doi: 10.18178/ijiet.2026.16.11.2740
Uncovering Multiple Pathways to Educator Adoption of e-Learning Tools: A Configurational Analysis Using fsQCA
Geeta Sandeep Nadella1,*
,
Hermano Jorge De Queiroz2 ,
Shaila Rana3 ,
Elyson De La Cruz3,* ,
Karthik Meduri1 ,
Hari Gonaygunta1
- 1School of Computer and Information Sciences, University of the Cumberlands, Williamsburg, USA
- 2School of Business and Information Technology, Lindsey Wilson University, Columbia, USA
- 3School of Business and Information Technology, Purdue University, Indiana, USA
- Manuscript receivedDecember 15, 2025
- revisedJanuary 14, 2026
- acceptedJune 8, 2026
- publishedNovember 12, 2026
Abstract
This study employs fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA) to identify the multiple, complex causal pathways leading to educator adoption of e-learning tools. Drawing on a verified sample of N = 216US-based educators from the IS-Impact dataset, this researchinvestigates how five conditions—Information Quality (IQ),System Quality (SQ), Individual Impact (II), Digital Maturity(DM), and Teaching Experience (TE)—combine configurally toproduce high or low adoption outcomes, operationalized viaOrganizational Impact (OI) as a proxy for deep-level adoption.All constructs were calibrated using a seven-point Likert scalewith empirically derived anchors (full membership at the 95thpercentile, crossover at the median, full non-membership at the5th percentile). Necessity analysis confirmed that no singlecondition is individually necessary for high adoption (allconsistency values < 0.90). Sufficiency analysis revealed fourdistinct pathways sufficient for high adoption (solutionconsistency = 0.9669; solution coverage = 0.7334),demonstrating equifinality: C1—Comprehensive Alignment(all conditions high; n = 27, consistency = 0.9694); C2—NoviceDigital Proficiency (high IQ, SQ, II, DM; low TE; n = 25,consistency = 0.9853); C3—SQ-Compensated Pathway (low IQ;high SQ, II, DM, TE; n = 8, consistency = 0.9632); andC4—System-Driven Adoption (high IQ, SQ, DM; low II, TE;n = 5, consistency = 0.9716). System Quality (SQ) and DigitalMaturity (DM) were present in all four high-adoptionconfigurations. Causal asymmetry was confirmed: threelow-adoption configurations (solution consistency = 0.9687;coverage = 0.7498) differ fundamentally from theirhigh-adoption counterparts, sharing the combined absence ofIQ, SQ, and II across all pathways. These findings offereducators and administrators actionable, profile-specificstrategies rather than one-size-fits-all solutions for fosteringe-learning adoption.
Keywords
- e-learning adoption
- fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA)
- configurational analysis
- information quality
- system quality
- digital maturity
- teaching experience
- equifinality
- causal asymmetry
How to Cite
Geeta Sandeep Nadella, Hermano Jorge De Queiroz, Shaila Rana, Elyson De La Cruz, Karthik Meduri, and Hari Gonaygunta, "Uncovering Multiple Pathways to Educator Adoption of e-Learning Tools: A Configurational Analysis Using fsQCA," International Journal of Information and Education Technology, vol. 16, no. 11, pp. 2865-2878, 2026. https://doi.org/10.18178/ijiet.2026.16.11.2740
Copyright & License
Copyright © 2026 by the authors. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited (CC BY 4.0).