A systematic review of e-learning systems adoption before and during the COVID-19

Purpose This systematic review aims to assess the studies collected by identifying factors influencing the acceptance of e-learning systems before and during the current propagation of the COVID-19 pandemic. Design/methodology/approach This study undertook a literature review on the in-depth revision of studies published before 2021. The reviewed research papers meet the inclusion and exclusion criteria. A total of 97 out of 214 articles met the inclusion criteria and were subsequently used in this review. Findings The findings revealed that the survey questionnaire is the most common data collection instrument used regardless of the research objectives. 2019 was a remarkable year because of the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic. Research limitations/implications This systematic review relied on specific databases (ScienceDirect, Emerald, IEEE and Google Scholar) to search for the articles included in this paper. However, these databases may not comprehensively represent all papers published on e-learning using the technology acceptance model (TAM). Practical implications This paper suggests a guide for managers and scholars in educational institutions and acts as a roadmap for practitioners and academics in the educational field and policymakers. This research spotlights the significant factors influencing the acceptance and adoption of e-learning. Originality/value This research assessed articles that examined the TAM in e-learning and classified them according to their methodology, country of dissemination, context and distribution within the year of publication. This paper contributes to the body of knowledge in a way that will benefit stakeholders in an educational setting.