Online teaching intention among distance education course tutors: Modelling the effects of human resource factors and moderating role of gender

Abstract

This study examined the effect of human resource factors and the moderating role of gender on online teaching intention among course tutors in distance education. A quantitative approach and survey design were adopted for the study. Data were gathered with a self-administered questionnaire from 539-course tutors (teachers on the distance mode) in a university of distance education programmes. Data were analysed with the Partial Least Squares-Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) technique. The study found that remuneration and work relations were the two most important human resource factors that have significant predictive relationships with online use intention. Regarding the moderating role of gender, the results revealed that remuneration was relevant to both male and female facilitators. In addition, while work relations were found to be very important to male facilitators, retrenchment was considered to be important among female facilitators. It was therefore recommended that managers of distance education institutions pay attention to gender-biased human resource factors such as remuneration, work relations, and retrenchment as they embark on the use of online learning technologies for distance education delivery.