The Frontier Areas’ Student Acceptance of Physics Fun-based Mobile Application: Incorporating the Process-Oriented Guided-Inquiry Learning (POGIL) Strategy

The acceptability of technology is an essential factor to consider, particularly in frontier areas that encounter challenges related to availability and limited educational resources. This study aims to evaluate the acceptance of physics learning tools in a virtual laboratory (V-Lab) platform, utilizing the POGIL strategy, referred to as the Physics Fun-based mobile application. Mobile learning refers to the learning process carried out through mobile devices such as smartphones. The implementation took place at a senior high school located in West Papua Province, one of Indonesia's frontier areas, with 136 students participating. The Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) were employed in this quantitative study. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was implemented for data analysis. The findings indicated that Attitude (ATT) and Behavioral Intention (BI) were significantly influenced by Perceived Ease of Use (PEU) and Subjective Norm (SN), respectively, while Perceived Usefulness (PU) did not have a direct effect on ATT. As a result, to enhance the acceptance of technology, teachers and technology developers should prioritize enhancing ease of use and reinforcing social factors. This should be done with a particular emphasis on the social benefits and simple accessibility of technology in the learning process, particularly in frontier areas.