Current Use and Attitude Towards Learning Management Systems (LMS) in Turkish Universities

Literature Review

Many theoretical models have been used to explain users’ acceptance/adoption of the information system (IS)/information technology (IT). Among these theoretical models, the technology acceptance model (TAM), proposed by Davis (1989) and Davis et al. (1989), is one of the most widely accepted and applied models in a variety of domains that include related IS and IT acceptance/adoption studies (Chau, 1996; Venkatesh, 2006).

Two prominent theories drawn from Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) of Fishbein and Ajzen (1975) were used to explain faculty members’ adoption, attitude and use of LMS in the institutions. Fishbein and Ajzen (1975) indicated in Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) that behavioral intentions are the immediate antecedents to behavior. (Alghamdi & Bayaga, 2016)

TRA explains the decision process of a human being to perform a new behavior, based on attitudes - subjective norms and behavioral intention. Individual behavior is driven by behavioral intentions where behavioral intentions are a function of an individual's attitude toward the behavior and subjective norms surrounding the performance of the behavior. (Fishbein & Ajzen, 1975) Attitude is positive or negative feelings about performing the behavior.

In agreement with TRA, Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) proposed by Ajzen (1985; 2005) further explains how human action is guided and added a third variable to cater for deliberate behaviors. It postulates that an individual’s intention to perform a behavior depends on the attitude towards performing the behavior (behavioral), the subjective norm (normative), and the perceived control of that behavior. (Alghamdi & Bayaga, 2016). In the light of previous technology adoption research and behavioral models TAM helps us testing the how attitudes of instructors effect their intention to use LMSs. LMSs have many tools that changes instructors’ way of doing different tasks in faculties such as communicating with students and other faculty members, collecting assignments, assessing students. Instructors approach to task related LMS features are expected to affect their attitude towards use as well.

Technology Acceptance Model provides a theoretical framework to explain user acceptance of information technology products/systems. Technology Acceptance Model (Davis, 1989) suggests that when users are presented with a new technology, a number of factors influence their decision about how and when they will use it. Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) (Davis, 1989) consists of Perceived Usefulness (PU), Perceived Ease of Use (PEOU), attitude toward using, behavioral intention to use, and actual system use.