Sustainable Adoption of E-Learning in Romanian Universities after the COVID-19 Outbreak

Adina-Liliana Prioteasa (), Darko Shuleski, Laurențiu Dan Lazăr, Carmen Ciocoiu and Felicia-Alina Chivulescu
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Adina-Liliana Prioteasa: Postdoctoral School of Management, Bucharest University of Economic Studies, Piata Romana 6, 010374 Bucharest, Romania
Darko Shuleski: Faculty of Management, Bucharest University of Economic Studies, Piata Romana 6, 010374 Bucharest, Romania
Laurențiu Dan Lazăr: Doctoral School of Management, Bucharest University of Economic Studies, Piata Romana 6, 010374 Bucharest, Romania
Felicia-Alina Chivulescu: Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Nicolae Titulescu University of Bucharest, Calea Vacaresti 185, 010374 Bucharest, Romania

Sustainability, 2024, vol. 16, issue 20, 1-27

Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted economic processes and various facets of daily life, including education, necessitating adjustments to help society adapt to the temporary status quo, with Romanian educational institutions being profoundly affected, and a full transition to online learning was mandated by central authorities in March 2020. The paper’s scope is to assess the sustainability of e-learning in Romanian higher education in the aftermath of the COVID-19 outbreak. The study was conducted on bachelor students from three Romanian universities through an online questionnaire with a sample size of 505 valid responses. This study aims to investigate the relationships between information quality (IQ), system quality (SQ), service quality (SEQ), and quality of life (QL) within an integrated model, based on the variables of the technology acceptance model (TAM) and performance models of information systems (IS). Specifically, the research explores how these factors, along with the mediating roles of perceived usefulness (PU) and perceived ease of use (PEOU), influence students’ behavioral intention to adopt e-learning systems (BISE) and actual use of them (EUOES) as a sustainable solution for post-pandemic COVID-19 education. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS–SEM) was the selected method for data analysis performed with SmartPLS 4.0 software. The research results demonstrated that PU and PEOU showed a positive correlation relationship and were significantly influenced by IQ, SQ, and QL in the educational setting. The study also revealed that PEOU and PU exerted a positive influence on students’ behavioral intention to adopt e-learning systems (BISE) sustainably and on their actual use (EUOES). This study benefits universities and higher education institutions by providing insights into enhancing e-learning platforms and integrating technology effectively, as well as by supporting the formulation of sustainable online learning strategies beyond the COVID-19 pandemic.

Keywords: adoption; attitude; COVID-19; e-learning; university students; perceived usefulness; structural equations modelling (SEM) (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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