E-Learning acceptance among university students in Iran during the Covid-19 pandemic - Abstract, Keywords, Highlights, and Introduction

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Aran

Evaluating e-learning acceptance at universities in Iran during the Covid-19 pandemic identifies key challenges and students’ preferences. During lockdown, virtual classes used online platforms based on universities’ facilities, motivating a quantitative study grounded in the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and external factors: perceived resources, subjective norms, and Covid-19 stress. Data were analyzed using Partial Least Squares (PLS) with 136 students sampled for PLS. Results show perceived ease of use strongly predicts perceived usefulness and both predict attitude; attitude and subjective norms drive behavioral intention.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

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Pages21

Reading Time53 min

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Abstract

Keywords

Highlights

What is already known about this topic

This paper contributes

Implications for theory, practice and/or policy

Introduction

E-Learning acceptance among university students in Iran during the Covid-19 pandemic Tahereh Kazemzadeh Abstract: Evaluating e-learning acceptance at the universities in Iran during the Covid-19 pandemic was conducted to discover the challenges and students’ preferences. During the lockdown, virtual classes run in Iran by using online platforms based on universities’ facilities. The importance of online education led to form the framework of this quantitative study based on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and external factors including perceived resources, subjective norms, and Covid-19 stress. The Partial Least Squares (PLS) was used to analyze data. To generate a consistent model and reliable results, 136 students were the sample size which was identified based on the exact calculations for PLS sampling. The questionnaire which was prepared in Google Drive was distributed through the online universities’ groups. The results disclosed that perceived ease of use was a strong predictor of perceived usefulness. Both perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use displayed a significant role as a predictor of attitude. Behavioral intention to use was influenced meaningfully by attitude and subjective norms. The effect of behavioral intention on online system usage was proved , on the contrary, the influence of COVID-19 stress on online system usage was not confirmed. It is hoped that a standard scale would be introduced by future psychological studies to fill the lack of information about COVID- 19’s mental facets. This study confirmed the significant effects of e-learning challenges on students’behavior toward using online systems. Future research might explore each university platform separately in order to offer suitable solutions based on each university’s needs. Keywords: Online learning, E-learning, Technology acceptance model, Covid-19 pandemic, online educational challenges Highlights What is already known about this topic: • The Covid-19 pandemic led to the collapse of face-to-face learning-teaching method of education. • The lack of studies that have explored the acceptance of online learning during the Covid-19 pandemic is obvious. • TAM model was used widely to examine the acceptance of new technology in Iran. This paper contributes: • The Covid-19 stress does not influence the system usage among Iranian students. • Perceived ease of use is a strong predictor of perceived usefulness. • E-learning challenges affect students’ behavior toward using the online platform. Implications for theory, practice and/or policy: • The students in Iran , in the first place, gave precedence to an easy-to-use online platform, on the second place , they referred to its usefulness. • The online technical support and the infrastructure affect the smooth use of online- learning. • Applying the PLSpredict procedures in Smart PLS 3.3.2 increases the out-of-sample prediction power of the model of this study. Introduction Human communication methods change in the 21st century by improving technology. The Internet penetration rate can be evidence of the important role of the Internet and linked technologies (Bishop & Verleger, 2013) . The educational system is one of the important parts that has been influenced by these new technologies , as a result, it needs some reforms in order to satisfy young generations. During the COVID-19 pandemic , which has spread rapidly since December 2019 and led to severe outbreaks (WHO,2020), the necessity of online education became clear more than ever. Based on the United Nations (UN) announcement, around 1.6 billion students left schools to break the virus cycle (UN,2020) . While governments around the world have locked down all activities, education appeared to be the only sector that cannot be stopped , therefore, online education was an alternative to physical classes and it connected lecturers and students in this turbulent time. In terms of online education, qualit

FAQs

What framework does the study use to evaluate e-learning acceptance?

The study uses the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and external factors including perceived resources, subjective norms, and Covid-19 stress.

What predicts perceived usefulness in the results?

Perceived ease of use is identified as a strong predictor of perceived usefulness.

Does Covid-19 stress affect online system usage among Iranian students?

The study confirms that the influence of COVID-19 stress on online system usage was not confirmed.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Aran