Factors influencing the adoption of synchronous virtual classrooms; Self-directed volunteer learners in non-formal education settings in Turkiye

The aim of this study is to determine the variables affecting the intention of volunteer learners in Turkiye to use synchronous classroom (SVCs) in non-formal education settings. The research is built upon the Synchronous Virtual Classroom Acceptance Model, adapted from the framework developed by Bulutlu (2018). Bulutlu has used the enriched key components from Kang and Shin (2015). This enriched version of Technology Acceptance Model by Davis (1989) suits the purpose of this study for the volunteer users in the non-formal learning context in Turkiye. Data were collected from adult learners voluntarily participating in SVC based classes, including Butik Global Online participants; Yeditepe University students; online learners from the Zeynep Aksoy Yoga School; Tolgahan Dance School (Bahçeşehir) and the Human Design School Turkiye. The study included a prerequisite question to determine whether participants had voluntarily taken part in synchronous online education. If the answer was ''Yes'' then the questionaire was followed by a 7-item personal information form and a 24-item scale designed to assess perceptions of synchronous virtual classrooms. The model includes external variables—self-efficacy, structured course content, subjective norm, and system accessibility—which influence perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use, ultimately affecting behavioral intention. Reliability, exploratory factor, correlation, and simple regression analysis were used in the analysis. The findings indicate that subjective norm emerged as the strongest predictor of perceived usefulness (R² = .622). Additionally, perceived usefulness was found to be the most powerful determinant of behavioral intention (R² = .576). As a limitation, this study focused exclusively on volunteer learners engaged in lifelong learning classes, thereby excluding other learner populations. It also did not distinguish between paid and unpaid participants, and relied solely on self-reported perceptions and intentions rather than actual system usage data. Keywords: synchronous virtual classroom, technology acceptance model, volunteer learners, self-directed learning, lifelong learning, non-formal education.