The effect of voluntariness on the acceptance of e-learning by nursing students.
Although e-learning is an innovation that is worth making generally available, it is not always accepted by nursing students. Many researchers state that voluntariness is closely related to the individual level of adoption of innovations. Hence, we hypothesized that voluntariness moderates the effect of perceived attributes of innovations (e.g. relative advantage, compatibility, complexity, trialability, and observability), which determines the acceptance of e-learning. To test the hypothesis a survey involving two groups of nursing students was carried out. For the first group the usage of e-learning was mandatory, for the second group it was optional. The results confirm our hypothesis. Institutions, interested in e-learning initiatives, should consider the effect of voluntariness when implementing e-learning. This paper provides a useful reference that can help e-learning providers to develop guidelines that can improve the acceptance of e-learning.
Žvanut
Boštjan
B
University of Primorska, College of Health Care Izola, Polje 42, 6310 Izola, Slovenia. bostjan.zvanut@vszi.upr.si
Pucer
Patrik
P
Ličen
Sabina
S
Trobec
Irena
I
Plazar
Nadja
N
Vavpotič
Damjan
D
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003258:Consumer Behavior; D003479:Curriculum; D003625:Data Collection; D020375:Education, Distance / Q000458:organization & administration*; D004506:Education, Nursing / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet / Q000458:organization & administration*; D007858:Learning; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D017524:Slovenia; D013338:Students, Nursing / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult