Diffusion of Innovation: Adoption of Learning Management System Technology in Emerging Market Economies

Abstract

The market for the next-generation learning management system (LMS) for higher education is poised to grow by the US $3.04 billion during 2020-2024 (MarketWatch, 2020), creating technological opportunities in the higher education learning landscape particularly due to growth in remote learning due to COVID-19 pandemic. This rapid growth necessitates an urgent need to integrate technology with the instructional design in academic programs at the Higher Educational Institutes (HEIs) globally.  The existing literature on the LMS suggests a considerable resistance among the instructor group towards technology adoption in pedagogic strategy.  LMS has been in existence for almost two decades, however, they have not been leveraged to their full potential. An understanding of the nature of technology adoption among instructor group is even more pronounced for the HEIs of emerging market economies (EMEs). An efficient and technology-inspired educational construct will boost the overall competitiveness of the EME's in their respective population skill development and attracting foreign investments for industrial growth. Moreover, given the lessons learned from the epidemiological uncertainties, such as most recently, the COVID-19 pandemic, educators should be prepared to utilize LMS to their full potential. The purpose of this study is to investigate the barriers and motivators in LMS adoption among emerging market economy HEIs and to propose a technology adoption model based on the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (V. Venkatesh et. al., 2012). The results of this study suggest implementing a dynamic feedback mechanism of technology adoption by instructors, and the need for HEIs to articulate strategic plan goals that focus on faculty professional development in the use of technology to build confidence among instructor group to enable the adoption of technology for instruction.