Blended Learning Dependability and Perceived Usefulness: The Mediating Role of Organisational Commitment

Abstract

To survive in the tight global higher education markets, universities must embrace new technological changes which can transform their education. The use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) has become an integral part and a driver of the development agenda of many universities. Blended learning (BL), integrating face-to-face instruction with online components using Learning Management Systems (LMS), has emerged as a prominent educational model, offering flexibility and enhanced learning experiences in higher education settings. This study reports the adoption of BL among academics at the University of Botswana (UB) before the arrival of COVID-19. Even though technological changes such as BL are recognized as strategic tools used by many organizations, including universities, not much attention has been given to attitudinal behaviours such as Organizational Commitment (OC) despite their contribution to the successful technological adoption. This paper proposes a conceptual framework to explore the perceived usefulness of BL mediated by OC among academics at the UB. The study uses Socio- Technical Systems theory (STS), positing that instructors’ perceptions of the usefulness of blended learning are influenced by both individual factors and organizational contexts. The study adopted an explanatory sequential mixed methods approach, involving a quantitative phase in which data was collected using a questionnaire in an online survey, followed by a qualitative case study that involved semi-structured face-to-face interviews. A multiple regression model for determining the mediating role of OC was developed. In the mediation model, OC fully mediated the relationships between Learning Management System Dependability (LMSD) and Perceived Personal Usefulness (PPU) and Perceived Usefulness to Students (PUS). The study used SPSS for its quantitative data analysis and adopted thematic analysis for its qualitative strand as a comprehensive process that allows for identification of numerous cross-references between the data and the research’s evolving themes. The study contributes to the limited body of knowledge about the perceptions of BL of academic staff in a middle-income country, Botswana.