Title Adoption of AI-Powered Web-Based English Writing Assistance Software: An Exploratory Study

Abstract

Purpose of the Study: This research paper examines the usage of web based digital writing assistant software amongst the undergraduate students of private universities in Bangladesh. To examine the effects of different factors in students' adoption and usage of digital writing assistant software, this study applied Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use Technology (UTAUT) model. Methodology: The study used UTAUT model containing 8 latent variables (self-efficacy, performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, facilitating condition, satisfaction, hedonic motivation, price value, adoption intention, and adoption behavior) and a total of 25 items in those variables. Through online questionnaire distribution, this study has collected and analysed 559 data. The research employed deductive approach and structural equation modelling (SEM) method for data analysis. Findings: The results shows that the factors that impact on students' behavior intention to use of digital writing assistant are performance expectancy, price value, hedonic motivation, effort expectancy, and facilitating condition, where as social influence and facilitating conditions does not have significant influence on behavioural intention. This study also found the significant impact of facilitating conditions and behavior intention on actual use of the software. Implication: This study will help to understand students' usage of such software and how academic institutions would be able to incorporate such services for students and academicians. Developers of such software can also identify the necessary features and incorporate them for convenient usages by the students. Authority and faculty members of different institution can identify the factors that enable them to incorporate such technology in the academics that would benefit both the teachers and students. Limitation and Future Direction: This study has several limitations such as time constrains, financial factors, responses of respondents, etc. Some moderating variable such as gender, field of study, etc can be considered assessing the behavioral intention and actual usages of the software. Future research may also conduct to assess a comparative scenario between public and private universities in Bangladesh.