Towards sustainable e-learning platforms in the context of cybersecurity: A TAM-driven approach

<p>The rapid growth of electronic learning (e-learning) platforms has raised concerns about cybersecurity risks. The vulnerability of university students to cyberattacks and privacy concerns within e-learning platforms presents a pressing issue. Students’ frequent and intense internet presence, coupled with their extensive computer usage, puts them at higher risk of being a potential victim of cyberattacks. This problem necessitates a deeper understanding in order to enhance cybersecurity measures and safeguard students’ privacy and intellectual property in educational environments. This dissertation work addresses the following research questions: (a) To what extent do <em>cybersecurity perspectives</em> affect student’s intention to use e-learning platforms? (b) To what extent do students’ <em>privacy concerns</em> affect their intention to use e-learning platforms? (c) To what extent does students’ <em>cybersecurity awareness</em> affect their intention to use e-learning platforms? (d) To what extent do <em>academic integrity concerns</em> affect their intention to use e-learning platforms? and (e) To what extent does students’ <em>computer self-efficacy</em> affect their intention to use e-learning platforms? This study was conducted using an enhanced version of the technology acceptance model (TAM3) to examine the factors influencing students’ intention to use e-learning platforms. The study involved undergraduate and graduate students at Eastern Michigan University, and data were collected through a web-based questionnaire. The questionnaire was developed using the Qualtrics tool and included validated measures and scales with close-ended questions. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS 28, and the significance level for hypothesis testing was set at 0.05. Out of 6,800 distributed surveys, 590 responses were received, and after data cleaning, 582 responses were included in the final sample. The findings revealed that cybersecurity perspectives, cybersecurity awareness, academic integrity concerns, and computer self-efficacy significantly influenced students’ intention to use e-learning platforms. The study has implications for practitioners, educators, and researchers involved in designing secure e-learning platforms, emphasizing the importance of cybersecurity and recommending effective cybersecurity training programs to enhance user engagement. Overall, the study highlights the role of cybersecurity in promoting the adoption and usage of e-learning platforms, providing valuable insights for developers and educators to create secure e-learning environments and benefiting stakeholders in the e-learning industry.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Level thesis:degree_level

Open Access Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

College of Technology

Year dc:date.available

2023

Author dc:creator

• Alquran, Hebah

Contributors dc:contributor

• Bilquis Ferdousi, PhD, Committee Chair
• Munther Abualkibash, PhD
• Robert Carpenter, PhD

• Academic integrity concerns;Cyberattacks;Cybersecurity;Cybersecurity awareness;E-learning platforms;Privacy concerns

Repository record dc:identifier

https://commons.emich.edu/theses/1200

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:commons.emich.edu:theses-2570