Mobile learning behaviour of university students in Ghana

Abstract

Abstract: This study was planned to investigate the effect of distance education students’ attitudinal, social, and control beliefs on their mobile learning usage at the University of Ghana and the University of Education, Winneba. The Decomposed Theory of Planned Behaviour (DTPB) was modified to explain how students’ attitude, subjective norms, and behavioural control of mobile learning influenced their current mobile learning usage. The study used an explanatory sequential mixed-method approach. Congruent to that, structured questionnaires were administered to 400 distance learners selected by multi-stage sampling technique, and 20 distance learners selected by random sampling technique were interviewed via phone to collect data. Using correlation and multiple linear regression analysis, as well as hypothesis testing, the findings showed that, the university students’ attitudes towards mobile learning, subjective norms, and behavioral control insignificantly influenced their ongoing mobile usage thus providing meek support for the research model. However, it was found that university students’ mobile learning innovativeness, peer influence, and self-efficacy significantly affect their attitudes, subjective norms, and behavioral control respectively of their mobile learning usage. This supports the research model and can be inferred that university students’ mobile learning innovativeness, peer influence, and self-efficacy indirectly influence their mobile learning usage. The results of this study will enable educational institutions to engage in better strategic planning and implementation of mobile learning on a wider scale focusing on students’ behavioral, social, and control factors.