Factors Affecting Pre-service Teachers’ Acceptance of Online Learning to Promote Social Distancing

Abstract

The outbreak of the novel Coronavirus disease (COVID-19), which was declared a global pandemic on 11 March 2020, has upended the world. To combat its spread, social distancing was adopted as recommended by health professionals and the higher education institutions (HEIs) were not spared. Despite the continuation of the academic agenda, social distancing forced lecturers and their students apart. As a result, the goal of this study was to examine factors that influence pre-service teachers’ acceptance of online learning to promote social distancing. The study used a quantitative design, with data gathered from 163 pre-service teachers. It was underpinned by the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). Partial Least Squares–Structural Equation Modelling (PLS–SEM) was used to test the hypothesised model using SmartPLS version 3.2.8 in the analysis. The model identified six factors that predict pre-service teachers’ acceptance of online learning, with a variance of 66.8% in behavioural intention to use online learning. This means that the six factors were good predictors of pre-service teachers’ acceptance of online learning to promote social distancing. Pre-service teachers’ perceived attitude towards the use of online learning plays a key role in their acceptance of online learning given its explained variance of 54.7%. As a result, in order for online learning to properly promote social distancing, the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) should focus more on the factors that improve pre-service teachers’ attitude towards using it.