The Influence of the social, cognitive, and instructional dimensions on technology acceptance decisions among college-level students

Abstract

Technology acceptance models are primarily focused on the cognitive dimension of user beliefs. However, researchers have identified a range of situational and contextual factors that influence user attitudes and behavioral intention towards a given technology. We advance a situated model of e-learning acceptance among college students combining factors from the community of inquiry (COI) framework and the technology acceptance model (TAM), specifying core relationships within, and theoretically informed path relationships between the two frameworks. Using a sample of 121 respondents, we test a structural model using generalized structured component analysis. Collectively the situated model helped explain 63.7% variance in Behavioral Intention and 25% of the variance in Use suggesting that our model has strong explanatory power. Policymakers can leverage this information to boost acceptance of e-learning and platforms among their academic communities by promoting e-learning environments with strong Teacher, Social, and Cognitive Presence.