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 Malaysias Ministry of Education (MoE) as a tool to support
students 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 Malaysias Ministry of Education (MoE) [15] as a tool to

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

support students 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-Generals 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 Percentage
VLE
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 teachers 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 teachers 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 teachers 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-Generals 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 participants (teachers) 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.
 Performances Expectancy

Behavioral Use
Effort Expectancy Intention Behavior

Social Influence

Facilitating Condition

Gender Age Experience Voluntariness of use

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 Cronbachs 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.
 Table 3: Reliability Analysis (n=30)
UTAUT Constructs Cronbachs 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.

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