Determinants of Learning Management System Adoption in an Era of COVID-19: Evidence from a Ghanaian University

Abstract

The integration of technology in higher education has reached a new dimension following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Institutions of higher learning such as the University of Education, Winneba have been compelled to expand its technological infrastructure for pedagogical purposes. It however appears that there is a dearth of knowledge regarding the students’ adoption of the University of Education, Winneba’s (UEW) Learning Management Systems (LMS) in an era of COVID-19. This study, therefore, assessed the determinants of e-learning adoption in an era of COVID-19 from the perspective of students in UEW. The explanatory sequential design was employed. The study randomly sampled 3272 students for quantitative data whilst 20 students were purposively sampled for the qualitative data. The quantitative data were analysed through Means and Standard Deviations as well as Stepwise Regression. The qualitative data were content analysed. The study found that the level of adoption of the LMS among UEW students was moderate. The study further established that perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use and attitude towards the LMS were significant predictors of students' adoption of the LMS. Nonetheless, age, faculty and level of ICT skills mediated the level of adoption of LMS. The study recommends that the Management of UEW LMS continue to conduct pragmatic and purposeful seminars and workshops to educate students about the adoption and benefits they stand to gain in using the LMS for their academic activities. Again, management needs to consider the age, faculty and level of ICT skills of the students in the implementation of subsequent online platforms for students.