Using Technology Acceptance Model to Predict Lecturers’ Acceptance of Moodle: Case of Botswana University of Agriculture and Natural Resources

Abstract

The use of technology to enhance learning is regarded as significant among educational institutions due to continuous improvements of the Internet and other communication technologies. The Botswana University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (BUAN), like many other academic institutions, is undergoing reforms in its education processes in response to these technological effects on higher education. One such reform is an attempt at introducing e-learning and learning management systems. The purpose of this study was to subject BUAN lecturers to the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), a well-established theoretical model, to predict their acceptance level of Moodle. A quantitative research approach was used to conduct the survey with a questionnaire used to collect required data from 50 BUAN lecturers who volunteered to participate. The results revealed that participants perceived Moodle easy to use hence consider that it will be useful in their working environment. This study confirmed TAM to be a useful theoretical model in helping to understand and explain behavioural intention to use Moodle. As has been widely argued in literature that TAM is effective in predicting the acceptance of technology, the results of this study demonstrated that TAM is effective in predicting the possibility of acceptance of Moodle by BUAN lecturers. The researchers argue that, based on the results from this study, Moodle should be fully implemented at BUAN in order to facilitate the teaching and learning process.