Online Course use in Academic Practice: an Examination of Factors from Technology Acceptance Research in the Russian Context

In Russia, the introduction of educational technologies has followed the national digitalisation strategy. However, a common concern expressed by educational scholars and experts in the field is the lack of research on the faculty adoption of educational technologies. In general, little is known about the determinants of online course use in regard to the practice of those involved in teaching, especially in the context of non-Western countries. This paper examines these determinants of online course use among Russian higher education academics through the lens of the extended Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology. Secondary survey data from 6982 academics were analysed using the stepwise logistic regression and hierarchical moderator regression methods. The results show that performance expectancy, operationalised through a belief that the quality of teaching is not affected by the introduction of online courses in higher education, has a strong positive effect on online course use. Furthermore, academics with a belief that online courses can significantly increase access to education for a larger number of students are more likely to use online courses in teaching and lesson preparation. Other significant factors affecting online course adoption by academics are a good knowledge of the English language (strong positive effect) and financial incentives (weak positive effect). Finally, the use of online courses depends on the area of academic expertise. The paper also explores and discusses the moderating effects of age, gender, and experience on the significant predictors of the model..The study findings provide insights into the determinants of behaviour associated with the decision to use online courses in teaching practice in the Russian higher education context, using the extended Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology. Thus, this study adds a new national context to the international body of research on technology acceptance and use.