Auto mechanic students' perceptions and readiness toward mobile learning in Thailand

Abstract

Access to quality education is now a huge challenge in Thailand with ever-increasing inequality between rural and urban populations. Existing teaching and learning facilities are no longer adequate. Mobile learning has been suggested as a sustainable and appropriate delivery mechanism to reduce this rural/urban education gap. Students are supplied with their own mobile device at no cost to learners or their families. Opportunities offered through mobile learning to auto mechanic education in Thailand were explored. Data from 384 auto mechanic students were collected and descriptive and multiple regression analyses were performed based on the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology 2 (UTAUT2) model. Results showed that performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, facilitating conditions, hedonic motivation and personal innovativeness were positively related to behavioral intention to use mobile learning. Furthermore, effort expectancy, hedonic motivation and personal innovativeness were the most significant predictors of behavioral intention to use mobile learning. Auto mechanic students in Thailand had positive perceptions toward mobile learning and the effect of students' effort expectancy provided a better explanation for the adoption of mobile learning in auto mechanic education.