The Acceptance Behavior of Blended Learning in Secondary Vocational School Students: Based on the Modified UTAUT Model

Abstract

With the COVID-19 pandemic, the importance of online learning for students and teachers in schools across the country has become more crucial than ever. Blended learning, combining online and offline learning, has gradually developed into a new normal mode in primary and secondary schools. However, the factors influencing the acceptance behavior of secondary vocational school students have been inadequately investigated and have failed to address if secondary vocational students are willing to accept this learning model. This study aimed to analyze the influential factors and measure the behavioral acceptance of blended learning. This study adopted the modified model of the unified theory of acceptance use of technology (UTAUT) to understand the behavioral acceptance of blended learning from secondary vocational school students. Multiple-item scales were established, based on validated previous measurement scales and adjusted following the characteristics of secondary vocational school students. Data from 240 valid samples were analyzed statistically, applying the partial least square structural equation modelling. The results indicated that the acceptance intention was positively influenced by students’ perceptions of social influence, facilitating conditions, perceived joyfulness, self-learning management and self-efficacy. Meanwhile, performance expectancy and effort expectation were insignificant. Personal characteristics, such as gender, grade, voluntariness and experience, insignificantly adjusted the influence of all factors on the acceptance of blended learning. The conclusion of this study can provide some theoretical support and practical guidance for the improvement of blended learning quality in secondary vocational schools. The results indicated that students’ perceptions of SI, FC, PJ, SM, and SE could positively anticipate the UA to accept blended learning, having a relatively strong influence from SE and PJ.