Introducing an avatar acceptance model: Student intention to use 3D immersive learning tools in an online learning classroom

This quantitative survey study examines the willingness of online students to adopt an immersive virtual environment as a classroom tool and compares this with their feelings about more traditional learning modes including our ANGEL learning management system and the Elluminate live Web conferencing tool. I surveyed 1,108 graduate students in Library and Information Science at San Jose State University and gathered 401 usable responses. I based the survey upon the work of Venkatesh, Morris, Davis, & Davis (2003) and modified the instrument for online learners with changes suggested by Marchewka, Liu, & Kostiwa (2007). The technology adoption model shows how user opinions correlate with intention to use a tool in the future and how this relationship is moderated by user characteristics like gender, age, vision problems and experience with the Web. Study results for each tool matched previous findings for correlations between student attitudes and intention to use the tool. The effects of moderating characteristics were significant for Second Life but less so for ANGEL and Elluminate due to insufficient sample size. Age, vision problems, gaming frequency and experience with the Web for social and creative pursuits were closely related to intention to use Second Life. These findings parallel Clay Shirky’s concept of “Cognitive Surplus” because students who seem to have more spare time are more likely to accept Second Life. My results contribute to the creation of a new model of acceptance for immersive environments to inform future instructional design and curriculum innovations by educators who are already familiar with online classroom tools. Keywords: ict, distance learning, elearning, online learning, unified theory of acceptance and use technology, UTAUT, technology acceptance model, gaming, web 2.0, behavioral intention, effort expectancy, cognitive surplus, 3d, immersive learning, second life, multi-user virtual environment, learning management system, web conferencing, visio