Structural Equation Modeling Factors That Influence Online Course Acceptance in University Students

Abstract

Online courses are currently growing rapidly, influenced by various factors, especially among college students. This study uses the Technology Acceptance Model, by adding the variable of facilitating conditions. This study aims to determine the effects of perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, and facilitating conditions on the actual use of online courses, mediated by intention to use. This study is the first conducted on students in university in South Sumatra, Indonesia, who have used or are currently using online courses. The data collection was carried out from June 24, 2024, to August 9, 2024. The research instrument used was a questionnaire based on a 5-point Likert scale. The sampling technique used in this study was purposive sampling, targeting students at universities under the Higher Education Service Institution Region II in Indonesia. A total of 360 students participated as respondents. The questionnaire results were analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling – Partial Least Squares (SEM-PLS). Data analysis was conducted using the SmartPLS software, version 4.1.1.2. The results showed that perceived ease of use had a significant influence on intention to use (path coefficient = 0.281, T-statistic = 6.642, P-value = 0.000), and perceived usefulness also had a positive influence on intention to use (path coefficient = 0.155, T-statistic = 4.545, P-value = 0.000). Facilitating conditions also had a positive influence on intention to use (path coefficient = 0.476, T-statistic = 8.880, P-value = 0.000), and intention to use significantly influenced actual use (path coefficient = 0.452, T-statistic = 10.490, P-value = 0.000). These findings highlight the important role of perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, and facilitating conditions—mediated by intention to use—in significantly influencing the actual use of online courses among students, particularly at universities under the jurisdiction of the Higher Education Service Institution Region II in Indonesia.