The launch of HealthCare.gov, the website of the Affordable Care Act (AKA Obamacare), was a major public relations disaster for the Obama administration. This case examines some of the factors that contributed to the failure of the launch and then details how Optum, an information technology service provider, considered the opportunity provided by…

Companies purchase computer systems to make their processes more efficient through automation. Some academic medical centers (AMC) have purchased computer systems for their institutional review boards (IRB) to increase efficiency and compliance with regulations. IRB computer systems are expensive to purchase, deploy, and maintain. An AMC should…

In engineering education, assessment instruments are often developed to evaluate programs and projects. Unfortunately, these innovations are not always adopted by intended audiences. Rogers' Diffusion of Innovations (DI) Theory provides a framework to analyze characteristics of an innovation that will affect adoption. The Appraisal System for…

The purpose of this paper is to develop e-portfolio evaluation criteria which will be used to review the Blackboard LMS e-portfolio being used at one Higher Education (HE) institution in the UK as evaluation criteria for reviewing e-portfolio provision does not exist in the literature. The approach taken was to initiate a wide literature search…

Course Management Systems (CMSs) in higher education have emerged as one of the most widely adopted e-learning platforms. This study examines the success of e-learning CMSs based on user satisfaction and benefits. Using DeLone and McLean's information system success model as a theoretical framework, we analyze the success of e-learning CMSs in…

There is no shortage of online learning platforms available today. Whether it is Blackboard (www.blackboard.com), Desire2Learn (www.desire2learn.com), Sakai (www.sakaiproject.org), Moodle (www.moodle.org), Angel Learning (www.angellearning.com), Datatel (projected to be a CMS player in Q4 2008; www.datatel.com, or another product, chances are that…

This paper evaluates four tools for creating World Wide Web pages that interface with Microsoft Access databases: DB Gateway, Internet Database Assistant (IDBA), Microsoft Internet Database Connector (IDC), and Cold Fusion. The system requirements and features of each tool are discussed. A sample application, "The Virtual Help Desk"…

Discusses "REFLEX," a software package for scheduling. Explores the program's applications in preparing a departmental class schedule. Explains that "REFLEX" includes a filter function and some attributes of a spreadsheet but lacks the ability to interact with other databases. Concludes that the program can make scheduling…

A study of 170 undergraduates at the University of Washington examined the effect of terminology and screen layout on student ability to select databases from an initial online interface, "Session Manager." Results indicated that student ability to navigate menu screens was improved with expanded terminology and type grouping of online…

Contends that the proliferation of historical data has made knowledge of quantitative techniques and computers essential for the historian. Evaluates various database, statistical, and graphing packages available to scholars. Discusses implementing such technology in the teaching of history courses. (DB)

The Magazine and Journal Instructional Kit (MAJIK/1) is a HyperCard program delivering basic individualized library instruction. Using a technique derived from naturalistic inquiry, the program's formative evaluation was conducted at the University of Maryland, College Park, with 28 upperclassmen as subjects. They reported little difficulty with…

BUDCAT/MEDIT software mounted on Digital Equipment Corporation VAX equipment at the University of Saskatchewan Library has proven to be effective for rapidly creating a database for the collection of government publications. Simplified records and the ease of using this system have made it possible to create a database with only minimal additional…

Institutions of higher education are embracing the role of the Internet as a medium to promote on-demand communication between faculty and students. As such, online course management systems have become an efficient and effective means of facilitating learning outside the classroom. To ensure that a course management system meets the needs and…

Criticizes reviews of library CD-ROM products as being uncritical of the user interface and advocates a more rigorous evaluation, not only to aid potential buyers, but as a way to influence manufacturers. Congressional Information Services' Masterfile 2 is evaluated in the context of Heckel's "Principles of Friendly Software Design." (24…

This project was designed to provide a framework for user evaluation of software packages and hypertext environments in terms of the extent to which they provide flexibility for learners to follow their preferred learning styles. Evaluation was carried out in relation to hypertext packages, learning styles and outcomes, and system design. (four…