Working Adults' Intentions to Participate in Microlearning: Assessing for Measurement Invariance and Structural Invariance

Abstract

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The current study set out to understand the factors that explain working adults' microlearning usage intentions using the Decomposed Theory of Planned Behaviour (DTPB). Specifically, the authors were interested in differences, if any, in the factors that explained microlearning acceptance across gender, age and proficiency in technology. 628 working adults gave their responses to a 46-item, self-rated, 5-point Likert scale developed to measure 12 constructs of the DTPB model. Results of this study revealed that a 12-factor model was valid in explaining microlearning usage intentions of all working adults, regardless of demographic differences. Tests for measurement invariance showed support for invariance in model structure (configural invariance), factor loadings (metric invariance), item intercepts (scalar invariance), and item residuals (strict invariance) between males and females, between working adults below 40 years and above 40 years, and between working adults with lower technology proficiency and higher technology proficiency levels. While measurement invariance existed in the data, structural invariance was only found across gender, not age and technology proficiency. We then assessed latent mean differences and structural path differences across groups. Our findings suggest that a tailored approach to encourage the use of microlearning is needed to suit different demographics of working adults. The current study discusses the implications of the findings on the use and adoption of microlearning and proposes future research possibilities.

Keywords

• decomposed theory of planned behaviour
• technology acceptance
• adult learning
• measurement invariance
• microlearning
• structural invariance