Lessons from business education's online transition: A Saudi Arabian case study

Abstract

We survey business school faculty and students from a major Saudi Arabian university that transitioned to online learning because of the COVID-19 lockdown. This study leverages the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) framework to explore the factors influencing faculty and student willingness and acceptance of online learning as we move to a post-COVID-19 new normal. We use partial least square structural equation modeling to examine the factors that impact faculty and student satisfaction and their behavioral intention to the continued use of online learning in the future. The results of the study indicate that when faculty perceive that e-learning improves their teaching performance and effectiveness (performance expectancy) and find that online teaching tools are relatively easy to use (effort expectancy) then they are more open to consider online teaching and using digital tools even after the pandemic. Further analysis, however, indicates that as faculty perceive a greater loss of control in the classroom, they are less likely to consider teaching/learning online courses and using digital tools in the future. Like faculty, students value online learning when they perceive it helps improve their learning and performance (performance expectancy) and find that e-learning tools are easy to use (effort expectancy) but in contrast to faculty, image, and peer pressure (Social influence) also plays an important role in their acceptance of online learning. Additionally, the changing classroom dynamics, specifically the professor-student power equation under online teaching, is less of a concern for students as compared to faculty.