Abstract :
This study empirically evaluates the technology acceptance model drawn from
Information Systems (IS) literature to investigate howuser beliefs and attitudes
influence learning-object use among higher education learners by evaluating
the relationships between perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, attitude,
behavioural intentions and actual use. In the study, 601 potential learningobject
users were presented with an introductory demonstration of learning
objects for a Digital Systems course. Following the demonstration and practice,
data on user beliefs, attitudes and intention to use learning objects were gathered,
while data on actual use of learning objects was collected at the end of
the semester. Subjects with prior experience using the learning objects were
eliminated from further analysis, resulting in a final sample of 481 users.
structural equation modelling was employed to test the hypothesised study
model. The analysis showed that both the user beliefs and attitudes have significant
positive relationships with behavioural intention and that behavioural
intention accurately predicted the actual use of learning objects. The results
extend the validity of the TAM into a learning object context and clearly
pointed out that it can be used to predict users’ future behaviour
