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TopHypotheses And Research Model
Davis (1989) proposed the TAM to predict the acceptance of a technology system. The model comprises four core constructs: perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, attitude toward technology, and behavioral intention. Perceived usefulness refers to the belief that using the technology can improve their job performance. Perceived ease of use indicates the belief that using the technology is easy. Perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use are crucial variables that directly or indirectly explain behavioral intention.
Based on the original TAM, scholars have developed several models, including TAM2 (Venkatesh & Davis, 2000), TAM3 (Venkatesh & Bala, 2008), and the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT; Venkatesh et al., 2003), to overcome the TAM’s limited explanatory power. In addition, scholars have integrated extra variables into the TAM to fit their research contexts (Al-Fraihat et al., 2020; Cheung & Vogel, 2013; Mohammadi, 2015). Despite its shortcomings, the TAM remains a powerful model for explaining technology acceptance with empirical support in different information technologies (Antonietti et al., 2022).
Although many empirical studies have tested the validity of the TAM, some differences in the statistical significance of path coefficients exist in the TAM across studies in education (Scherer et al., 2019). For instance, not every study has verified the significant influence of perceived ease of use on perceived usefulness. Some studies have indicated that perceived usefulness has a more substantial impact on behavior intention than perceived ease of use, while other studies have found the opposite. Differences in research contexts may be an essential reason for these studies’ inconsistencies (Scherer et al., 2019). Such inconsistencies suggest that examining the TAM while considering the specific research context is still necessary. This study focused on OTPs used in universities to engage teachers and students in course teaching and learning activities; these OTPs differ from e-learning, online courses, and online learning systems. Based on this research context, we introduced a new variable, social influence, into the TAM. Furthermore, additional demands are required to examine the relationship among perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and social influence, as well as their impact on college students’ intention to use the OTPs. Our investigation also constitutes a further step toward validating the TAM in the context of OTPs.
Effect of Perceived Usefulness
Perceived usefulness reflects an individual’s view of the impact of external information systems or technologies on their job performance (Davis, 1989). Previous studies have found a positive relationship between the perceived usefulness of an information system and the intention to use it (Mohammadi, 2015; Scherer et al., 2019). Regarding OTPs, their main functions for students include providing resources for learning, attending classes online, and interacting with other students and teachers in real time. If students think OTPs can enable them to learn effectively, finish course tasks, and even enhance learning achievements, they are more likely to adopt and use them (Dai et al., 2020; De Barba et al., 2016). This paper thus proposes the following hypothesis: