Abstracts


Hazari, S. & Thompson, S. (2015). Investigating factors affecting group processes in virtual
learning environments. Business and Professional Communication Quarterly,78(1), 33–54. DOI: 10.1177/2329490614558920

With the widespread popularity of distance learning, there is a need to investigate elements of online courses that continue to pose significant challenges for educators. One of the challenges relates to creating and managing group projects. This study investigated business students’ perceptions of group work in online classes. The constructs of learning and social interaction, process satisfaction, product satisfaction, and use of technology in the virtual learning environment were investigated. The use of social media networks by group participants was also examined. Recommendations are provided for business educators looking to develop or enhance teamwork in virtual learning environments


Hazari, S., & Brown, C. (2013). An Empirical Investigation of Privacy Awareness and Concerns on Social Networking Sites, 9(4), 31-51.

Privacy affects every user who exchanges information over the Internet. In the past few years, the growth of information on social networks (such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn) has increased exponentially. Companies are harvesting this information with and without the knowledge of individuals. While the exchange of information and seamless interaction between individuals and groups has become an easy task, issues related to this exchange, such as information privacy and security, have created new challenges. This study investigated respondents' attitudes towards privacy on social networking sites. In addition, the study sought to ascertain whether socio-demographic variables and knowledge of privacy issues influence attitudes and concerns towards using social computing sites. Data analysis includes descriptive profile analysis, and statistical validation of attitudes and privacy concerns by means of correlation, regression, and cluster analysis. There was a significant relationship between privacy awareness and knowledge based on information provided by respondents. Most socio-demographic variables did not show significant effects on information privacy concerns. Implications of the findings are discussed. Further research is needed to investigate individual concerns on specific information that is being collected, stored, and shared on popular social networking sites.

Hazari, S., Brown, C. O., Rutledge, R. (2013). Investigating marketing students' perceptitions of active learning and social collaboration in blogs. Journal of Education for Business. 88, 1-8.

Web 2.0 technology has found a niche in education. In response to students’ comfort level in using social media, many business educators have explored the use of Web 2.0 applications in courses. Research on the use of Web 2.0 tools to determine effectiveness for learning is still in its infancy. This study describes one such experiment in which students used blogs in several courses. Application of blogs in courses, and assessment of this technology in regards to affecting learning behavior, as well as perceptions of students towards blogs were studied. Recommendations, challenges, opportunities, and strategies for use of blogs in courses are provided in this research.


Hazari, S. & Richards, A. (2011). A Qualitative Study of Adoption of Social Media for Personal Finance Investing. Proceedings of the 14th Southern Association of Information Systems Conference, pp. 79-82. (Note: This study used QSR International nVivo 9 software for data analysis)

The use of social media tools has transformed the way individuals and businesses communicate. To increase market share and attract as well as retain customers, businesses are using social media platforms to add value to their products and services. One area in which many social media tools have been developed is Personal Finance investing. The purpose of this research-in-progress exploratory study is to investigate the diffusion of online communities and social media for personal finance investing by consumers, and their perceptions regarding use of these platforms. An online community of 131 members was surveyed on personal finance investment topics. A qualitative inductive approach was used to investigate member perceptions of social media communities, advantages, disadvantages of sharing and engagement prospects in a community, and features of social media considered most valuable by members. Results of this study will benefit consumers and investment provides looking to leverage social media tools for personal finance and investing.


Hazari, S. & Penland, T. (2010). Framework for developing and assessing business education wikis. International Journal of Web-based Learning and Teaching Technologies. 5(3), 1-13.

The use of Web 2.0 tools is becoming widespread in business education. Educators are increasingly exploring the use of Blogs, Wikis, and Podcasts in business courses. For teaching and learning to be effective in new technology-based environments, there is a need to research and design Web 2.0 learning systems that are effective platforms for incorporating interactive tools to engage students in learning. Although Web 2.0 assignments are usually tailored to meet specific learning objectives of courses and instructions can be made available to students to address the technical nature of the environment, development and assessment of Web 2.0 assignments remains a challenge for most business educators. Using the context of wikis, this article proposes a framework for development and assessment of business education wikis to assist educators who want to explore the use of wikis in their courses.

Hazari, S., North, A., Moreland, D. (2009). Investigating pedagogical implications of Wiki technology. Journal of Information Systems Education, 20(2), 187-198.

The use of Web 2.0 tools is becoming widespread in business education. Educators are increasingly exploring the use of Blogs, Wikis, and Podcasts in business courses. For teaching and learning to be effective in new technology-based environments, there is a need to research and design Web 2.0 learning systems that are effective platforms for incorporating interactive tools to engage students in learning. Although Web 2.0 assignments are usually tailored to meet specific learning objectives of courses and instructions can be made available to students to address the technical nature of the environment, development and assessment of Web 2.0 assignments remains a challenge for most business educators. Using the context of wikis, this article proposes a framework for development and assessment of business education wikis to assist educators who want to explore the use of wikis in their courses.

Hazari, S., Hargrave, W., & Clenney, B. (2009). An Empirical Investigation of Factors Influencing Information Security Behavior. Journal of Information Privacy and Security, 4(4), 3-20.

The topic of information security has been studied mostly in the context of organizational and enterprise security. Today, home users of computing technology are vulnerable to security breaches unless they use safeguards such as firewalls and antivirus programs. It is important to understand factors that influence home users to maintain information security. This study uses Ajzen's Theory of Planned Behavior to study factors related to business students' information security awareness. Demographic characteristics, attitudes, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control that affect behavioral intention were studied to identify determinants of information security behavior. It was found that intention to maintain information security behavior was predicted mostly by exogenous variables of attitude and confidence of participants in the study.


Hazari, S. (2024 - forthcoming).Justification and Roadmap for AI literacy courses in Higher Education, Journal of Educational Research & Practice

This paper presents a justification for the implementation of AI Literacy courses in higher education. Ethical concerns and biases surrounding AI technologies are explored, highlighting the importance of critical analysis and responsible use of AI. A conceptual framework is then proposed, focusing on awareness, skill development, and practical application of AI.

This framework aims to foster comprehensive understanding and empower students to leverage AI's potential while mitigating risks. The paper provides sample course titles and learning objectives. The suggested course format covers AI concepts, ethical considerations, bias awareness, and practical prompt engineering skills. There is a need for integrating AI literacy courses in higher education curriculum and this paper offers a roadmap for implementation. By equipping students with AI literacy, colleges can prepare students to responsibly navigate an AI-driven world while nurturing innovation and critical thinking skills that will be needed for future success.


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