To identify the most commonly used external factors of Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) in the context of e-learning adoption, a quantitative meta-analysis of 107 papers covering the last ten years was performed. The results show that Self-Efficacy, Subjective Norm, Enjoyment, Computer Anxiety and Experience are the most commonly used external factors of TAM. The effects of these commonly used external factors on TAM's two main constructs, Perceived Ease of Use (PEOU) and Perceived Usefulness (PU), have been studied across a range of e-learning technology types and elearning user types. The results show that the best predictor of student's PEOU of e-learning systems is Self-Efficacy (β=0.352), followed by Enjoyment (β=0.341), Experience (β=0.221), Computer Anxiety (β=-0.199) and Subjective Norm (β=0.195). The best predictor of student's PU of e-learning systems is Enjoyment (β=0.452), followed by Subjective Norm (β=0.301), Self-Efficacy (β=0.174) and Experience (β=0.169). Using these external factors and their effect sizes on PEOU and PU, this study proposes a General Extended Technology Acceptance Model for E-Learning (GETAMEL).

Engagement with e-portfolios has been shown to improve students' learning. However, what influences students to accept e-portfolios is a question that needs careful study. The purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of Self-Efficacy, Subjective Norm, Enjoyment, Computer Anxiety and Experience on students' Perceived Ease of Use (PEOU) and Perceived Usefulness (PU) of an eportfolio system and their Behavioural Intention (BI) to use the system for learning. To do this, the study tested and used the General Extended Technology Acceptance Model for E-Learning (GETAMEL) in the context of e-portfolios. Valid data were collected from 242 UK undergraduate students who had been introduced to e-portfolios. The data set was analysed using SPSS software. Results showed that the best predictor of student's Perceived Ease of Use of the e-portfolio is Experience, followed by Enjoyment, Self-Efficacy and Subjective Norm. The best predictor of student's Perceived Usefulness of the e-portfolio is Perceived Ease of Use followed by Enjoyment. Both Perceived Ease of Use and Perceived Usefulness predict student's Behavioural Intention to Use the e-portfolio. The findings improve understanding regarding acceptance of e-portfolio systems and this work is therefore of particular interest to researchers, developers and practitioners of eportfolios.

Purpose-Retention is one of the key performance indicators in university quality assurance processes. This study identifies causes leading to low retention rates for first year undergraduate computing students in a UK Higher Education Institution.Design/methodology/approach-The study applies Tinto's Student Integration Theory, and connects it with behavioural patterns of students. Data was collected from 901 students using Pascarella and Terenzini's questionnaire (integration scales). This data was combined with student enrolment information and analysed using the Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) technique. Findings-The study results indicate that Tinto's Student Integration Theory is useful in analysing student retention, but this accounts for only a modest amount of variance in retention. Nevertheless, important relationships amongst student's initial and later academic goals and commitments have been identified through this new approach to analysing retention. The largest direct effect on retention was accounted for by initial goals and institutional commitments, followed by later goals and institutional commitments. In addition, the results show that academic and social integration constructs can have an influence on the student retention processes. When all, or some, of these relationships are operating towards students' benefit, appropriate services or programmes, such as student support systems, can have their maximum benefit.Originality/value-The authors mapped behavioural related retention factors using a learning community lens. The study explored students' social and learning experiences within the context of a UK Higher Education institution by employing Tinto's model. This is the first time the model has been tested in this context.

This research investigates factors that influence students' intentions to use personal, academic and professional development portfolios using a theoretical model based on the Decomposed Theory of Planned Behaviour (DTPB). Electronic portfolios (e-portfolios) are important pedagogical tools and a substantial amount of literature supports their role in personal, academic and professional development. However, achieving students' acceptance of eportfolios is still a challenge for higher education institutions. The model suggests that Attitude towards Behaviour (AB), Subjective Norms (SN) and Perceived Behavioural Control (PBC) and their decomposed belief structure can assist in predicting and explaining students' Behavioural Intention (BI) to use e-portfolios. After using e-portfolios, data was collected from 204 participants from a UK university and analysed through the Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) technique. The results demonstrated that the proposed personal, social and control factors in the model were well supported statistically and significantly influenced e-portfolio acceptance. The study provides for the first time a proven theoretical model which can be used to predict e-portfolio acceptance. The findings are valuable for system developers, educational developers and higher education institutions where e-portfolios are being used.

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