The effect of hybrid learning in vocational education based on cloud space: Taking the vocational education cyber-platform as an example

Abstract

In recent years, instructors have had an increasing interest in integrating cloud-based education platform into their classroom as part of the learning environment, especially in China's vocational education. Hunan provincial Vocational Education Cyber-Platform (VECP) is the largest vocational education cloud in China. Compared with other information systems, vocational students' attitude, effect and behavioral intention towards hybrid learning have not been assessed and thoroughly understood. This paper analyses the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) in order to examine students' behavioral intention to use an electronic portfolio system. A Hybrid Learning Usage Questionnaire was developed using existing scales from prior TAM instruments and modified where appropriate. In our survey, 180 students completed the questionnaire measuring their responses to perceived usefulness (PU), perceived ease of use (PEOU), attitudes towards usage (ATU) and behavioral intention to use (BIU) the VECP. The results of the study indicated that students' perceived ease of use (PEOU) had a significant influence on attitude towards usage (ATU). Subsequently, perceived ease of use (PEOU) had the strongest significant influence on perceived usefulness (PU). The research further demonstrated that individual characteristics, technological factors and training experience may have a significant influence on instructors in adopting cloud-based hybrid learning into their courses in vocational education. © 2014 Springer International Publishing.