Abstract:

Blended learning is a course delivery mode that combines the benefits of traditional classroom teaching (direct interaction, motivation, etc.) with those provided by online learning (flexibility, ubiquity, etc.). As for several universities, Laval University and especially the Faculté des sciences de l’administration (FSA), offers online courses for more than two decades. In order to take advantage of the benefits of the blended learning mode, it supported its distant courses with new technologies such as webinars. However, the use of these new technologies raises new challenges concerning their effectiveness and the user perception of their utility. The objective of this research was to study students’ acceptance of a webinar system known as Elluminate for their learning in a distance learning course. We have chosen to adopt a reference framework for user acceptance and use of information technologies evaluation: the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Uses of Technology (UTAUT) model. Four independent variables were retained: Performance Expectancy (PE), Effort Expectancy (EE), Social Influence (SI), and Facilitating Conditions (FC). Their direct positive effects on the dependent variable “Behavioral Intention to use Elluminate” (BI) constitute the tested hypotheses.
Participants were students enrolled in a compulsory undergraduate information system distance course for the winter semester 2012. Classroom sessions were held every week to provide more explanations to students. They were broadcasted live and recorded for later listening with Elluminate. A total of 116 students responded to an online questionnaire on a voluntary basis. Research variables were operationalized with 27 items borrowed from previous research and adapted to the research context.
In light of the research hypotheses, the sample size and the nature of the data, the selected statistical method was Partial Least Squares. As a result, three of the four postulated hypotheses were confirmed. Indeed PE, measured by the extent to which a student believes that Elluminate will improve his academic performance, has a positive effect on the intention to use the system (β = 0.50, t = 6.29, p < 0.01). However, the EE, expressed in terms of degree of ease associated with the use of Elluminate, has no effect on its intention to use the system. The SI of peers and teachers is a significant determinant of the intention to use Elluminate (β = 0.18, t = 2.19, p < 0.01). Finally, FC, measured by the availability and the access to support mechanisms, influence positively the intention to use Elluminate by students (β = 0.17, t = 2.10, p < 0.01). Overall, the independent variables explain 85.1% of the variability in the behavioral intentions to use Elluminate.
The results of our research have three main contributions. Firstly, it adds some evidence to scientific literature on the technology acceptance by validating the UTAUT model in a new context. Secondly, it brings some knowledge on the use of webinars, a new technological device seldom studied by previous research. Indeed, to our knowledge, there is no empirical study that has been conducted on the acceptance of webinars. Finally, on a practical level, this research could help teachers and academic practitioners to clarify their vision and improve their decisions about the use of the webinars in online courses. Our results provide them with elements that should be considered for a wider adoption of Elluminate.

Keywords:

Blended learning, Webinar, Elluminate, UTAUT, PLS.