Is online education more welcomed during COVID-19? An empirical study of social impact theory on online tutoring platforms

ABSTRACT

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Online Tutoring Platforms (OTPs) have been applied extensively in education in China. The aim of this study is to investigate the determinants that influence college students? behavioural intention of using OTPs to acquire knowledge. This study also explores how students? attitude change in using OTPs five months after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic based on a hierarchical component model which is combined by the Social Impact Theory (SIT) and Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT). Partial least squares (PLS) analysis is employed to analyse the data collected from 1133 students in Mainland China. The results of the analysis indicate that social impact consists of three dimensions (compliance, identification, internalization) significantly influences college students? attitude toward OTPs and further affects college students? behavioural intention toward OTPs usage. Furthermore, performance expectancy and effort expectancy also positively affect students? behavioural intention toward using OTPs to acquire knowledge. This study makes several suggestions for universities to encourage students using OTPs to cope with the situation of Covid-19 pandemic and for educators to promote online tutoring for reforming universities in the future.