What determines university instructors' continuance intentions for smart classroom use: Examining the role of service quality, connectedness and technostress

Abstract The purpose of this research is to investigate the relationship between university instructors' perceptions of service quality, preference for student connectedness, feelings of technostress and their continuance intentions to use smart classrooms. Informed by SERVQUAL and information systems continuance models, the research applies partial least squares structural equation modelling on survey data from 387 university instructors within the Gulf Cooperation Council region. Survey findings indicate that the perceived service quality of smart classrooms by university instructors significantly and positively relates to their student connectedness preferences but significantly and negatively relates to their technostress feelings when considering smart classroom use. The survey findings also show that instructors' student connectedness preferences significantly and positively relate to their continuance intentions to use smart classrooms while technostress feelings significantly and negatively relate to these continuance intentions. Theoretically, the findings imply a quality‐centric smart classroom continuance model underpinned by connectedness–technostress constructs and suggest the propensity of high‐quality technological services to deliver technostress‐mitigating properties. Practically, this research has relevance and value for support systems design and delivery in higher education and the findings lead to managerial recommendations for the development of dedicated training programmes and the provision of technical assistance for instructors on smart classroom quality. Practitioner notes What is already known about this topic? Using smart classrooms for learning transforms student learning and experience. Instructors face challenges when using ICT within smart learning spaces. Effectiveness of smart classrooms depends on socio‐technological factors influencing instructors' ICT use. What this paper adds? Instructors' perceptions of service quality negatively link to their feelings of technostress when using smart classrooms. Instructors' perceptions of service quality positively correlate with their preferences for student connectedness within smart classrooms. Instructors' feelings of technostress when using smart classrooms negatively relate to their smart classroom continuance intentions. Instructors' preferences for student connectedness within smart classrooms positively bear upon their smart classroom continuance intentions. Implications for practice and/or policy Smart classroom designers should understand what contributes to the quality of learning environments. High‐quality technological services could have a propensity to be technostress‐relieving for smart learning spaces.