Understanding participation in e‐learning in organizations: a large‐scale empirical study of employees

Much remains unknown in the increasingly important field of e‐learning in organizations. Drawing on a large‐scale survey of employees ( N = 557) who had opportunities to participate in voluntary e‐learning activities, the factors influencing participation in e‐learning are explored in this empirical paper. It is hypothesized that key variables derived from the theories of planned behaviour and instructional design – general‐person characteristics, motivation to learn, general and task‐specific self‐efficacy, situational barriers and enablers, and instructional design characteristics – will predict participation in e‐learning. Using structural equation modelling, we find statistical support for the overall theoretical model proposed. We discuss the implications for practice.