• Journal of Fashion Business
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.89-108
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• 2018

This paper aims to explore the analysis of the meanings and processes of reading online consumer reviews and to construct a substantive theory that explains the process involved with the phenomenon of reading consumer reviews. In order to explore the phenomenon, this study employs a qualitative methodology. Following the grounded theory perspective, the researcher conducted interviews with 17 participants, who have subsequently shopped online and utilized online consumer reviews for shopping, and decidedly employed in-depth interviews with those participants. Through coding and making constant comparison, several themes emerged: improving confidence, trusting reviews, getting a sense of who reviewers are, seeking balance, processing and handling negative reviews, experiencing vicariously, increasing searchability, getting a sense of who they are in terms of similarity, and seeking benefits and the usage situations from consumer based reviews. Among the emerging themes, improving confidence can be considered a core category, which is influenced by the analysis of trusting reviews and the consumer vicarious experiences with a product. Moreover, this study discusses the relationships among the themes. This study concludes with a discussion of the results, implications, and limitations.

• International Journal of Advanced Culture Technology
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.12-17
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• 2023

This study investigates the effects of online English writing instruction on university students' writing performance and their anxiety. A total of 34 participants completed the pre- and post- writing tests as well as the surveys regarding perceived anxiety toward English writing. Reflection papers and interviews were employed to triangulate the results of the questionnaires. Quantitative analysis of learners' writing outcomes and surveys revealed that online writing instruction helped improve students' writing skills and reduce writing anxiety. The interviews and reflection papers demonstrated that learners found the writing instruction helpful in reducing somatic anxiety, avoidance behavior, and cognitive anxiety. The current study suggests that adopting non-face-to-face online writing instruction aids EFL students in developing their writing and alleviating writing anxiety.

• International Journal of Computer Science & Network Security
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• v.21 no.12
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• pp.165-174
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• 2021

This study aimed to ascertain whether electronic courses at the deanship of electronic learning and distance education at Umm Al-Qura University meet the quality standards developed by the Quality Matters (QM) organization. This endeavor adopted a mixed method of an explanatory sequential research design for an in-depth understanding of the topic under scrutiny. The sample of the study consisted of ten courses designed at the deanship and reviewed using an evaluation form. The results showed that the courses in focus did not meet the criteria of QM. Based on this finding, a semi-structured interview was designed to collect relevant data from the syllabus designers at the deanship. The interviews yielded information on the difficulties the course designers faced when designing QM-criteria-based courses. The results obtained from the interviews showed that the designers experienced administrative, technical, and faculty-member-related challenges that, when producing online courses, intercepted their way to achieving the QM standards. The study closed with some recommendations, the most important of which is a call for re-developing online courses in alignment with the well-recognized QM standards.

• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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• v.8 no.5
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• pp.979-986
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• 2021

Online food delivery and food delivery apps have continued to grow exponentially in Malaysia. Fundamental aspects in entrepreneurship of the food and beverage industry, such as knowledge and attitudes towards online food delivery services being outsourced, have yet to be extensively recognized. The present study intends to explore this area of subject matter within the Malaysian context by using behavioral reasoning theory. The actual interview for this study took place in May 2020, and 14 interviews had been carried out. All interviews were audio-recorded with the consent from the respondents for reference purposes and subsequently transcribed verbatim. The transcripts were then checked against audio records. Content analysis was used to analyze the transcripts by focusing on n frequency counts and coding of themes. A qualitative method has been adopted by employing an interview to elicit the perspectives of entrepreneurs from Sarawak on the determinants and barriers in outsourcing online food delivery services. Results indicate that high potential in revenue, broad exposure to reach customers, convenience, and provision of job opportunities are the four factors that determine to outsource. In contrast, food quality maintenance, trustworthiness, high cost incurred, and consumer technology resistance are four factors that serve as barriers towards outsourcing third-party online delivery.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.20 no.10
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• pp.615-629
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• 2020

Conducting Focus Group Interview (FGI), this study examined the roles and discourses of cryptocurrency's online communities and media (legacy media and YouTube), and based on this, the study proposed the direction of cryptocurrency policy. By reviewing previous literature, this study analyzed the characteristics of investors, the online community, and YouTube, which is an investment environment factor. The study figured out the purpose of use and role of the community via interviews with cryptocurrency professional investors and online community members and analyzed main discussion themes of the five top-ranked YouTube channels related to cryptocurrency with the highest number of subscribers. The results suggested that cryptocurrency's investment was led by those who are in their 20s and 30s, the investors preferred and trusted information on new media than legacy media. The online community played the role of emotional homogeneity and empathy, and YouTube mainly performed the informational role. As a result of discourse analysis and interviews, this study argued that the legal stability of cryptocurrency's policy and protection of individual investors are needed. This study's significance indicates that it used various research methods such as literature research, interviews, content analysis of community/YouTube to analyze the informational role and emotional aspects of new media and suggested policy direction of the digital new deal blockchain technology and the fairness of financial industry.

• Journal of Engineering Education Research
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.60-67
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• 2020

This study was conducted to understand the experiences of engineering college professors teaching classes online due to COVID-19. Instructional strategies were proposed based on these results. This study qualitatively analyzed interviews of four engineering college professors who switched from teaching classes offline to teaching them online in the first semester of 2020. The results showed that the professors had difficulties in creating video content, interacting with students, and conducting online assessments. The results also showed that the professors had difficulties in switching to online teaching. This study was significant in that it produced empirical data about online teaching based on the experiences of engineering college professors teaching classes online.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.19 no.10
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• pp.521-533
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• 2021

The purpose of this study is to explore the self-directed learning experiences of nursing student in an online learning. Data collection was conducted through three focus group interviews from July to August 2021, and the subjects of the study were 15 nursing students who experienced online learning. For analysis, all interviews were recorded and transcribed as the participants said, and analyzed using qualitative content analysis. As a result of the study, 4 categories and 11 subcategories were derived. The four categories which nursing students experienced on online self-directed learning were 'cognitive action of learning motivation', 'preparing my own learning strategy through reflection', 'creating an environment that supports learning', and 'effective online instructional design and enthusiasm of instructors.' The results of this study can be used as basic data for preparing self-directed learning strategies of nursing students in online learning.

• Educational Technology International
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.123-148
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• 2010

Relationships between students' perception of psychological distance with online professors and their academic learning achievement and their intention to continue online learning were examined. The courses selected for this study are two online courses: 1) 'English Grammar' and 2) 'TOEIC (Test of English for International Communication) Preparation' offered by a campus-based, medium-sized university. This study employed a mixed-methods approach by conducting a survey as well as one-on-one interviews with students. Students who feel psychologically distant with the online professors show significantly lower degree of perceived learning achievement, and higher tendency not to take online courses any more. All the three scales measuring the psychological distance -mutual awareness, connectedness, and availability- with professors turned out to be significantly related with students' perceived learning achievement. According to the result of the interview data analysis, the student interviewees unanimously said that the university should limit the number of online courses that students can register in a semester to one or two courses. Most students regard low interactivity of online learning as inevitable phenomenon. There is a statistically significant difference in perceived learning achievement between the online preferred group and the offline preferred group. Also, there is a significant difference in connectedness and availability and no significant difference in the degree of mutual awareness between the online and the offline preferred group.

• 한국벤처창업학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2017.08a
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• pp.37-47
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• 2017

The digital multi-sided platform has led the growth of industries. Accelerating this growth, generativity allowed innovation based on boundary-less modularity. Online games are a rich source of research but most of the research is dedicated in examining only the online game itself. However, there is a growing need to understand online games in an ecosystem level for a new phase of evolution is starting based on generativity. With generativity, online game users now make new graphics and quest that can be added and shared to the already existing game environment. The ecosystem is moving towards finding an amicable multi-sided distribution platform for these user generated game contents. Preliminary data suggest the possibility of actual connection between generativity and users' game engagement. Interviews and surveys will be prepared to find out the details of the possible relationship and how the ecosystem will shape accordingly.

• International Journal of Contents
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.58-65
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• 2022

This study proposed a soft skill integration activity for online EFL classrooms and investigated student responses. Toward this end, this study recruited 54 college students taking an English Presentation and Discussion class in South Korea. Participants were assigned into high and low-proficiency groups based on the Test of English for International Communication. This study employed questionnaire, class video recordings, and interview to obtain responses. Moreover, problem-based learning with challenge questions was applied to develop soft skills in online synchronous classes. Responses were examined in terms of whether a difference existed according to English proficiency. Major findings of this study were as follows. Regardless of proficiency levels, participants reported improvements in their IT and problem-solving skills and exhibited positive attitudes toward live online presentations via Zoom. However, this study observed significant differences in communication and teamwork skills, perceived learning, and confidence. Interviews with students with low English proficiency levels revealed that they were negatively affected by the lack of non-verbal cues, mechanical skills, and socialization time provided by online classes. Based on these results, pedagogical implications and directions for future studies are discussed.