Factors affecting e-collaboration technology use among management students

• Published in: Computers and education Vol. 51; no. 2; pp. 609 - 623
• Main Authors: Padilla-Meléndez, Antonio, Garrido-Moreno, Aurora, Del Aguila-Obra, Ana Rosa
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.09.2008; Elsevier
• Subjects: Applications in subject areas; Business Administration Education; College Students; Computer Mediated Communication; Cooperation; Cooperative/collaborative learning; Country-specific developments; Educational Technology; Foreign Countries; Gender Differences; Influences; Intention; Internet; Interviews; Knowledge Level; Self Efficacy; Spain; Structural Equation Models; Student Attitudes; Student Experience; Teaching/learning strategies; Spain; Cooperative/collaborative learning; Teaching/learning strategies; Applications in subject areas; Computer-mediated communication; Country-specific developments
• ISSN: 0360-1315; 1873-782X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.compedu.2007.06.013

This paper describes an exploratory study of 225 management students in a medium-sized university in southern Spain. The influences of gender and previous experience as determinants of technology use were analysed. Furthermore, a modified Technology Acceptance Model, using SEM, was applied to explain the influence of perceived computer self-efficacy on the intention to use Internet-based e-collaboration technologies in the learning–teaching process. This was completed with qualitative data from unstructured interviews with ten students. Our results suggest that the management student cannot be considered an advanced user of the Internet. Computer self-efficacy has a positive influence on intention to use the system. This intention is also influenced by attitude towards the system, but not directly by perceived usefulness. These and other contradictory findings are analysed in the paper.