Understanding the influence of learning styles in mobile learning usage from the perspective of technology adoption and continuance use

Technology and mobile devices have been successfully integrated in peoples' everyday activities. Educational institutions around the world have increased their interest to create mobile learning (ML) environments considering the advantage of connectivity, situated learning, individualized learning, social interactivity, portability, affordability and more widely ubiquity. Even with the fast development of ML environments, there is a lack of understanding about the factors that are influencing mobile learning adoption. This paper proposes a framework for ML adoption integrating a modified Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) with constructs from the Expectation-Confirmation Theory (ECT). Since the goal for education is learning, this research will include individual attributes such as learning styles (LS) and experience to understand how they moderate mobile learning adoption and actual use. For this reason, the framework brings together the adoption theory for initial use and the constructs of continuance intention for actual and habitual use as an outcome of learning. The framework will be divided in two stages, acceptance and actual use. Each stage will be tested using structural equation modeling statistical technique. The data will be collected from students in a Mexican university that already are experiencing ML. Findings will demonstrate if LS influence will be good predictor for ML adoption and actual use. The practical implication in educational services is to enhance LS when designing strategies for learning enhanced by mobile devices.