Perceived Usefulness Without Ease of Use: A TAM-Based Evaluation of Enhanced Isabela State University Echague Online Resource App for a New Guild of Education (ISUE ORANGE) Functionalities

This study introduced a target enhancement for ISUE ORANGE, a customized learning management system (LMS) at Isabela State University (ISU)-Echague Campus, developed to address the post-2022 implementation challenges, specifically in progress tracking and exam integrity, through features such as question analytics, monitoring student reading progress, and online proctoring/examination. Modules were designed based on user-reported issues, and evaluated through the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) with 145 students and 18 faculty using a 30-item Likert-scale questionnaire. Both groups demonstrated a strong acceptance with rating "strongly agree" on high perceived ease of use (PEOU) (grand means 4.56–4.65) and perceived usefulness (PU) (4.62–4.75), particularly for monitoring tools, indicating strong acceptance despite the atypical TAM path in this mature, localized context. Cronbach's Alpha (CA) confirmed excellent reliability (0.85–0.97), while the structural equation method (SEM) tested PU = γ₁ PEOU + ζ, revealing non-significant paths (β=0.118–0.145, p>0.05), supporting the null hypothesis (H0). The research demonstrated faculty-led innovation for ISUs or SUCs, with direct PU driving adoption over ease, offering a scalable model for hybrid learning sustainability.