Abstract
In the current approach to university teaching, group-work constitutes an important learning tool for students. We use an extended version of the technology acceptance model (TAM) to explain the acceptance of Personal Learning Enviroment based on Google’s collaborative working tools, for self-directed (individual) and collaborative (group) learning.
The technological co-creation processes and the use of GoogleApps as a personal learning environment (PLE).
The work conducts an empirical application by implementing the TAM in a new sphere, namely that of Higher Education, and proposes that two antecedent variables be included in the model: subjective norms and social image.
The model was empirically evaluated using survey data collected from 267 students from a distribution management program that used Google applications (apps) to support project work. The principal contribution of the study lies in demonstrating the suitability of the TAM to explain the intention to use Google apps in the university context; and in explaining that the use of the ’subjective norms’ variable has a positive and significant effect on the variable ’perceived ease of use’ while the ’social image’ variable has a positive and significant effect on the ’perceived usefulness’ variable.
The work also demonstrates that both ‘subjective norms’ and ‘social image’ exert an indirect effect on ‘intention to use’ Google apps. These results have implications for the Higher Education teaching sector.