BACKGROUND: Technology has recently become a major component of the educational field and learning process for it provides students with opportunities to learn more effectively and to operate efficiently in this age of technological advances. As academics, the use of technology in universities is transforming our work, and more specifically the way we support students in the classroom. As higher education institutions bring more technology into their classrooms, academics will in turn strive to put more technology in their students’ hands. That is, if they are prepared to do so. More importantly, ICT (Information and Communication Technology) in this ongoing COVID-19 pandemic becomes a central and integral focus globally regardless one is associated with college or university. OBJECTIVE: This paper therefore attempts to examine the internal factors that should be taken into consideration when using technology for teaching and learning purposes in higher education in Saudi Arabia. METHODS: The study develops a number of hypotheses and a theoretical framework based on a questionnaire conducted among the faculty staff in Hail university to test the study hypotheses. RESULTS: All the study six hypotheses have been supported. The relationship among these hypotheses are clear and significant. Data analysis of this study have shown that perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, computer self-efficacy, attitudes and computer anxiety have direct and substantial effect on the university teaching staff’s intention to use technology. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study will for sure assist in overcoming the problems and difficulties facing the use of ICT in higher education in Saudi Arabia, particularly those challenges which have arisen amid the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore external factors: organization technical support, organization administrative support, organization infrastructure and resources, and organization ICT policy’s effect on the commitment in use of technology among the faculty staff Hail university, Saudi Arabia.Design/methodology/approachA cross-sectional survey approach was used to collect data. A sample of 300 fulltime employees, having administrative and teaching responsibilities participated using a self-completion questionnaire. The data were analyzed using exploratory factor analysis (EFA), correlation and multiple regressions to determine the impact of external factors on the commitment in use of technology.FindingsOverall, the results provided evidence that organization technical support, organization administrative support, and organization infrastructure and resources have a significant positive impact on the commitment in use of technology. However, organization ICT policy has an insignificant negative impact on the commitment in use of technology. The findings could be generalized on other public sector universities of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.Research limitations/implicationsThe data were collected from one public sector university of Hail province, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Only four external factors were taken into consideration in investigating its influence on the commitment in use of technology. There could be other external/environmental factors which might be useful to underpin the theory and advance literature.Practical implicationsIn-service and trainee faculties should take an advantage of using learning management system. Faculty should create a positive learning environment in their online classes so the learners can take a benefit out of the immense investment on ICT by ministry of higher education. Apart from giving training to teaching staff in use of technology, learners should also be given a platform to increase and improve their digital literacy. Workshops can be conducted frequently for both faculties and learners. Faculty can offer additional and out of the class support to their reluctant and weak students in order to assist them in the use of technology.Originality/valueTechnology integration after COVID-19 outbreak has significantly changed the education sector throughout the world. The use of technology now is unavoidable at primary, secondary and at tertiary level. This study provides an exclusive viewpoint concerning the external/environmental evidence based findings that have not been investigated empirically in the Saudi Arabian context. The current study also provides statistically a theoretical five-component model to understand the phenomena in the field of information communication technology.

Information and communication technologies (ICTs) are drastically changing the norm in today's society, economy and culture. The acceptance and successful adoption of new technologies is as important as their introduction. This matter is particularly relevant to the current health crisis, especially for the aspect of education. The implementation of ICTs is changing the practice of learning institutions. Thus, this study aims to review academic publications on the use of technology in the education sector in Saudi Arabia. From the review of the literature, we determine six main factors influencing the successful adoption of ICTs. Using these factors, we develop a conceptual framework on the basis of the analysis and knowledge obtained from relevant literature. The proposed conceptual model helps identify the main factors that affect the successful adoption of innovative technologies in the education sector.We also provide potential research directions concerning the use of technology in the education sector in Saudi Arabia.