Factors Affecting the Acceptance of Blended Learning in Medical Education: Application of UTAUT2 Model

Abstract

Background: Blended learning is a new approach toward improving the quality of medical education. Acceptance of blended learning plays an important role in its effective implementation. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate and determine the factors that may influence the behavioral intention to use of blended learning in medical education.Methods: In this cross-sectional, correlational study, the sample consisted of 225 Iranian medical sciences students. The theoretical framework for designing the conceptual model was UTAUT2. Data were analyzed using SPSS-18 and AMOS-23 software. Structural equation modeling technique was used to test the hypothesis.Results: The validity and reliability of the model constructs were acceptable. Performance expectance, effort expectance, social influence, facilitating conditions, hedonic motivation, price value and habit had a significant effect on students’ behavioral intention to use of blended learning. Additionally, Behavioral intention to use of blended learning also had a significant effect on students’ actual usage of blended learning (β=0.645, P≤0.01).Conclusion: The study revealed that the proposed framework based on UTAUT2 has good potential to identify factors influencing students' behavioral intention to using of blended learning. Universities can use the results of this study to design and implementation successful blended learning courses in medical education.

Determining Factors Affecting the Acceptance of Medical Education eLearning Platforms during the COVID-19 Pandemic in the Philippines: UTAUT2 Approach

“…Instructor attitudes, such as being able to fully utilize the eLearning platform, keep answering questions, keep encouraging and motivating, were some key indicators that led to the utilization of the eLearning platform among medical students. These findings were also supported by Azizi [ 28 ], who also found that IC is a significant predictor of the intention to use the eLearning platform. Similarly, Roman and Plopeanu [ 33 ] also stressed the importance of the role of professors in the success of the learning process.…”

“…In SEM, statistical tests define the adequacy of model fit. We assessed how well the UTAUT2 theory fit the data gathered [ 26 , 28 ]. With prominent consideration of a theory, the most common change would be the deletion of a latent that does not meet the model fit or construct validity [ 26 ].…”

“…Tarhini [ 37 ] also encountered the same results contradictory to their expectations. However, the findings of Azizi et al [ 28 ] and Ain et al [ 9 ] proved that the availability of technological infrastructures plays a vital role in the intention to use eLearning.…”

Comparison of the effectiveness of lecture instruction and virtual reality-based serious gaming instruction on the medical students’ learning outcome about approach to coma

“…SGUS consisted of 30 items and four sub-scales of satisfaction, efficiency, helpfulness and learn ability. All items were rated on a 5-point Likert scale measure from strongly disagree [ 1 ] to strongly agree [ 5 ]. The overall range of scale scores was from 30 to 150.…”

“…E-learning is one of the most important phenomena in the digital age [ 1 , 2 ]. One of the emerging forms of information and communication technology (ICT) is virtual reality which has many applications in e-learning [ 3 ].…”