Apply UTAUT Model for Understanding the Teacher

Perceptions Using Frog VLE

Chan Meng Shen, Dr Sya Azmeela Shariff

Advanced Informatics School, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Jalan Sultan Yahya Petra, 54100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Abstract

Frog Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) is used to enhanced teaching and learning in

Malaysia government public schools since 2012. VLE has become the main mechanism in

supporting on-line education in primary and secondary schools in Malaysia. Thus, Frog

VLE was introduced by Malaysia’s Ministry of Education (MoE) as a tool to support

student’s learning which evolved from the 1Bestari Net Project. With 1Bestari Net, every

school was equipped with high speed 4G Internet connectivity and classroom management

tool. Frog VLE has been used as a teaching and learning cloud-based internet platform in

government schools which means that can be accessed anywhere and anytime. This paper

describes teacher perceptions in term of applying the Unified Theory of Acceptance and

Use of Technology (UTAUT) model.

Keywords: Virtual Learning Environment, Frog VLE, Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology

1. Introduction

E-learning systems, or VLEs, are rapidly becoming an integral part of the teaching and

learning process [22] VLEs is an integrated course delivery systems that provide an

environment for the management for delivery and assessment for the students studying via

Web. Furthermore it enables improvements in communication efficiency, both between

student and teacher, as well as among students [13]. A VLE is a web-based

communication platform that allows students, without limitation of time and space, to

access different learning tools, such as program information, course content, teacher

assistance, discussion board, document sharing systems and learning resources [13].

Frog Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) is used to enhanced teaching and learning in

Malaysia government public schools since 2012. VLE has become the main mechanism in

supporting on-line education in primary and secondary schools in Malaysia [12]. Thus,

FROG VLE was introduced by Malaysia’s Ministry of Education (MoE) [15] as a tool to

* Chan Meng Shen. E-mail address: mschan4@live.utm.my.

support student’s learning which evolved from the 1Bestari Net Project. The paper focuses

on teacher perceptions by applying the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of

Technology (UTAUT) [29] model. It is important to learn its perceived usefulness from

the teacher perspective. By better understanding these perceptions, the results of this study

may help the schools make better decision planning and assist teachers in using this

technology more effectively. Moreover, it can help Frog VLE software designers improve

the learning tools to obtain high level satisfaction in learning environment.

2. Related Works

Although Frog VLE efforts have considered being significant corporate investment, many

studies indicate high drop-out rates or failures. The Audit-General’s 2013 report [18] has

shown that the implementation of virtual learning using Frog Virtual Learning

Environment [6] among schools in Malaysia is less than 5%. Furthermore, according to

The Sun Daily [28] reported that teachers are crying foul over the physical and mental

pressure they are subjected to under the 1Bestari Net Project, a cloud-based learning

platform. Furthermore, it indicates that these causes the usage of Frog VLE among teacher

is quite low. Table 1.2 showed that the percentage implementation Frog VLE the period in

between 12-18 October 2015 by students, teachers and parents in Kuala Lumpur [5].

Table 1: Percentage Usage of Frog VLE (12 – 18 October 2015) within 271

Primary and Secondary Schools in Kuala Lumpur [5]

Participants Total Numbers of. Numbers of Logged in Frog

VLE

Percentage

Schools 300 271 90%

Teachers 17955 4161 23%

Student 227652 13939 6%

The Table 1 showed that there is only 23% usage among the teachers only. This indicates

the usage is quite low. From the table above, there are some researchers urged that some

of the teachers are not comfortable implementing it [6] as there are problem and constraint

faced by them [19]. Kaur and Hussien [9] have shown that in spite of completing the Frog

VLE training among teachers, a number of teachers have failed to use it in their daily

teaching and learning process. Hussin, Jaafar and Downe [7] also founded that there are

also some teachers did not realize the benefits of technology towards teaching and

learning process. In Norazilawati [19] finding results, limited access to the internet,

insufficient of teaching time and teacher’s heavy workload are the main barriers in Frog

VLE usage. According to the Sun Daily [28] report, many teachers are losing sleep and

have to take sleeping pills due to overwhelming reports and clerical works they have to

handle in school. Thus, the teachers had a limit time constraints in preparing the materials

and evaluating the materials to post on Frog VLE. Ertmer et al. [4] founded that teachers

are mainly concerned about the contextual or organizational factors that are influenced

their technology integration or what is called as first order or obstacles that are extrinsic to

teacher. Sailin [24] reported that teacher highlighted the lack of technology facilities as the

main reason why they do not integrate technology, or why they could not easily integrate

technology in their teaching and learning. Several researchers also found that the

successful of teacher’s technology integration is influenced by the availability of ICT

resources and support [14, 17, 21]. Teachers also associated the lack of technology

facilities with the constraint of time [24]. Sailin [24] did a research on Perdana Secondary

School where she found that the teachers were having difficult conducting lesson using

ICT within short fixed time periods due to occasional ICT problem. Besides that, time

constraint issues also associated with limited access to internet, in sufficient of teaching

time and teacher’s heavy workload [19]. Raaij and Schepers [23] also expect that in

deciding to join the program, their motivation to obtain the degree will have outweighed

their general attitude towards new technologies. In Frog VLE case, teacher is deciding to

join the virtual learning teaching, motivating to help their school obtain ‘the highest

achievement usage of Frog VLE will have overweighed their (teachers) general attitude

towards new technology. Surveys conducted by the Ministry of Education in 2010 found

that the use of ICT tool in school is limited. Approximately 80% of teachers use less than

one hour per week. Furthermore, Audit-General’s 2013 recommended that the ministry of

education (MoE) [15] should issue guidelines in Frog VLE to all schools so that it can be

optimised by teachers, students and parents [26]. Although both teachers and students are

the primary users of VLE system, teacher plays the most important role in shipping the

sources or failure of the systems [16]. Mamat et al [12] recommended that the importance

to identify the factors that influence teachers adopted of VLE system to help policymakers

on improving the implementation of VLE in Malaysia primary school.

3. The UTAUT Model

Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) is an advanced model

developed to analyze and comprehend the factor influencing the acceptance of computer

technology utilization [29]. UTAUT is the expansion of Theory Acceptance Model

(TAM) developed by Wallance in 1991. A number of theoretical models have been study

and used to assess per service technology acceptance. Vankatesh et al. [29] has formulated

a unified model of technology acceptance, consisting 4 core constructs from eight models

of technology acceptance. Venkatesh et al. [29] suggested four direct determinants for user

acceptance and usage behaviour: Performance Expectancy (PE), Effort Expectancy (EE),

Social Influence (SI), and Facilitating Conditions (FC).

Previous researchers [1, 2, 3, 8, 10, 11, 20, 25] had pointed out that the teaching presence

and immediacy among teachers are the most important factor and fact in order to emphasis

the implementation by their students. In this research, participates (teachers) in an

educational program (Frog VLE) with element of virtual learning will be aware that the

use of computers is unavoidable. Thus, the participant’s (teacher’s) level at comfort must

explicitly the taken into account to find out how these personal traits influence the

acceptance and use of the technology system

The core constructs are further defined in table 2. In the table also included the questions

which were used during interview or questionnaire to estimate the degree of each

construct.

Figure 1: The original Unified Theory of the Acceptance and Use Technology (UTAUT)

[29]

Table 2: Definitions of core constructs of UTAUT and operationalization of constructs

Core constructs Definition ( in term of Frog VLE)

Performance expectancy The degree to a teacher believes that using the Frog VLE

will help him or her to attain gains in job performances.

Effort Expectancy The degree of ease associated with the use of the Frog

VLE system.

Social Influence The degree to a teacher perceives that important others

believe that he or she should use the Frog VLE system.

Facilitating Conditions The degree to which teacher believes that school and

technical infrastructure support the use of Frog VLE

system.

4. Methodology

Quantitative research and qualitative research will be conduct in this research.

Primer resources will be through questionnaire and interview. The research subject is

about 30 teachers from a primary school, SJK(C) Sentul, Kuala Lumpur. A brief

description of the FROG VLE system is given before answering the questionnaire, so that

they get appropriate and sufficient information regarding VLE features and benefit [12].

Questionnaire was used as data gathering instrument in this research.

5. Results

A reliability analysis was conducted for scales using Cronbach’s Alpha. As summarized in

Table 3, several of the scales that represent the UTAUT constructs appear to have a good

degree of reliability since each computed statistic is above .70. Unfortunately, it appears

that the Effort Expectancy, Behavioral Intention are questionable because their respective

test static falls well below .70.

Experience

Performances Expectancy

Effort Expectancy

Social Influence

Facilitating Condition

Gender Age

Behavioral

Intention

Voluntariness of use

Use

Behavior

Table 3: Reliability Analysis (n=30) UTAUT Constructs Cronbach’s Alpha Number of Items

Performance expectancy .855 4

Effort Expectancy .677 4

Social Influence .878 5

Facilitating Conditions .892 4

Behavioral Intention .250 5

6. Conclusion

The findings of this study can be benefit to MoE [15] since they invested huge expenditure

in this project to identify and weight the potential values (feedback from teacher) of the

Frog VLE in Kuala Lumpur. Besides, the information (barrier influence on teachers use

Frog VLE) obtained from research can be a useful input for future researcher in MoE for

improve the quality of Frog VLE. Furthermore, the finding can be help to create

awareness regarding the factors that determine their willingness to use Frog VLE. References

[1] Anderson, T., Rourke, L., Garrison, R., & Archer, W. (2001). Assessing teaching

presence in a computer conferencing context. Journal of Asynchronous Learning

Networks, 5(2), 1-17.

[2] Chakraborty, M. and Nafukho, F.M. (2015). Strategies for Virtual Learning:

Focusing on Teaching Presence and Teaching Immediacy. Journal of Internet

Learning, 4(2), 7-23.

[3] Doss, G.M. (2001). Management Skills for IT Professional. (1st ed.). Paramus,

N.J.: Prentice Hall.

[4] Ertmer, P. A., Addison, P., Lane, M., Ross, E., and Woods, D. (1999). Examining

teachers’ beliefs about the role of technology in the elementary classroom. Journal

of Research on Computing in Education, 32(1), 54-72

[5] Frog Asia (2016). Unit Pembestarian Sekolah, Retrieved 28 April 2016 from

http://btpnkl.weebly.com/frogvle.html

[6] Frog Asia (2016). What is Frog VLE? Retrived 28 April 2016 from

http://www.frogasia.com/v3/what-is-frog/.

[7] Hussin, N. H., Jaafar, J. and Downe, A. G. (2011). Assessing Educator’s

Acceptance of Virtual Reality (VR) in the classroom Using the Unified Theory of

Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT). A Journal of Computer and

Information Sciences, 7006, 216-225.

[8] Karahanna, E. Ahuja, M. , Srite, M., and Galvin, J. (2002). Individual differences

and relatives advantage: the case of GSS. Journal of Decision Support Systems, 32,

327-341.

[9] Kaur, T. and Hussien, N. (2014). Teachers’ Readiness to Utilize Frog VLE: A

Case Study of a Malaysian Secondary School. Journal of Education, Society &

Behavioral Science, 5(1), 20-29. Science Domain international.

[10] Keller, C. (2006). Technology Acceptance in Academic Organisations:

implementation of virtual learning environments. ECIS 2006 Proceeding. Paper

50.

[11] MacGregor, S. K. (1999). Hypermedia navigation profiles: cognitive

characteristics and information processing strategies. Journal of Educational

computing research, 20(2), 189-206.

[12] Mamat, I., Yusoff, A.S.M., Abdullah, W.S.W., and Razak, F.Z.A. (2015). Factors

Contributing Pre-School Trainee Teachers Adoption of Virtual Learning

Enviroment : Malaysia Evidence, Journal of Education Technology, Thu Turkish

Online, 14(2).

[13] Martins, L.L., & Kellermanns, F.W. (2004). A model of business school students’

acceptance of a web-based course management system. Academy of Management

Learning and Education, 3, 7-26.

[14] Md Yunus and Melor (2007). Malaysian ESL teachers' use of ICT in their

classrooms: expectations and realities. ReCALL, 19(01): 79-95.

[15] Ministry of Education (MoE) (2016). 1BestariNet Kementerian Pendidikan

Malaysia.Retrieved on April28, 2016, from http://1bestari.net.

[16] Motaghian, H., Hassanzadeh, A., and Moghadam, D. K. (2013). Factors affecting

university instructors' adoption of web-based learning systems: Case study of Iran.

Journal of Computers & Education, 61(0), 158-167.

[17] Mumtaz, Shazia, 2000. Factors affecting teachers' use of information and

communications technology: a review of the literature. Technology, Pedagogy and

Education, 9(3): 319-342.

[18] National Audit Department (2014), Audit General’s Report for the year 2013:

Series 3. National Audit Department: Malaysia.

[19] Norazilawati Abdullah, Noraini Mohd Noh and Nik Azmah Nik Yusof (2013).

Aplikasi Persekitaran Pengajaran Maya (FROG VLE) Dalam Kalangan Guru

Sains. Jurnal Pendidikan Sains & Matematik Malaysia, 3(2), 63-75.

[20] Paolucci, R. (1998). The effect of cognitive style and knowledge structure on

performance using a hypermedia learning system. Journal of Educational

Multimedia and Hypermedia, 7(2/3), 123-150.

[21] Pelgrum, Willem J., (2001). Obstacles to the integration of ICT in education:

results from a worldwide educational assessment. Computers & Education, 37(2):

163-178.

[22] Pituch, K.A., & Lee, Y.-K. (2006). The influence of the system charasteristics on

the e-learning use. Computer & Education, 47, 222-224.

[23] Raaiji, E. V. and Schepers, J. L. (2006), The Acceptance and us of a virtual

learning environment in China, Journal of computer & educational, 5012008),

838-852, Elsevier.

[24] Sailin S.N. (2014), Barrier influencing teacher’s technology in their practice,

Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences, 8(23), 352-358. AENSI.

[25] Siaw, N.H. and Agatha, F.U. (2015). A Pilot Study on Factors Affecting The Use

of FROG Virtual Learning Environment. Jurnal Penyelidikan IPG KBL, 12, 1-17

[26] Star (2014). Bestari Net project failed due to delays. (2014, November 11).

The Star.

[27] Star (2016). Unique Learning Shift in the Classroom (2016, April 03). The

Star.

[28] Sun Daily (2015). Teachers cry foul over the cloud-based learning platform.

(2015 October 5). The Sun Daily. [29] Vankatesh, V.Y.L., Thong, J., and Xu, X. (2012). Consumer acceptance and use of

information Technology: Extending the unified theory of acceptance and use of

technology. MIS Quarterly, 36(1), 157-178.