title: Antecedents of acceptability of online learning: students and instructors perspective and policy implications in Saudi Arabia
Creators: name: Alshammary, Ahmed Hasan
Publisher: name: University of Reading
Year: 2024

description: The information technology revolution has changed people’s lives as many countries have 
invested resources in strengthening their technological infrastructure, facilitating the 
integration of technology into education and, in turn, the adoption of online learning and 
teaching by higher education institutions worldwide (Ivanova &amp; Ivanov, 2021). These 
developments have motivated this research into factors affecting students’ and instructors’ 
acceptance of online learning and teaching. Previous studies have relied on technology 
acceptance theories and models that interpret individual intentions to either accept or reject 
technology in a specific context, but have neglected the importance of a broader theoretical 
explanation to analyse the acceptance of technology by students and instructors. A study 
looking to fill this gap could help investigators acquire actionable data for implementing 
online learning and teaching as a collective decision informed by institutional and 
governmental policies. 
The present study aimed to investigate the influence of individual, non-individual, socio-cultural, and overall satisfaction factors on the acceptance of online learning and teaching 
among students and instructors. The goal is to boost their acceptance of a successful 
implementation of online learning and teaching in higher education institutions. 
A quantitative research method was applied. Two surveys were conducted; one for students
and one for instructors, and responses were collected from several institutions. Two hundred 
students responded to the student survey, and two hundred instructors completed the 
instructor survey. 
This study demonstrated that the successful implementation of online learning and teaching
depends on integrating several elements, classified into individual and collective factors. The 
individual elements are the most decisive concerning the acceptance of online higher education. By contrast, favourable collective elements alone do not guarantee the successful 
implementation of this practice. The study found that, despite overall technological 
advancements, certain shortcomings deserve attention: self-efficacy in using online learning 
platforms, stable Internet connections, and affordable devices and Internet services. The 
results also reflected a disparity that explains the state of uncertainty among some students 
and instructors from conservative families regarding interactions with another gender in 
online learning and teaching environments. This study found that the design of online 
learning sessions needs a comprehensive restructuring, as it is closely linked to participation, 
interaction, and engagement. Furthermore, strategies for online learning and teaching 
sessions should be devised. This work also revealed a discrepancy in the institutional support 
provided to students and instructors for online learning and teaching sessions; this extends to 
other aspects and may affect learning outcomes in general. 
This study contributed theoretically by developing a comprehensive model to examine seven 
factors (individual, behavioural, technological, institutional, pedagogical, socio-cultural and 
overall satisfaction) that affect online learning and teaching acceptance. It also contributes 
academically by expanding the knowledge of online learning and teaching acceptance by 
providing a comprehensive understanding of the critical factors affecting this acceptance. 
This work also offered recommendations on both proximal and distal policy levels to guide 
policymakers to take actions to improve the readiness of students, instructors, and higher 
education institutions to successfully implement online learning and teaching. 
Future research into the acceptance of online learning and teaching could further explore the 
factors identified here or focus on other issues. The social interaction between both genders 
in the Saudi context needs to be examined to understand its implications. A comparative 
study is needed to explore the stability of the technological infrastructure in different regions 
and urban and rural areas in Saudi Arabia. More in-depth analyses, such as diary studies within a specific time frame (e.g. one semester or one academic year), could provide further 
insights into how the attitudes and perceptions of students and instructors towards online 
learning and teaching practices evolved, based on the changes in different elements of the 
included factors.