Continuous intention formation in E-tutoring system: Examining the roles of self-determined motivators, social and technological influences

Abstract

To diminish the digital divide in remote areas, the Ministry of Education in Taiwan initiates the I-Taiwan Projects, providing a digital tutoring program with the platform for synchronously teaching and learning. The program recruited and trained college and university students for online teaching of elementary and junior high school students living in remote towns and villages. Despite the great efforts devoted to recruiting and training, college students for online tutoring still have the difficulties in retention and persistence in the program. This research attempts to examine the factors influencing continuous intention towards using E-tutoring system, particularly focus on the roles of self-determined motivators, as well as social and technological influences. The extended Technology Accepted Model (TAM) was integrated with self-determination theory of motivation and social influences to develop the research model. Using a field survey of 119 college students participated in the Digital Tutoring Program, the results empirically validates the hypothesized relationships, indicating that enjoyment (intrinsic motivator) and social presence (social influence factor) were found to be the most important determinants of e-tutors' continuous intention towards using e-tutoring system. The results show that self-determined motivators and social influence factor were useful for predicting continuance intention of e-tutoring system. Findings may provide some practical implications for setting expectations for college students' online tutorials, and the needs for e-tutoring system development.