The influence of descriptive and social norms in the acceptance and use of online formative feedback in an undergraduate module

Most recently, traditional universities have offered online degree courses which have been characterised by high attrition rates. In this study, students were provided with individualized online formative feedback with the aim to improve the quality of their learning. The importance of social influence (descriptive and social norms) in the acceptance and use of feedback in an undergraduate online module was investigated through a survey based on the social construct of the modified Unified Theory of Acceptance and the Use of Technology (UTAUT2). Survey data from two cohorts of students were examined using exploratory factor analysis to validate the questionnaire items and regression analysis to build a one factor predictive model. Parametric analyses showed that both descriptive and social norms were important components of social influence in the acceptance and use of formative feedback in an online courseInstitute for Science and Technology Education (ISTE