Faculty acceptance of virtual teaching platforms for online teaching: Moderating role of resistance to change

Abstract

Under this “new normal” world scenario, online teaching has been essential rather than a choice in continuing learning activities. During the COVID-19 period, virtual teaching platforms played an important role in the success of online teaching in various higher educational institutions. Thus, the current study attempted to predict faculty adoption of online platforms by introducing a set of essential drivers for engaging in online teaching. Following the theory of reasoned action, the study broadened the technology acceptance model variables and security and trust as extrinsic determinants and included resistance to change as moderators to invigorate the research model. Data were collected through an online survey with a sample size of 418 Indian respondents. Our results posit that perceived ease of use, usefulness, security and trust positively influence the faculty's intentions to adopt online platforms. In addition, the study also reported that positive intention leads to the actual use of virtual platforms. Furthermore, the research found the moderating role of the resistance to change dimension in the association of intention and actual use of virtual teaching platforms. The findings provide both theoretical and practical applications of educational technology. Implications for practice or policy The first step for accepting virtual teaching platforms is to help faculty to reduce their resistance for effective online teaching. Higher education institutions should have a policy promising faculty that online teaching using virtual teaching platforms will offer a safer and more trustworthy environment. Higher education institutions should undertake intense organisational renewal and implement bottom-up processes for synchronous learning. Regulators could frame a policy including virtual teaching platforms to provide interactive professional development opportunities.