Perceptions of Online Learning and Their Effect on Postgraduate Students’ Academic Motivation in Tanzanian Higher Education Institutions

Abstract

This study explored postgraduate students’ perceptions of online learning and their impact on academic motivation within the Tanzanian higher education context. This study was guided by the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) to examine the effect of perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use on academic motivation.  The research adopted a cross-sectional survey approach involving 176 postgraduate students drawn from 12 institutions of higher education. An online structured questionnaire (Google Forms) was used to collect data, which was analysed with descriptive and inferential statistics in SPSS v26. The findings revealed that postgraduate students had a high perception of usefulness, a moderately high perception of ease of use, and high academic motivation. Correlation results showed that perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use were positive and significant predictors of academic motivation. Moreover, multiple regression analysis revealed that perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use significantly predicted academic motivation. The study’s findings provide insights into the need to invest in online learning. The study recommends strengthening the digital learning infrastructure, improving the usability of online systems, and providing adequate training and technical support to enhance students’ learning experiences and motivation.