Extending the UTAUT Model of Tencent Meeting for Online Courses by Including Community of Inquiry and Collaborative Learning Constructs

Abstract

Synchronous videoconferencing has been chosen as a platform for conducting online courses after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, its acceptance has yet to be explored from interactive and cognitive aspects. This study aims to investigate factors influencing students’ acceptance of the online learning platform- Tencent Meeting/VooV Meeting, extending the UTAUT model by adding community of inquiry and collaborative learning constructs as external factors. A total of 1058 participants’ responses were collected in the autumn semester of 2022, and the survey results were analyzed using structural equation modeling. The results show that most of the influencing factors proposed in the extending UTAUT model apply to Tencent Meeting. Specifically, performance expectancy, social influence, and cognitive presence can positively and significantly predict behavioral intention in using Tencent Meeting for online courses at the 0.001 level. Facilitating conditions and behavioral intention are both determinants of usage behavior. Teaching presence and collaborative learning can positively predict cognitive presence, which is the most influential factor of behavioral intention, indicating that collaborative learning and cognitive presence should be vital considerations in promoting the usage of online learning platforms. The present study expands upon our comprehension of the determinants that impact the utilization of Tencent Meeting, thereby offering recommendations for the development of online platforms according to the cognitive and interactive necessities of students. Instructors may contemplate the creation of online exercises that necessitate higher levels of collaboration to enhance student engagement and encourage cognitive presence, addressing students’ cognitive developmental demands in a supportive manner. This study is limited to the number of selected variables used to explicate the adoption of Tencent Meeting by users with the aid of UTAUT and the community of inquiry framework. It is anticipated that subsequent research may expand upon the array of variables under consideration, such as task-technology fit, usage habits, and information technology competence. The respondents surveyed primarily comprised individuals affiliated with Chinese language universities, with an imbalanced gender distribution, and an over-representation of liberal arts majors. Thus, the generalizability of the research could be impeded. Therefore, to augment the external validity of the study, future research may collect data from various educational levels and cultural backgrounds to corroborate the research outcomes.