The moderating role of intrinsic motivation in cloud computing adoption in online education in a developing country: a structural equation model

In the provision of massive open online courses (MOOCs), cloud computing services enable students to synchronize their study materials anywhere, anytime, and using any device, which can improve learning performance and strengthen the teacher-student relationship via knowledge sharing. This study builds on the technological-organizational-environmental (TOE) framework and aims to identify the influencing factors of cloud computing adoption in educational settings for the provision of MOOCs. Another aim is to determine how intrinsic motivation moderates individual intention. Therefore, our study conceptualized a model that is supported by an empirical analysis of 232 respondents and takes into account the technological, organizational, and environmental impacts on individual attitudes toward adopting cloud computing in education. We evaluate the study hypotheses using structural equation modeling. The results demonstrate significant relationships between the technological and organizational constructs and attitudes toward the use of cloud computing. Meanwhile, competitive pressure from the environment has not been identified in any relationship with individual attitudes in government universities. The results provide new directions for policymakers to consider in the implementation of CC systems for the provision of MOOCs in developing countries. We also discuss potential implications, contributions, and suggestions for future research.