The measurement of university student’s intention to use the real-time online learning in Sri Lanka

Abstract

The worldwide education system has experienced new-normal mode of teaching and learning with the prime support of the real-time online platforms especially during COVID-19 pandemic. However, the existing body of knowledge has not sufficiently dealt with it. To explore the student’s intention to use the real-time online learning, Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) has been adapted as the primary theoretical model. Followingly, the study attempted to decompose the TPB if the antecedents used three or more times in the literature. Consequently, the study recognized Perceived Usefulness, Perceived Ease of Use, Perceived Risk and Compatibility as the antecedents of Attitude, Perceived Self-Efficacy and Facilitating Conditions as the antecedents of Perceived Behavioral Control. This study used a structured online questionnaire to collect the responses from students of national universities in Sri Lanka. Consequently, 382 responses were collected. Data were analyzed using SmartPLS 4 and the proposed hypotheses were tested using PLS-SEM. All of the antecedents are also demonstrated to have a significant positive impact with the corresponding constructs of the TPB, in addition to the hypotheses put forth on attitude, perceived behavioral control, and subjective norm with the behavioral intention to use. The findings will be beneficial specifically to the policy makers to formulate key strategies to incorporate the real-time online learning in the education system, thus, the education will become more accessible and affordable.