Factors Influencing Student Information Technology Adoption

Innovating service delivery in higher education by leveraging technology is central to supporting goals of transforming higher education to center on the needs of today's students. Aligned with these goals, this article identifies key determinants of student information technology adoption. Using a mixed-methods and empirical approach based on the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT), a web-based survey was administered to undergraduate students at a public university in the Western United States to learn about their experiences with a web-based digital services platform (native mobile app and website), that aids students in accessing services and resources critical to maintaining their enrollment. Structural Equation Modeling, including Principal Components Analysis, was used to analyze 1841 valid survey responses and derive statistical results. The findings suggest that effort expectancy and social influence stand out as critical influences on behavioral intention to adopt the software for accessing university services, and new to UTAUT, that social influence and a students’ basic technology skills are significant determinants of effort expectancy. This article makes unique contributions to the research literature. It applies UTAUT to a higher education context to help explain the critical determinants of the adoption of software for accessing university services. It also provides insights for how UTAUT can be applied in the university setting and offers suggestions for enhancing UTAUT.