Investigating Factors Influencing Students’ Behavioral Intentions Towards Mobile Learning Devices in Higher Educational Institutions

Abstract

This study adopted two key variables of the technology acceptance model, thus perceived usefulness, self-efficacy, and (gratification) variable of uses and gratification theory to understand how the three variables predict students’ behavioral intentions towards the use of mobile learning devices (MLDs). The sample was drawn from 447 selected participants from four private universities in Gaborone, Botswana. The researcher analyzed the data and presented the findings by testing the suggested research model and the hypotheses through structural equation modeling. Regression analysis was carried out with SmartPLS to assess the path coefficient of the data collected for the model. The findings suggest that two of the key variables tested, thus self-efficacy and perceived usefulness of MLDs positively influenced students’ gratification and were statistically significant. However, two out of the three of the determinant variables of perceived usefulness (information seeking, and social connections) all had positive relations with students’ perceptions of gratification, and behavioral intentions towards MLDs. This study concludes that, information seeking, and social connections variables of the perceived usefulness, connote the positive relationships with students’ perceptions of gratification with MLDs. Furthermore, the findings suggest that students could improve behavioral intentions concerning the relevance of MLDs application in institutions of higher learning by applying varied MLDs at their disposal.