Faculties Behavioural Intention Toward the Use of the Fourth Industrial Revolution Related-Technologies in Higher Education Institutions

Abstract

The Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) has affected every aspect of our life, including education. Studies related to acceptance and adoption of 4IR related technologies in Higher education Institutions (HEIs) are limited. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the acceptance of 4IR related-technologies by faculty members in HEIs. An online questionnaire was implemented based on the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) in a sample of 275 faculty members aged between 21 and 60 years old.  The results showed that all the five constructs of the UTAUT model have significant impacts on the behavior intention with different degrees of influence: Performance Expectancy (43%), Facilitation Condition (27%), Effort Expectancy (21.5%), Social Influence, and Attitude toward using the technology are equally the same with (15.4%). Gender has only significant effects on Social Influence and Facilitation Condition, while age has only a significant impact on Social Influence. Furthermore, faculty members' acceptance of using 4IR technologies in teaching and learning is significantly higher among the younger group (less than 46 years old) than their counterparts (46 years old and above). However, there was no significant difference in the behavioral intention between male and female lecturers.  The obtained results have added scientific evidence to the literature about faculty readiness to adopt IR-related technologies and lead to a better practical understanding of the factors that may incite or discourage them to use 4IR related-technologies in HEIs.