Adoption of a Social Learning Platform in Higher Education: An Extended UTAUT Model Implementation

Abstract

The aim of this research is to investigate the factors influencing the adoption of a social learning platform called PairForm using an extended unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) model. The UTAUT extension consists of adding three personal characteristics of students, namely autonomy, anxiety, and attitude. Data obtained from 85 French-speaking students and 14 English-speaking students at the Skema Business School, a higher education institution, showed good reliability coefficients and satisfactory convergent and discriminant validities. Regression analysis suggests the facilitating conditions construct is the main predictor of behavioral intention to use and behavioral use of PairForm. Attitude is the only personal characteristic that explains behavioral intention to use. In the light of these results, we propose recommendations that, if implemented, could create more favorable conditions for the use of social learning technologies.