Understanding E-learning Adoption and Acceptance during the Covid 19 Pandemic: The Influence of Self Efficacy

The world wide outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic reconfigured various landscapes in higher education as various institutions, lecturers and students were forced to adopt e-learning. However, the successful adoption and acceptance of e-learning by both lecturers and students involved has not been discussed and measured. This study seeks to investigate the influence of both the lecturer and student self efficacy on behavoral intention to use e-learning during the pandemic in the context of the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). Lecturer Self-Efficacy (LSE) and Student Self-Efficacy (SSE) were hypothesized to have a correlation with the perceived usefullness and perceived ease of use of e-learning systems as well as the attitude towards using those e-learning systems which resultantly influence the behavoural intention to use e-learning systems. A total of 362 questionnaires were received from both students and lecturers in Zimbabwe’s two universities and two polytechnics. Structural Equation Modelling was utilized to test the hypothesized conceptual model. Reliability and validity checks were done to the model instrument. Results indicated that both LSE and SSE have a positive influence on perceived ease of use but however, both LSE and SSE revealed a negative influence on perceived usefullness. Results also indicated that both LSE and SSE have a positive influence on attitude towards use of e-learning systems. The findings of the study contribute to the literature by highlighting the influence of LSE and SSE in the adoption and acceptance of e-learning systems in higher education.