Links between ease of use, perceived usefulness and attitudes towards technology in older people in university: A structural equation modelling approach

Educ Inf Technol (Dordr). 2023;28(3):2419-2436. doi: 10.1007/s10639-022-11292-1. Epub 2022 Aug 17.

Abstract

Technological resources have the potential to improve the quality of life in a context in which social pressure for the use of these tools is increasing. In this sense, the adoption of technological resources by the elderly is a highly complex issue because numerous and varied factors are involved. Precisely for this reason, this study aims to analyze the effects that exist between a series of dimensions related to the perception of older people regarding the ease of use, the perceived usefulness of technological tools, attitudes towards technology and their intention to use them in everyday life. To do this, 415 adults (M = 66.27 years) enrolled in a program at the University of Experience in the Spanish context completed an online questionnaire. The application of a Structural Equations Model for data analysis highlights that the perceived ease of use of the technology has a positive effect on the perceived usefulness of these resources. Similarly, an indirect effect of the perceived usefulness of technology on the intention to use these resources is observed through the manifestation of positive attitudes towards the use of digital tools.

Keywords: Attitudes; Ease of use; Intention of use; Older people; Perceived usefulness; Technology.