Investigating Academicians’ Use of Tablet PC from the Perspectives of Human Computer Interaction and Technology Acceptance Model

Abstract

This phenomenological study examines academicians’ beliefs and lived experiences of using tablet PC based on Human–Computer Interaction (HCI) and Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). Participants included 15 academic staff working in a university in Turkey. Data were collected through in–depth semi–structured interviews and subjected to content analysis. Main themes emerged from the data include reasons for purchasing tablet PC, usage patterns, professional and instructional implementation, comparison of tablet with other PCs, future expectations of tablets, and opinions about tablet experiences (performance increase, advantages, health issues). The results showed that academicians were satisfied with tablet PC and used it for presentation, social media, and routine tasks. However, they did not prefer it as a first PC option and they found it inadequate for all their works due to the limitation of subject-specific applications, incompatibility issues, difficulty in writing, and tendency to maintain previous PC usage habits. The findings did not indicate any reduction in the need and use of other PCs due to tablet ownership. Overall, this study supports the interaction of HCI components (user, tool, environment, tasks) and TAM components (perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use) and their effects on the adoption and use of a technological tool.