Users’ continuance intention of virtual learning community services: the moderating role of usage experience

ABSTRACT

Users’ continuance intention plays a significant role in the process of information system (IS) service, especially virtual learning community (VLC) services. Following the IS success model and IS post-acceptance model, this study explores the determinants of users’ intention to continue using VLCs’ service from the perspective of quality, including perceived information quality (completeness, relevance and timeless) together with perceived interaction quality (responsiveness and connectedness) and focuses on the moderating effect of usage experience. The research hypotheses are empirically validated by using the responses received from a survey of 313 college students and the research model is assessed by structural equation model. The results show that perceived information quality and perceived interaction quality can directly affect perceived usefulness (PU), perceived satisfaction and ultimately determine users’ continuance intention. In addition, the findings verify that usage experience plays an important moderating role. The impact of PU on continuance intention is greater for low-experience users. In contrast, the impact of information satisfaction and interaction satisfaction on continuance intention is greater for high-experience users.

KEYWORDS:

• Continuance intention
• virtual learning community
• usage experience
• moderating role

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Min Zhang is an associate professor in Center for Studies of Information Resources at School of Information Management, Wuhan University in China. Her research interests include social learning, mobile commerce, information quality, supply chain management and related topics. She is the author of more than 60 publications in leading international and Chinese journals, such as Computers and Mathematics with Applications, System Engineering Theory and Practice, Library Hi Tech, and Electronic Library.

Yupei Liu is a graduate student in Electronic Commerce Department at School of Information Management, Wuhan University in China. Her research interest focuses on social learning and related topics. She is the author of about 10 publications in leading Chinese journals.

Weiwei Yan is a lecturer in Center for Studies of Information Resources at School of Information Management, Wuhan University in China. His research interests include information quality, digital library and related topics. He is the author of more than 30 publications in leading international and Chinese journals, such as Library & Information Science Research and The Journal of Academic Librarianship.

Yan Zhang is an associate professor at School of Public Policy and Management, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences in China. Her research interests include social learning, intellectual property and related topics. She is the author of more than 40 publications in leading Chinese journals.

Notes

1. S_pooled = √{[(N₁ − 1)/(N₁ + N₂ − 2)] × SE₁² + [(N₂ − 1)/(N₁ + N₂ −2)] × SE₂²}; t = (PC₁ − PC₂)/[S_pooled × √(1/N1 + 1/N2)]; S_pooled = pooled estimator for the variance; t = t-statistic with (N₁ + N₂ − 2) degrees of freedom; N_i = sample size of dataset for group i; SE_i = standard error of path in structural model of group i; PC_i = path coefficient in structural model of group i.

Additional information

Funding

This study is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China [grant number 71203166] and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities [grant 2015 Wuhan University project of Humanities and Social Science.