Determinants of University Students' Perceived Usefulness of Mobile Apps

Abstract

Technology has taken over tasks initially carried out by professionals in virtually all industries and sectors, ranging from self-checking at airports to money transfer via mobile devices. The internet has become one primary information resource for learning in the education sector. Due to the introduction of mobile devices such as smartphones, the e-learning market has evolved. E-learning applications can help students actively maintain their academic schedules irrespective of their location and time. E-learning is becoming a reality even in less developed countries like Kenya. Mobile apps have become very beneficial to users. However, mobile app developers have not paid much attention to the end-users point of view. This study aims to determine the factors influencing university students' Perceived Usefulness of mobile apps. A quantitative research design was applied. An online self-completion questionnaire collected data, and the WarpPLS – SEM (version 7.0) software for data analysis. This paper applied the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) with the Technology Acceptance Theory (TAM) to develop a model. The latent variables that were found to predict perceived usefulness were security (β = 0.219, ρ <0.001), effort expectancy (β = 0.247, ρ <0.001), social influence (β = 0.141, ρ <0.001) and perceived ease of use (β = 0.123, ρ <0.012). The findings show that effort expectancy is a more powerful predictor of perceived Usefulness than the others. This paper adds to theory and practice by providing new research directions. These are for the academic world and insights for app developers and marketers to adapt their marketing strategies to meet the customers' needs. UTAUT and TAM are applicable theories for und