Barriers and Enablers in the Adoption of Homework Intelligent Tutoring Systems among University Students in Disadvantaged South African Areas

Abstract

Homework Intelligent Tutoring Systems (HITSs) are artificial intelligence-based tools that provide personalized learning support, yet their use in disadvantaged South African communities remains limited. This exploratory study examined the barriers and success factors that influence the adoption of HITSs among university students from underserved areas. Guided by Van Dijk’s Digital Access Theory and the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology, the study used a descriptive quantitative design. Data were collected through an online questionnaire using convenience and snowball sampling with a final sample of 37 participants. Descriptive and correlational analyses were performed in Excel. The findings show that the main barriers to HITSs adoption are infrastructure constraints, especially unreliable electricity, unstable internet access, and high data costs. Despite these challenges, students reported strong performance expectancy, effort expectancy, and intention to use the tools, suggesting that acceptance is influenced more by access limitations than by user attitudes. Privacy concerns were moderate, indicating limited awareness of data risks. The study extends both theoretical models by showing how access constraints shape technology acceptance in disadvantaged contexts. Practical recommendations include offline access, reduced data requirements, and multilingual support. The results are exploratory due to the small sample size and provide a foundation for future research.