Extending the technology acceptance model to understand the use of e-learning during COVID-19 pandemic for enhancing learning process: Iraqi universities' students

Although the influencing factors on the use of e-learning (EL) were examined in previous studies, the physical characteristics of the educational environment and their impact on the use of EL during the COVID-19 pandemic are still to be investigated. Therefore, to bridge this gap, this study adapted TAM as a theoretical model and extended it by adding learning content; and lighting and noise as environmental variables. This study aims to investigate the effecting factors of EL on Iraqi universities during outbreaks of COVID-19. Moreover, the study used an online questionnaire of 455 students of the southern region universities in Iraq and Smart-PLS technique for data analysis. The findings revealed the relationships amongst the core constructs of TAM supported; learning content has a positive effect on perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness; moderating effect of environmental factors on the relationship between perceived usefulness and intention behaviour was supported. The implication is that the decision-makers of EL should focus on factors that play an influential role in promoting students' use of EL.