User acceptance of learning management systems in Moroccan higher education: A TAM2-based study

Résumé

The present study aims to evaluate the experience of e-learning students in the context of higher education regarding the use of a learning management system (LMS) named Marketing PSJ. This platform aims to participate in the digital transition by making marketing education accessible to a wide audience of students and professionals, in a sustainable development approach in Morocco. This study is based on a quantitative analysis employing a form filled out by 240 users.

The study explores different technology acceptance models, referring to the technology acceptance model TAM (Davis, 1986), the revised version TAM 2 (Venkatesh and Davis, 2000), and the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) (Venkatesh, Morris, and Davis, 2003). This exploration allowed us to choose our framework based on TAM2, as it is generally a robust option for evaluating a distance learning platform (LMS).

Preliminary results show positive feedback regarding the use of the PSJ marketing platform. With a sample that constitutes 40% of the population, which is considered very significant, the validity tests that have been carried out indicate an excellent score with a KMO index of 0.907 and a favorable sphericity index. All this constitutes a strong starting point for pursuing research in this same direction in order to validate our hypothesis extracted from the TAM 2 model.

The results confirm the validity of several hypotheses. First, the perception of usefulness (H1) and attitude towards use (H3) which are significant factors in predicting the intention to use the platform. These two variables show high and significant coefficients, this underlines the importance of the perceived functionality of the platform and positive feelings towards its use on the intention to use.

Social influence (H4), is also validated as a predictive factor of the intention to use. This highlights the role of social impact in the students' decision. On the other hand, perceived ease of use (H2) and facilitating conditions (H5) do not have a statistically significant effect on the intention to use. These results may suggest that, for students, the perception of ease of use and available resources is not a major criterion, unlike perceived usefulness and social influence.

 This study highlights the main factors that influence the acceptance and use of online learning platforms in higher education, thus offering avenues to strengthen students' engagement with digital tools in the Moroccan context. The results highlight the importance of appropriate design and promotion of platforms to meet students' needs and motivations. This research lays the foundation for further study of technology adoption in education, supporting the continued integration of digital solutions to enrich learning experiences in higher education in a rapidly changing world, especially in terms of technology.

Keywords: e-learning, learning management systems (LMS), technology acceptance model(TAM),Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) .               

JEL Classification: I23, M15, D83

Paper type: Empirical study