Sudden e-learning: exploring the role of user intention, enjoyment, and habit on university students' well-being

Abstract

Suddenly, adjusting to a new way of learning is a major challenge for university students. The objective of this article was to study university student determinants of the well-being in the context of the sudden transition towards e-learning imposed by the COVID-19 lockdown. Based on the antecedents linked to the structure of e-learning and its influence on self-management and ease of use, as well as using the mediating role of user intention, perceived enjoyment, and habits, a model was tested to find well-being trajectories. Using a sample of 543 students from originally Spanish face-to-face universities and through a PLS-SEM methodology, this research obtained relevant results in two main directions. First, research found that the self-management and ease of use of e-learning systems constitute direct antecedents of student well-being. Furthermore, the research results confirmed two reinforcement itineraries of well-being. The intention built an itinerary to reinforce ease of use, and perceived enjoyment added explanatory power to self-management. However, the research also found a second explanatory and negative itinerary of sudden e-learning student well-being. This path of darkness is related to the adverse mediating effect exerted by the habit, understood from the perspective of technological dependence, when it interacts with perceived enjoyment. The article discusses their implications for educational strategy and policy, especially indicated for those e-learning practices solely based on the enjoyment and immersion experience of their students.