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A framework of students' reasons for using CMC media in learning contexts: A structural approach

Motivated by the increasing popularity of computer-mediated communication (CMC) media in university students' learning, this study employs a four-stage novel approach for analyzing and developing a structured hierarchy framework for students' usage of CMC media in learning contexts. First, media characteristics and the Uses and Gratifications (U&G) approach were adopted to understand student-specific reasons for using media. Second, a set of relevant data concerning the university students' reasons for using CMC media was collected by the Repertory Grid Interview Technique (RGT) and analyzed qualitatively using content analysis. The Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM) technique was then used to develop a six-level hierarchical structural model of media use reasons. Finally, the cross-impact matrix multiplication applied to classification (MICMAC) technique was used to analyze the driver and dependence power for each media use reason and identify the hidden and indirect relationships among all reasons. The reasons related to students' use of CMC were classified as independent variables, linkage variables, and dependent variables. The study provides a validated typology of different clusters of interrelated students' reasons for using CMC media in learning contexts. The findings of this study will have significant implications and will be helpful for researchers, university policy-makers, instructors, and organizations in framing CMC technology implementation and use strategies. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.