Investigating the acceptance of distance learning amongst Omani students: a case study from Oman

Purpose - In the COVID-19 pandemic, students were subjected to high pressure when they were forced to move to distance learning in a lockdown environment. Such a drastic move for communities living in groups with solid relationship ties comes at a price. This study aims to investigate the acceptance of distance learning amongst Omani higher education institutions (HEI) students during COVID-19 lockdown. Design/methodology/approach - This is a quantitative research based on an online survey designed to study participants' acceptance of distance learning during COVID-19 lockdown. Findings - A sample of 757 Omani students was selected, of which 81.2% were female. About 60% of the students' Age lies 15-20 years. The highest percentage (38.8%) of students belongs to the College of Arts and Humanities. A total of 80% of the students reported a moderate level of information technology skills, and also more than 80% of the students had never attended eLearning calls. Most of the students affirm the eLearning acceptance (students' willingness to use eLearning tools for the tasks they are designed for), eLearning usefulness (using eLearning would enhance students' performance), eLearning ease of use (the degree to which a student believes that using eLearning tools are free from effort), learning from home during COVID-19 and eLearning effectiveness (student's satisfaction and the benefits student will gain from learning via online platforms). Multiple regression analysis confirms that more than 81% of the variation in the eLearning acceptance was explained by eLearning usefulness, eLearning ease of use, learning from home during COVID-19 and eLearning effectiveness independent variables. Moreover, these independent predictors have a positive association with eLearning acceptance. Originality/value - This research intends to fill the gap in Omani HEI students' acceptance of distance learning during the COVID-19 pandemic.