internet Res. 2003; 13(3):
- 22. doi: 10.1108/10662240310478222.
Spacey R, Goulding A, Murray I. The Power of influence: what affects public library staff's attitudes to the
Internet? Library Management. 2004; 25(6): 270-6. doi: 10.1108/01435120410547922.
Kim YM. The Adoption of university library web Site resources: A multi group analysis. Journal of the
American Society for Information Science and Technology. 2010; 61(5): 978-93. doi: 10.1002/asi.21308.
Thong JYL, Hong W, Tam K. Understanding user acceptance of digital libraries: what are the roles of
interface characteristics, organizational context, and individual differences? Int J Hum Comput Stud. 2002;
(3): 215-42. doi: 10.1016/S1071-5819(02)91024-4.
Makizadeh F. Identify factors affecting the adoption of web-based databases by academic users: a grounded
theory study. Journal of Library and Information Studies. 2011; (59): 59-81. [In Persian].
Dorani K, Rashidi Z. Factors affecting the adoption of information technology by school teachers in
Tehran, with emphasis on information technology acceptance model. Journal of Research in Educational
Systems. 2007; 1(1): 46-62. [In Persian].
Chen Yu ‐ Hui. Undergraduates' perceptions and use of the university libraries Web portal: Can
information literacy instruction make a difference? Proceedings of the American Society for Information
Science and Technology. 2011; 48(1): 1-10. doi: 10.1002/meet.2011.14504801051.
Farmani M, Kimiaee A, Fatollahzadeh F. Investigation of Relationship between ease of use, innovation
tendency, perceived usefulness and intention to use technology: An empirical study. Indian Journal of
Science and Technology. 2012; 5(11): 3678-82.
Ahmadi Deh Qutbal-Din, M. Relationship between the experience of working with computers, computer
self-efficacy, perceived computer and technology acceptance model structures. Islamic Azad University
project. 2007. [In Persian].
Javadein SR, Yazdani Sh. Factors affecting customer’s intention to use internet banking services. Journal of
Knowledge Management. 2005; 18(3): 31-49. [In Persian].
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2020 KNOWLEDGE KINGDOM PUBLISHING
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.