Abstract
University students widely use WhatsApp Messenger for communication, enhancing teaching and learning processes globally. This study investigated the factors influencing university students to accept and use WhatsApp Messenger to complement the Blackboard learning management system during the COVID-19 period. Furthermore, it employed the extended unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT2) model particularised to the WhatsApp Messenger use and adoption context in South Africa. Using a questionnaire, the study sampled 490 students. An online questionnaire was administered to the student participants in one of the universities in South Africa. The questionnaire data collected from participating students was examined using exploratory and confirmatory factorial analysis to validate the questionnaire items. Structural equation modelling was utilised to find the relationships among the constructs. The statistical analyses indicated that habit, social influence, and price value statistically significantly influenced behavioural intention to use WhatsApp. The results suggest that lecturers and policymakers should consider making WhatsApp Messenger an official educational tool for both lecturers and students. Besides, the study has provided insights into how the application can improve students’ academic success.
Keywords:
WhatsApp Messenger, higher education, social media, UTAUT2, price value, habit, and social influence