Factors influencing university teachers' use of a mobile technology-enhanced teaching (MTT) platform.

Abstract

The main purpose of this study was to examine the critical factors influencing university teachers’ use of a mobile technology-enhanced teaching (MTT) platform during the new coronavirus (COVID-19) epidemic. An integrated model with multiple factors drawing from the theoretical models and learning theories was proposed in this study to examine university teachers’ intentions to use an MTT platform. The multiple factors included the individual factor (e.g., growth mindset, help seeking, and self-efficacy), the social factor (e.g., social norms), and the technological acceptance factor (e.g., perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use). The survey method was used to collect data on university teachers’ perceptions of the MTT platform use, and a two-step structural equation modeling approach was used for the data analysis. Based on the path analysis of a total of 214 valid responses, the results identified that growth mindset, help seeking, and self-efficacy from the individual factor, as well as perceived usefulness from the technology acceptance factor were the significant determinants of university teachers’ intentions to adopt the MTT. The contributions of this study are twofold. First, the proposed model was derived from multiple literature sources, providing a sound theoretical foundation to understand MTT platform use from an academic angle. Second, university teachers’ viewpoints are a unique observation of their actual platform use, providing practical insights into the improvement and maintenance of MTT-related platforms for all educators. The findings are especially valuable during the post-COVID-19 era.