Investigating the acceptance and use of massive open online courses (MOOCs) for health informatics education

BACKGROUND: This study investigated the acceptance and use of massive open online courses (MOOCs) among health informatics educators and students in Saudi Arabian academic institutions. A theoretical model based on the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT), self-determination theory (SDT), and channel expansion theory (CET) was used to identify factors that affect MOOC adoption in health informatics education. METHODS: A survey research design was employed, and cross-sectional data were collected from health informatics instructors and students in academic institutions in Saudi Arabia. A total of 145 completed responses were used in the final analysis of the data. RESULTS: The findings indicated that performance and effort expectancy were important factors that could predict the acceptance and use of MOOCs among health informatics instructors and students. Additionally, perceived media richness affected the actual use of health informatics MOOCs among students and instructors in Saudi Arabian academic institutions. The results of this study show that autonomy, relatedness, and competence must be considered in the design of health informatics MOOCs. CONCLUSIONS: A combination of these models can effectively explain the adoption and use of MOOCs in emerging fields such as health informatics. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12909-023-04648-9.