Factors that Parents in South Africa Consider in Support of their Children’s Continuous Use of Online Learning

One of the lessons learnt during the COVID-19 pandemic is the need for technology to connect and communicate. Schools learnt to use technology as tools of teaching and learning, as well as connecting with parents. Such gains need not be discarded now that the pandemic has subsided. The purpose of this study was to investigate factors that parents in South Africa consider significant in allowing their children to continue using online learning. The extended expectation-confirmation model, with eight constructs, was used to explain this phenomenon using a sample of 358 participating parents. The model was analysed using partial least squares structural equation modeling, while SmartPLS3 was employed in the analysis of the data. The results showed that the factors that parents in South Africa consider significant in allowing their children to continue using online learning were statistically significant. The seven factors (constructs) identified in the model explained 74.6% of the variance in support of continuous use of online learning. This was an overwhelming support for continuance to use online learning by their children, based on its benefits. This work contributed to the body of knowledge by developing a model for predicting the continued use of educational technologies (online learning), especially in developing countries. One of the shortcomings of the study is that it only included parents of learners in one district of South Africa. As a result, generalising the findings to other high schools elsewhere should be done with caution.