Arab Educational Information Network

As in many developing countries, the Saudi government is seeking to introduce modern technology into its educational system. However, digital technologies are not fully accepted and used in Saudi secondary schools, and this thesis was undertaken to understand why this is the case and to recommend more effective strategies to assist teachers to effectively use e-learning technologies and resources. The Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) model has been widely used in the field of Information Systems to explain technology acceptance and use. However, studies that use the UTAUT to test technology acceptance in the field of learning have not fully explored developing countries, as most studies have been conducted in Europe and the USA. Furthermore, its use has been relatively limited in the field of education; and further exploration in this context would raise understanding of the value of the UTAUT theory. A proposed revised model with the additional factors of teachers’ educational experience, education policy, attitudes towards using technology and teacher anxiety was designed for the Saudi secondary context to support fuller analysis of the acceptance and use of e-learning technologies by teachers; and to include their perceptions and practical and affective experiences. The study uses mixed methods to investigate e-learning technology acceptance in secondary schools in a regional Saudi context characterized by remote mountainous areas, rural villages and urban areas. An online survey was conducted among 347 Saudi secondary school teachers in the Jazan area of Saudi Arabia, and subsequent interviews focused on areas highlighted by the results of the survey. The results revealed that performance and effort expectancy, attitudes, and education policy have positive effects on teachers’ intention to incorporate e-learning technologies and that anxiety has a significant negative effect. These behavioural intentions, facilitating conditions and teachers’ educational experience have positive effects on the actual use of e-learning technologies. The study also clarifies the state of e-learning in Saudi secondary schools and the role played by demographic variables, the school environment and teachers’ digital literacy. The study outcomes will both illuminate regional policy issues in e-learning technologies and advance the debate on conceptual understanding of technology acceptance in education by refining the UTAUT model to suit the context; leading to a deeper understanding of the factors which are barriers to accessing the advantages of e-learning technologies in the context of a developing country. (Author’s abstract)