The Influence of Culture on the Use of Information Technology in Learning in Hong Kong’s Higher Education

Abstract

Nowadays, information technology (IT) is widely used in learning in various ways, such as searching information from the internet, open-source learning methods like Moodle, Blackboard, and instant message applications like WhatsApp and WeChat, distance learning etc. The advances in information technology have significantly changed ways of teaching and learning in higher education. A number of researches investigate the acceptance of using technology based on various kinds of models, such as Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) or Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) models [1, 2, 3]. However, there is a lack of literature talking about the direct antecedents of Hofstede’s cultural dimensions on the behavioural intention and using behaviour of information technology in a learning context. This research is going to investigate the direct influence of culture on the use of information technology in learning in Hong Kong’s Higher Education based on cross-cultural research literature, in which [4] widely cited dimensions of national culture, namely masculinity/femininity, individualism/collectivism, uncertainty avoidance, power distance. Five specific hypotheses are then formed to investigate how these dimensions influence the behavioural intention and the actual behaviour of information technology in learning. The results show that there is no relationship between masculinity/femininity and behaviour intention in using information technology in Hong Kong’s Higher Education. However, individualism/collectivism, power distance and uncertainty avoidance will affect behavioural intention in using information, while behavioural intention will have an effect on actual behaviour in using information technology in Hong Kong/s Higher Education.