Online learning has offered numerous advantages and benefits during the onslaught of COVID-19, where all schools have been forced to close due to the rampant spread of the virus, from the traditional face-to-face class to virtual classrooms. This learning modality has been utilized by various schools globally in order to facilitate students’ erudition in the comfort of everyone’s home. Indeed, even in the post-pandemic epoch, e-learning will still play a critical role in helping Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) deliver quality education to learners (Pokhrel & Chhetri, 2021). Flexibility, easy access, and interaction between students and instructors are advantages of online learning (Almahasees et al., 2021). In order for the instructors to meet the students and facilitate learning synchronously, educational institutions have been utilizing various video conferencing applications, and one of these is Google Meet (formerly known as Hangout Meet). Google Meet is integrated with Google Classroom. Introduced in 2014 by Google Apps for Education (GAFE), Google Classroom is an LMS and also a virtual classroom that allows teachers to create and organize educational materials and assignments more quickly, provides efficient feedback promptly, and communicate with students with ease (Shaharanee et al., 2016). Google Classroom as a platform is highly designed to save an amount of time, is flexible, accessible, and most especially mobile-friendly (Graham & Borgen, 2018). Hence, Google Meet has been used as a videoconferencing solution. The effectiveness of Google Meet as a pedagogical medium across various educational institutions and disciplines has been supported by previously conducted studies (Abdul Rahman et al., 2021; Al-Maroof et al., 2021; Aswir et al., 2021; Septantiningtyas et al., 2021). Globally, in varying disciplines, numerous scholarly works have been published on the effectiveness of Google Meet as an efficient video conferencing tool in facilitating teaching and learning. In contrast, there has been a scarcity of studies focusing on HEIs context, especially in the local colleges and universities (LCUs) sector in the Philippines. Hence, investigating the effectiveness of Google Meet is highly necessary. With the need to conduct research, this study is focused on exploring the factors that could affect students’ acceptance and perception of Google Classroom as an alternative tool for teaching skill-based concepts in Physical Education. Furthermore, the study’s milieu is temporarily in a full-online learning modality due to ongoing infrastructure development. Hence, students and teachers are not permitted to conduct face-to-face classes on campus. To conclude, the findings of this study aimed to provide valuable information to physical education teachers and college administrators concerning the effectiveness of Google Meet. The results will be considered as a basis if the said video conferencing application can continuously serve as an alternative platform for students to learn skill-based concepts in Physical Education.
Literature review
Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, numerous investigations were already conducted concerning e-learning, and the number of papers focusing on the effectiveness of Google Meet as video conference application is still inadequate, most especially focusing on its efficacy as an alternative tool to learn skill-based concepts in Physical Education in the local colleges and universities setting. Scholarly works concerning Google Meet are immense to other countries and educational institutions over the past years, on the assault of COVID-19 pandemic, up until this post-pandemic period (Hastomo & Zulianti, 2021; Hutajulu, 2022; Nehe, 2021). Additionally, there have been few recent studies that have been able to utilize the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) and the Expanded Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT2) providing valuable information to various HEIs the identified factors that affect students’ acceptance and perception of Google Meet and its implementation to various disciplines globally (Aiman et al., 2022; Alvi, 2021; Brandford Bervell et al., 2021). Aside from these, there have also been studies that added other critical factors that predict students’ utilization of a system (Suwarno, 2022; Tolba & Youssef, 2022). As mentioned above, these scholarly works were able to provide important information to help other schools address the needs and demands to facilitate a quality learning experience.
As have mentioned earlier, e-learning will still play its purpose in various HEIs, which students can use on their learning. The use of Google Meet is still applicable even in this post-pandemic, as there are HEIs worldwide still under a full-online learning modality. Likewise, in the current setting of this investigation. HEIs across the globe utilizes Google Classroom because of its availability, flexibility and can help students to achieve academic feats. Such as the findings of Souheyla (2022) revealed an overall positive perspective and attitude toward Google Meet during the ongoing pandemic. However, digital proficiency of both students and teachers, student motivation, and quality internet facilities were identified as challenges by the Department of English Language at Oran University in Algeria. Additionally, the study of Nasution and Nandiyanto (2021) discovered that online-based learning using Google Meet can be an effective tool for elementary students of Elementary School 1 Telukagung Indramayu, Indonesia. The study by Nehe (2021) also found that using Google Meet in the speaking class showed positive responses based on STKIP Setia Budhi Rangkasbitung students’ perception of its advantages rather than disadvantages. Lastly, the study of Setyawan et al. (2020) discovered that methods of lecture assisted by Google Meet has a significant influence on the building knowledge and learning outcomes of elementary school teacher education students from the University of Trunojoyo Madura. Based on the abovementioned evidences, it can be construed that Google Meet is indeed an effective pedagogical tool that can be utilized to foster learning. However, there are still numerous challenges that pose serious threats in the implementation of online learning through the utilization of Google Meet that needs to be addressed, which are predominantly evident based on earlier conducted studies which most educational institutions are continuously striving to provide quality education to students (Ashraf et al., 2021; Clarin & Baluyos, 2022).
However, there are still challenges faced by various educational institutions worldwide, especially in facilitating online classes in skill-based courses in Physical Education. The monotony of classes within the limited environmental conditions and educational content did not adequately convey the value of Physical Education (Jeong & So, 2020; Lobo, 2022). Added by Jeong and So, because of trial-and-error, this resulted in a lack of experience and expertise in the operation of physical education classes and limited evaluation guidelines, which made systematic evaluation with online methods impossible. Moreover, the study by Chan et al. (2021) reported that Physical Education lessons were ineffective in improving motor skill acquisition and physical activity levels regardless of the e-learning tool utilized. One primary reason for this was the lack of practical training, lack of learning motivation and interest, and limited interpersonal interactions. As a result, students are dissatisfied with online discussions, conversing, interacting, participating, and speaking online (Briones et al., 2021). Additionally, teachers have reported difficulties motivating students because no visual connection is presented. Likewise, the study by Diciano et al. (2021) enumerated that Student-Teacher Interaction (teacher feedback), Technology-Related Experience (use of technology and unstable internet connection), Online Classroom experience (lack of educational facilities, lack of learning space, and access to written materials), Pedagogical-Related experience (more time in doing physical activities, conveying the actual value of physical education, lack of teacher’s demonstration) and Personal-Related experience (learning style) were the challenges being faced by students in online Physical Education Class. Despite the newest innovation, variety, interaction, comfort, and safety, physical education’s practical social nature does not fully translate in an online setting (Moustakas & Robrade, 2022; Tegero, 2021). The shreds of evidence mentioned above have identified the different challenges that schools face in Physical Education in a virtual setting because of the discipline’s nature. On the positive side, there are still noteworthy moments and evidence reported during and after the pandemic in online Physical Education globally. Such as the findings of Idris et al. (2021) reported that independence and adaptation to the new normal are the results of having classes in an online setting in Physical Education. Additionally, health and physical education online classes had a more favorable perception from the students concerning their experiences because of teachers’ feedback and responsiveness, understanding related to the content, and health gains (D’Agostino et al., 2021; Webster et al., 2021). To put it briefly, addressing these challenges experienced by students is highly obligatory to provide meaningful experiences in learning skill-based concepts in Physical Education, even in an online learning modality.
Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) by Davis (1989)
Numerous Information Systems (IS) and Intention-Based theories and models were already introduced concentrating on individual’s acceptance of new technology (Taherdoost, 2018). Among all of these, one of the most commonly known and highly influential is the Technology Acceptance Model or TAM developed by (Davis, 1989). In this particular model, it is posited that there are two primary factors that influence an individual’s intention to use a new technology which are: Perceived ease of use and Perceived usefulness (Charness & Boot, 2016). Perceived ease of use is the degree to which a person believes that using a particular system would be effortless (Al-Bashayreh et al., 2022). On the other side, perceived usefulness of a system is related to the productivity and effectiveness of the platform and its overall benefits to increase user’s performance (Tahar et al., 2020). The adaptation of this specific model has been widespread across various disciplines particularly in education, industries, and even using TAM with other exogenous variables (Castiblanco Jimenez et al., 2020; He et al., 2018; Peng & Yan, 2022; Portz et al., 2019; Zhou et al., 2022). Additionally, scholarly works in the adaptation of TAM in assessing students’ acceptance and perception of various pedagogical platforms, including Google Meet, have established PEOU and PU as primary external factors that influence their behavioral intention and actual use (A. Fauzi et al., 2021; Laurencia & Sudarto, 2021; Mahamud et al., 2021). Over the past years, the Technology Acceptance Model provided a solid background of its effectiveness in assessing the acceptance of new technology to individuals. In this study, it is concentrated in adapting TAM (without other exogenous variables), exploring the factors that influences students’ acceptance of Google Meet as an alternative platform in learning skill-based concepts in Physical Education courses. Ergo, this study is interested to test the following hypotheses:
H1
Perceived ease of use positively influences the perceived usefulness of Google Meet in learning skill-based concepts in Physical Education.
H2
Perceived ease of use positively influences students’ behavioral intention to use Google Meet in learning skill-based concepts in Physical Education.
H3
Perceived usefulness positively influences students’ behavioral intention to use Google Meet in learning skill-based concepts in Physical Education.
H4
Behavioral intention of students influences the actual use of Google Meet in learning skill-based concepts in Physical Education.