TY - BOOK

T1 - Malaysian Higher Education Instructors’ Willingness to Use or Not Use Mobile Instant Messaging (MIM) Applications: A Constructivist Grounded Theory (CGT) Approach

AU - Leow, Serena

PY - 2023

Y1 - 2023

N2 - The pervasive nature of mobile devices, particularly mobile instant messaging (MIM) applications or services in mobile telephones, has changed some instructors’ pedagogical methods as well as their professional and personal lives. The lack of understanding on instructors’ perspectives towards the adoption and adaptation of using MIM applications with students warrants further research. The aim of this study is to: (1) understand how cultural, political, technical and learning activity factors affect instructors’ willingness to adopt the use of MIM applications with students after office hours; and (2) examine instructors’ adaptation towards using or not using MIM applications with students after office hours through the political, cultural, technical and learning activities perspectives. This study takes evidence from higher education institution (HEI) instructors in Malaysia and adopts a qualitative constructivist grounded theory (CGT) approach by conducting 20 in-depth interviews with participants. Findings of this study inform each factor’s contribution towards influencing participants’ willingness to adopt and adapt to using or not using MIM applications with students, particularly after office hours. Results in this study revealed 3 categories of instructors: Willing; Unwilling in principle, used in practice; and Unwilling. The cultural, political and learning activity factors were more prevalent in influencing participants’ willingness to adopt and adapt to using or not using MIM applications with students. Findings of this study contribute to research by: (1) identifying a framework that eliminates the technical factor but replaces the technical factor with the learning activity factor, as this influences instructors’ willingness to adopt and adapt to change; and (2) proposing a quantitative survey instrument to measure and identify factors that can potentially influence instructors’ willingness to adopt and adapt to using or not using MIM applications with students in their profession. Limitations, future implications and recommendations are discussed in the final chapter of this study.

AB - The pervasive nature of mobile devices, particularly mobile instant messaging (MIM) applications or services in mobile telephones, has changed some instructors’ pedagogical methods as well as their professional and personal lives. The lack of understanding on instructors’ perspectives towards the adoption and adaptation of using MIM applications with students warrants further research. The aim of this study is to: (1) understand how cultural, political, technical and learning activity factors affect instructors’ willingness to adopt the use of MIM applications with students after office hours; and (2) examine instructors’ adaptation towards using or not using MIM applications with students after office hours through the political, cultural, technical and learning activities perspectives. This study takes evidence from higher education institution (HEI) instructors in Malaysia and adopts a qualitative constructivist grounded theory (CGT) approach by conducting 20 in-depth interviews with participants. Findings of this study inform each factor’s contribution towards influencing participants’ willingness to adopt and adapt to using or not using MIM applications with students, particularly after office hours. Results in this study revealed 3 categories of instructors: Willing; Unwilling in principle, used in practice; and Unwilling. The cultural, political and learning activity factors were more prevalent in influencing participants’ willingness to adopt and adapt to using or not using MIM applications with students. Findings of this study contribute to research by: (1) identifying a framework that eliminates the technical factor but replaces the technical factor with the learning activity factor, as this influences instructors’ willingness to adopt and adapt to change; and (2) proposing a quantitative survey instrument to measure and identify factors that can potentially influence instructors’ willingness to adopt and adapt to using or not using MIM applications with students in their profession. Limitations, future implications and recommendations are discussed in the final chapter of this study.

KW - mobile instant messaging

KW - constructivist grounded theory

KW - Higher education

U2 - 10.17635/lancaster/thesis/1965

DO - 10.17635/lancaster/thesis/1965

M3 - Doctoral Thesis

PB - Lancaster University

ER -