Chapter 51

Factors Affecting Edmodo Adoption

as Online Learning Medium

Iwa Sungkono Herlambangkoro and Trianggoro Wiradinata

Abstract The rapid advancement of internet based social network application has
triggered many innovations, one of the most distinguished internet facilitated
application in teaching learning is Edmodo. Ciputra University has started the use
of Edmodo as the Online Learning Medium where lecturers and students may
interact and exchange information regarding class materials. The use of Edmodo
has helped increasing effectiveness in lecturers-students interaction, however the
adoption remains varied. This study utilizes Technology Acceptance Model
(TAM) with several antecedents including Personal Innovativeness, Cognitive
Absorption, Perceived Playfulness and Computer Self-Efficacy. The population of
this study are second and third year students of Ciputra University, which consisted
of 1466 active students, hence the sample size (Confidence Level = 95 %, Margin
of Error = 5 %) was determined as 306 students. The result suggests all lecturers
who want to use Edmodo to pay more attention to Perceived Playfulness as sig-
nificant determinant to the adoption of Edmodo for better lecturers-students online
interaction.

Keywords Edmodo
Online learning
Technology Acceptance Model
Tam

51.1 Introduction

The development of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector in

Indonesia is rapidly increasing, hence the need to improve mechanism of teaching
learning utilizing ICT platform becomes inevitable. The advancement of ICT for
teaching learning expands classroom beyond the boundaries of space and time. The
increasing popularity of internet with web 2.0 features also affects almost every

I.S. Herlambangkoro (&)
T. Wiradinata

Department of Informatics Engineering, Ciputra University, Surabaya, Indonesia
e-mail: iwaherlambang@gmail.com

© Springer Science+Business Media Singapore 2016 465

F. Pasila et al. (eds.), Proceedings of Second International Conference
on Electrical Systems, Technology and Information 2015 (ICESTI 2015),
Lecture Notes in Electrical Engineering 365, DOI 10.1007/978-981-287-988-2_51
466 I.S. Herlambangkoro and T. Wiradinata

school’s teaching learning activities. The main characteristic of Web 2.0 tools is
users’ active participation in the content of creation process. Advantages of using
Web 2.0 in education are creating new interaction styles between instructors and
students whilst promoting students interaction outside classrooms [1].
E-learning is an educational system or the concept of using information tech-
nology in teaching and learning. E-learning allows students to learn through
computers at their favorable places without necessarily having to physically go to
follow lessons/lectures in class. Edmodo is a social networking and micro blogging
service that is designed specifically for education, which can be operated like any
other popular social networking application.
Past studies in e-learning adoption tried to analyze the factors influencing
adoption Edmodo as a learning method by using the Technology Acceptance Model
(TAM) framework. In this study TAM was chosen as the framework in developing
models for Edmodo adoption.

51.2 Literature Review

51.2.1 Edmodo

Edmodo is a private social platform that provides an online medium for teachers
and students to connect and collaborate [1]. It’s easy to apply to the class because
its appearance is similar to Facebook, subsequently many students are familiar with
it. Using Edmodo, Teachers and students may exchange notes, links, files,
announcements, tasks, collecting pool, creating quizzes and exchange information
in a secure environment [2].

51.2.2 Technology Acceptance Model (TAM)

Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) was first developed by Davis [3, 4] and then
redeveloped in many later studies [5, 6]. More subsequent studies still prefer the use
of TAM compared to other frameworks because of its simplicity.
TAM has the goal to explain and predict the user acceptance of the technology.
TAM is the development Theory of Reasoned Action [7]. TAM predicts user
acceptance of a particular technology based on the influence of two factors, namely
the perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use [4].

51.2.3 Variables Operationalization

Kumar et al. [8] defines cognitive absorption as “someone deeply involved with the
software”. Cognitive Absorption were translated into five latent variables consist of
51 Factors Affecting Edmodo Adoption as Online Learning Medium 467

Temporal Dissociation, Focused Immersion, Heightened Enjoyment, Control, and

Curiosity.
Agarwal and Prasad [9] defines Personal Innovativeness as the degree of will-
ingness of an individual to try out new Information Technology application.
Someone willingness to experiment with new technologies, possibility of someone
to get something more than they knew before. The general term Personal
Innovativeness also refers to how a person chooses and tries out new technologies.
Computer Playfulness shows the level of cognitive spontaneity in its interaction
with the computer [10, 11]. The basic concept of computer playfulness is heading to
the users propensity to explore and act spontaneously by the computer.
Self-efficacy is a person’s belief in his ability to organize and select the ways that
can be taken to achieve goals [12]. A person with high self-efficacy will have the
confidence that he is able to face the challenge and see a difficulty as a challenge
that needs to be addressed, not as a threat to be avoided [12]. Self-efficacy affects a
person’s thinking, feeling, motivate themselves and behave.
Davis [4] defines perceived ease of use as a level in which a person believes that
a particular technology can easily be used as a mean to solve particular problem.
Perceived Usefulness as the degree someone believes a particular technology is
useful to help completing particular tasks. Intention to Use is the behavioral ten-
dency to use a particular technology. The level of use of a computer technology on
a person can be predicted from both perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use.
From the defined variables operationalization above, a research model was
constructed and modified with the addition of external variables as shown in
Fig. 51.1 below.
Figure 51.1 above shows the proposed theoretical model that can be used to
analyze factors influencing the Intention to Use Edmodo as online learning med-
ium. Relationships shown as arrows among variables in Fig. 51.1 will become
hypotheses. Table 51.1 below lists the relationships among variables.

Personal
Innovativeness Perceived
Usefulness
H7 H8
Cognitive
Absorption H1
Behavioral
H6 H3
H5 H9 Intention
Playfulness H2 to Use

Perceived
Self-Efficacy H4
Ease-of-Use

Fig. 51.1 Proposed theoritical model

468 I.S. Herlambangkoro and T. Wiradinata

Table 51.1 Research Research hypotheses

hypotheses
H1: Perceived usefulness has a significant positive direct effect
on behavioral intention to use
H2: Perceived ease of use has a significant positive direct effect
on behavioral intention to use
H3: Perceived ease of use has a significant positive direct effect
on perceived usefulness
H4: Self-efficacy has a significant positive direct effect on
perceived ease of use
H5: Self-efficacy has a significant positive direct effect on
perceived usefulness
H6: Playfulness has a significant positive direct effect on
cognitive absortion
H7: Personal innovativeness has a significant positive direct
effect on cognitive absortion
H8: Cognitive absorption has a significant positive direct effect
on perceived usefulness
H9: Cognitive absorption has a significant positive direct effect
on perceived ease of use

51.3 Research Method

51.3.1 Population and Sample

The population in this study were second and third year students of the Ciputra
University. The number of total students are 1466 active students. The sampling
technique for this studies will be using stratified random sampling which is a
sampling technique applied to a population that has strata or levels and each level
has its own characteristics. With the above known population hence the sample size
in this study is determined to be 306 respondents [13].

51.3.2 Measurement Instrument

This study’s data collection method uses online questionnaire as well as printed
form with the same survey questions. Measurement data from the results of the
questionnaire using five scaled Likert scale. Likert Scale used to measure attitudes,
opinions, and perceptions of a person or a group of social phenomenon. In this
scale, the respondents expressed approval and disapproval of a number of state-
ments related to the variables being measured.
51 Factors Affecting Edmodo Adoption as Online Learning Medium 469

51.3.3 Testing of Measurement Instrument

Validity is demonstrating the extent to which a measuring instrument capable of

measuring what you want to measure. Validity test is a step tests performed on the
contents of an instrument, with the aim to measure the accuracy of the instruments
used in a study. Validity test is done by calculating the correlation between the
score of the response variable response with a total score of a variable called
Pearson tolerance test. Value tolerance significance Pearson correlation coefficient
is α = 5 % or 0.05.
Reliability is to determine the consistency of the measurement results. In
determining the reliability of the study, researchers used Cronbach alpha coefficient.
This test is done to measure whether the proposed questionnaire is reliable or not.
A variable is said to be reliable, if it gives the value of Cronbach alpha coeffi-
cient ≥0.70 [14].
Path analysis will be measured using AMOS statistical software, wherein the
path diagram test performed after validity, reliability, and test assumptions. After
the path diagram test fulfilled, the last test conducted was a model fit test [15]. This
test assesses the fitness of a model in this study. There are nine criteria tested
including Chi-Square, normed Chi-Square, RMR, GFI, AGFI, NFI, IFI, CFI and
RMSEA.

51.4 Result

51.4.1 Demography of Respondents

Profile of respondents were analyzed using descriptive statistics: frequency and

percentage. Total survey form collected were 340, among the survey responds 39
were found incomplete or invalid, hence the total respondents with complete data
were now 301 respondents, 145 respondents were male (48 %), and 156 respon-
dents were female (51 %). Number of second and third year students is equal.

51.4.2 Path Analysis and Fit Test

Path analysis were conducted using AMOS software. This diagram as shown in
Fig. 51.2 is used to help conceptualization problems and to determine the direct and
indirect effect of independent and intermediary variables to the dependent variable
(ITU).
Regression weights in Table 51.2 shows the effect PEOU to ITU as insignificant
at the 0.63 can be considered the relationship of these pathways discarded.
470 I.S. Herlambangkoro and T. Wiradinata

Fig. 51.2 Path diagram model

Table 51.2 Regression Regression weights: (Group number 1—Default model)

weight
Estimate S.E. C.R. P Label
CA ← PIIT 0.161 0.036 4.462 ***
CA ← PF 0.254 0.035 7.274 ***
PEOU ← SE 0.447 0.039 11.405 ***
PEOU ← CA 0.123 0.058 2.121 0.034
PU ← PEOU 0.419 0.049 8.516 ***
PU ← CA 0.292 0.05 5.884 ***
PU ← SE 0.324 0.04 8.107 ***
ITU ← PU 0.494 0.075 6.56 ***
ITU ← PEOU −0.039 0.08 −0.481 0.63

Figure 51.3 above shows additional 4 direct relationship, namely PIIT towards
PEOU, PF towards ITU, SE towards CA, and CA towards ITU. There is also a
second reduction, namely a direct relationship PEOU toward CA and PIIT towards
CA from the proposed theoretical model. After the modification, the modified
model fulfills the fitness criteria as seen in the Table 51.3 below.

51.4.3 Final Model Analysis

The total effect of other factors consist of the direct effects and indirect effects.
Tables 51.4 and 51.5 below contain summary of the total effect and the number of
standardized total effects.
51 Factors Affecting Edmodo Adoption as Online Learning Medium 471

Fig. 51.3 Path diagram model after modification

Table 51.3 Goodness-of-Fit result

Model fit Fit criteria Result
Chi Square p > 0.05 0.187
Normed Chi Square <3 1.409
RMR (Root Mean Square Residual) Close to 0 0.012
GFI (Goodness of Fit index) >0.90 0.989
AGFI (Adjusted GFI) 0.963
NFI (Normal Fit Index) >0.90 0.986
IFI (Incremental Fit Index) 0.996
CFI (Comparative Fit Index) 0.996
RMSEA (Root Mean Square Error of Approximation) <0.05 0.037

Table 51.4 Total effects

Total effects (Group number 1—Default model)
PF PIIT SE CA PEOU PU
CA 0.259 0 0.276 0 0 0
PEOU 0 0.131 0.428 0 0 0
PU 0.075 0.055 0.584 0.292 0.419 0
ITU 0.318 0.019 0.257 0.292 0.147 0.351

From the results of the above table shows the effect of data contained in each
variable. From these results concluded that the variables that have the greatest
influence on the variable ITU is variable Playfulness. Playfulness shown greatest
significant positive effect at 0.318 (with medium magnitude) towards the
Behavioral Intention to Use.
472 I.S. Herlambangkoro and T. Wiradinata

Table 51.5 Standardized total effects

Standardized total effects (Group number 1—Default model)
PF PIIT SE CA PEOU PU
CA 0.391 0 0.406 0 0 0
PEOU 0 0.157 0.516 0 0 0
PU 0.085 0.06 0.643 0.218 0.383 0
ITU 0.336 0.02 0.265 0 205 0.126 0.328

51.4.4 Practical Implications

The study results can be used as policy guidance when formulating strategies in the
adoption of Edmodo which is paying bigger attention to improving the Perceived
Playfulness by the users. Some efforts may include implementing gamification
which influences the perception of users from learning to playing.

51.5 Conclusion

In this study, exogenous variables which has the greatest effect on Intention to Use
Edmodo is Playfulness, however this study assumes the general use of Edmodo as
common online learning medium without paying close attention to which features
of Edmodo attracts its users the most. Subsequent study may explore more on those
areas. Perceived Playfulness generates biggest effect to students intention to use
Edmodo application. The influence was 0.318 with medium magnitude, hence the
strategy to increase the adoption is to create more playful online interaction (e.g.:
creating missions, milestones, etc.)

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