TABLET PERSONAL COMPUTER INTEGRATION IN HIGHER EDUCATION: APPLYING THE UNIFIED THEORY OF ACCEPTANCE AND USE TECHNOLOGY MODEL TO UNDERSTAND SUPPORTING FACTORS

Many educational institutions have implemented ubiquitous or required laptop, notebook, or tablet personal computing programs for their students. Yet, limited evidence exists to validate integration and acceptance of the technology among student populations. This research examines student acceptance of mobile computing devices using a modification of the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) recently developed by leading researchers in the technology acceptance field. The objective of the study is to identify the variance of selected acceptance elements that contribute to the overall behavioral intent to use Tablet PCs (TPC). These outcomes are then used as a means to forecast, explain, and improve integration of the technology in the higher education context. The research also contributes to UTAUT's theoretical validity and empirical applicability and to the management of information technology (IT) based initiatives in education.