Title: The use of TAM to investigate university students' acceptance of the formal use of smartphones for learning: a qualitative approach

Authors: Al-Mothana Mustafa Gasaymeh; Dima Mohammad Waswas

Addresses: Department of Curriculum and Teaching, Al-Hussein Bin Talal University, Ma'an Governorate, Zip code 71111, Jordan ' Department of Curriculum and Teaching, Al-Hussein Bin Talal University, Ma'an Governorate, Zip code 71111, Jordan

Abstract: The purpose of the study was to investigate, through the lens of the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), university students' acceptance of the formal use of smartphones for their learning. A survey research approach was followed. Sixteen students participated in four focus-group interviews. Each group had four participants. Most participants expressed positive attitudes toward the use of smartphones for their learning. In line with the TAM model, the students reported the reasons for their positive attitudes toward the formal use of smartphones in learning. These reasons were strongly related to their perceptions of ease of use and the usefulness of smartphones for their daily life tasks and for informal learning.

Keywords: smartphone; TAM; technology acceptance model; smartphone in education; university students.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTEL.2019.098756

International Journal of Technology Enhanced Learning, 2019 Vol.11 No.2, pp.136 - 156

Received: 20 Mar 2017
Accepted: 25 Nov 2017
Published online: 02 Apr 2019 *

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