UNDERSTANDING MOBILE LEARNING IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA: APPLYING AND EXTENDING THE TECHNOLOGY ACCEPTANCE MODEL

Abstract

There is a proliferation of mobile technologies in developing countries whereby most students own mobile phones and other personal mobile technologies device that can offer more than sending long distance message. However schools, colleges and universities have not widely incorporated mobile devices in their teaching and learning practices. This paper explores the factors which influence students to adopt mobile technologies in education through the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), an influential theory used to explore the adoption of information systems. This study introduces mobile readiness, perceived mobility value, perceived privacy and perceived trust as external variables that reflect the student’s belief in mobile learning adoption. Data collected from respondents in Botswana were tested against a modified research model using structural equation modelling. The results indicated that perceived trust, mobile readiness, perceived privacy and perceived mobility value are crucial factors influencing students to adopt mLearning technologies. The findings provide in-depth knowledge derived from a theoretical model that assists in the successful adoption of mLearning. These findings imply that it is vital to teach students on the usefulness of these mLearning technologies before actual adoption as it helps to develop a positive attitude among the students. This work informs the development of an mLearning theory that comprehensively addresses the dimensions of mLearning.
Keywords: mLearning, technology education, technology acceptance model, tertiary education, structural equation modelling, mixed method strategy