Acceptance of online social networks as technology-based education tools among higher institution students: Structural equation modeling approach

Document Type : Research Note

Authors

Faculty of Computer Systems and Software Engineering, Universiti Malaysia Pahang Lebuhraya Tun Razak, 26300 Gambang, Pahang, Malaysia

Abstract

Educational institutes are adopting Online Social Networks (OSNs) to facilitate learning activities in university campuses. However, before implementation a new technology there is need to identify and measure the factors that influence users' acceptance of the new technology. This will aid to critically predict the success or failure of the new technology that is to be adopted. Therefore, this study aims to identify the factors that influence student’s acceptance of online social networks as learning tool. Besides, a research model is developed based on the identified factors grounded on Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). In addition, Structural Equation Model (SEM) was employed to validate the developed model hypotheses based data collected by employing online survey from 537 students in University Malaysia Pahang (UMP). Furthermore, findings from this study have significant implications and considerable value for higher educational institutes to devise better strategies for adoption of OSNs' as a learning tool.

Keywords

Main Subjects


References:
1. Hew, K.F. and Cheung, W.S. "Use of Web 2.0 technologies in K-12 and higher education: The search for evidence-based practice", Educ. Res. Rev., 9, pp. 47-64 (2013).
2. Jabr, N.H. "Social networking as a tool for extending academic learning and communication", Int. J. Bus. Soc. Sci., 2(12) (2011).
3. Al-sharafi, M.A., Arsha, R.A., Abu-shanab, E., and Elayah, N. "The effect of security and privacy perceptions on customers' trust to accept internet banking services: An extension of TAM literature review", J. Eng. Appl. Sci., 11(3), pp. 545-552 (2016).
4. Wang, Q., Woo, H.L., Quek, C.L., Yang, Y., and Liu, M. "Using the Facebook group as a learning management system: An exploratory study", Br. J. Educ. Technol., 43(3), pp. 428-438 (2012).
5. Hamid, S., Waycott, J., Chang, S., and Kurnia, S. "Appropriating online social networking (OSN) activities for higher education: Two Malaysian cases", Chang. Demands, Chang. Dir. Proc. Ascilite Hobart, pp. 526-538 (2011).
6. Anthony Jnr, B., Abdul Majid, M., and Romli, A. "Case based reasoning for green information systems infusion and assimilation among IT professionals in university campuses", Sci. Iran., Special Issue on Socio-Cognitive Eng., 26(1) (2018).
7. Hajli, M., Bugshan, H., Lin, X., and Featherman, M. "From e-learning to social learning-a health care study", Eur. J. Train. Dev., 37(9), pp. 851-863 (2013).
8. Irwin, C., Ball, L., Desbrow, B., and Leveritt, M. "Students' perceptions of using Facebook as an interactive learning resource at university", Australas. J. Educ. Technol., 28(7), pp. 1221-1232 (2012).
9. Selwyn, N. "Social media in higher education", Eur. World Learn., pp. 1-10 (2012).
10. Sahin, H. and Topal, B. "Impact of information technology on business performance: Integrated structural equation modeling and artificial neural network approach", Sci. Iran., 25(3), pp. 1272-1280 (2018).
11. Dumpit, D.Z. and Fernandez, C.J. "Analysis of the use of social media in higher education institutions (HEIs) using the technology acceptance model", Int. J. Educ. Technol. High. Educ., 14(1), p. 5 (2017).
12. Elkaseh, A.M., Wong, K.W., and Fung, C.C. "Perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness of social media for e-learning in Libyan higher education: A structural equation modeling analysis", Int. J. Inf. Educ. Technol., 6(3), p. 192 (2016).
13. Al-Daihani, S.M. "Students' adoption of Twitter as an information source: An exploratory study using the technology acceptance model", Malaysian J. Libr. & Inf. Sci., 21(3), pp. 57-69 (2016).
14. Al-rahmi, W.M., Othman, M.S., and Yusuf, L.M. "Social media for collaborative learning and engagement: Adoption framework in higher education institutions in Malaysia", Mediterr. J. Soc. Sci., 6(3 S1), p. 246 (2015).
15. Milosevic, I., Zivkovic, D., Arsic, S., and Manasijevic, D. "Facebook as virtual classroom-social networking in learning and teaching among Serbian students", Telemat. Informatics, 32(4), pp. 576-585 (2015).
16. Ainin, S., Naqshbandi, M.M., Moghavvemi, S., and Jaafar, N.I. "Facebook usage, socialization and academic performance", Comput. & Educ., 83, pp. 64-73 (2015).
17. Mohammadi, H. "Investigating users' perspectives on e-learning: An integration of TAM and IS success model", Comput. Human Behav., 45, pp. 359-374 (2015).
18. Al-Ammary, J.H., Al-Sherooqi, A.K., and Al-Sherooqi, H.K. "The acceptance of social networking as a learning tools at University of Bahrain", Int. J. Inf. Educ. Technol., 4(2), p. 208 (2014).
19. Sanchez, R.A., Cortijo, V., and Javed, U. "Students' perceptions of Facebook for academic purposes", Comput. & Educ., 70, pp. 138-149 (2014).
20. Dhume, S.M., Pattanshetti, M.Y., Kamble, S.S., and Prasad, T. "Adoption of social media by business education students: Application of technology acceptance model (TAM)", in Technology Enhanced Education (ICTEE), 2012 IEEE International Conference on, pp. 1-10 (2012).
21. Mufadhal, M.E., Sahabudin, N.A., and Al-Sharafi, M.A. "Conceptualizing a model for adoption of online social networks as a learning tool", Advanced Science Letters, 24(10), pp. 7747-7750 (2018).
22. Lim, J. and Richardson, J.C. "Exploring the effects of students' social networking experience on social presence and perceptions of using SNSs for educational purposes", Internet High. Educ., 29, pp. 31-39 (2016).
23. Chintalapati, N. and Daruri, V.S.K. "Examining the use of YouTube as a learning resource in higher education: Scale development and validation of TAM model", Telemat. Informatics, 34(6), pp. 853-860 (2016).
24. Teo, T. "The impact of subjective norm and facilitating conditions on pre-service teachers' attitude toward computer use: A structural equation modeling of an extended technology acceptance model", J. Educ. Comput. Res., 40(1), pp. 89-109 (2009).
25. Choi, G. and Chung, H. "Elaborating the technology acceptance model with social pressure and social benefits for social networking sites (SNSs)", Proc. Am. Soc. Inf. Sci. Technol., 49(1), pp. 1-3 (2012).
26. Davis, F.D. "Perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and user acceptance of information technology", MIS Q., 13(3), pp. 319-340 (1989).
27. Lambert, D.M. and Harrington, T.C. "Measuring nonresponse bias in customer service mail surveys", J. Bus. Logist., 11(2), p. 5 (1990).
28. Evans, C., Raymond Hackney, D., Rauniar, R., Rawski, G., Yang, J., and Johnson, B. "Technology acceptance model (TAM) and social media usage: an empirical study on facebook", J. Enterp. Inf. Manag., 27(1), pp. 6-30 (2014).
29. Nunnally, J.C. and Bernstein, I.H., Psychological Theory, New York, NY McGraw-Hill (1994).
30. Hair Jr, J.F., Hult, G.T.M., Ringle, C., and Sarstedt, M. "A primer on partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM)", Sage Publications (2016).
31. Motaghian, H., Hassanzadeh, A., and Moghadam, D.K. "Factors affecting university instructors' adoption of web-based learning systems: Case study of Iran", Comput. & Educ., 61, pp. 158-167 (2013).
32. Mouakket, S. "Factors influencing continuance intention to use social network sites: The Facebook case", Comput. Human Behav., 53, pp. 102-110 (2015).
33. Cheung, R. and Vogel, D. "Predicting user acceptance of collaborative technologies: An extension of the technology acceptance model for e-learning", Comput. Educ., 63, pp. 160-175 (2013).
34. Padilla-MeleNdez, A., Del Aguila-Obra, A.R., and Garrido-Moreno, A. "Perceived playfulness, gender differences and technology acceptance model in a blended learning scenario", Comput. & Educ., 63, pp. 306-317 (2013).
35. Abbad, M.M., Morris, D., and De Nahlik, C. "Looking under the bonnet: Factors affecting student adoption of e-learning systems in Jordan", Int. Rev. Res. Open Distrib. Learn., 10(2), pp. 1-25 (2009).