Online Learning Apps Adoption in the Saudi Context: A Perspective on the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology

Abstract

The aim of this study is to determine the behavioural intentions and actual usage of online learning apps through the lens of the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology, which is a synthesis of numerous theories and models and is most commonly used to examine technology adoption behaviours. The study has utilised an exploratory research design, and data were collected using a questionnaire survey. The items used for establishing the questionnaire to measure the study constructs are adopted from different valid studies conducted previously. The current study examines the role of various factors, including performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, hedonic motivations, price value, and habits on the behavioural intentions of Saudi students using online learning apps. The data were collected from 245 Saudi university students and then analysed using structural equational modelling. The results highlight that an emphasis on all the theory elements, including performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, hedonic motivations, price value, and habits, can positively lead to behavioural intention to use online learning apps, leading in turn to actual usage. Although these results can be put into the context of future studies, the study encourages practitioners, policymakers, and educational designers to focus on performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, habit, price value, and hedonic motivation when designing and adopting online learning apps for Saudi university students. KEYWORDS educational technology, m-learning, higher education, technology acceptance, Saudi Arabia