Paper Number
1186
Paper Type
Complete Research Paper
Abstract
Amidst the abundance of studies on exploring and utilizing digital technologies during the pandemic, there remains a scarcity of research regarding technology adoption during other types of crises. Through a longitudinal interview study involving 40 teachers and students from Ukrainian Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), our research focuses on the following question: How does the exploration and exploitation of digital technologies evolve in response to events of a wartime crisis? Our findings indicate that during wartime, people predominantly lean towards exploitation. Challenges such as stress, infrastructure damage, limited access to digital tools, and the necessity to reduce cognitive burden hinder their willingness to experiment with new technologies. Both teachers and students also tend to forsake digital solutions, resorting instead to analog alternatives, thereby emphasizing the need for a more intricate and flexible model for exploring and exploiting digital technologies during periods of crises.
Recommended Citation
Berbyuk Lindström, Nataliya; Asatiani, Aleksandre; and Kononova, Natalia, "Exploitation and Exploration of Digital Technologies in Times of War: Experiences of Ukrainian Higher Education Institutions" (2024). ECIS 2024 Proceedings. 10.
https://aisel.aisnet.org/ecis2024/track20_adoption/track20_adoption/10
Exploitation and Exploration of Digital Technologies in Times of War: Experiences of Ukrainian Higher Education Institutions
Amidst the abundance of studies on exploring and utilizing digital technologies during the pandemic, there remains a scarcity of research regarding technology adoption during other types of crises. Through a longitudinal interview study involving 40 teachers and students from Ukrainian Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), our research focuses on the following question: How does the exploration and exploitation of digital technologies evolve in response to events of a wartime crisis? Our findings indicate that during wartime, people predominantly lean towards exploitation. Challenges such as stress, infrastructure damage, limited access to digital tools, and the necessity to reduce cognitive burden hinder their willingness to experiment with new technologies. Both teachers and students also tend to forsake digital solutions, resorting instead to analog alternatives, thereby emphasizing the need for a more intricate and flexible model for exploring and exploiting digital technologies during periods of crises.
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