Facilitating Conditions as an Enabler, Not a Direct Motivator: A Robustness and Mediation Analysis of E-Learning Adoption

Abstract: Despite substantial institutional investment in e-learning infrastructure, student engagement often fails to meet expectations--a persistent paradox that challenges the established direct relationship between Facilitating Conditions (FC) and behavioral intention within the classic UTAUT framework. To resolve this theoretical puzzle, we reconceptualized the role of FC through an empirical study of 470 Indonesian university students. Our robust, multi-stage analytical approach first confirmed the significant influence of established drivers--Performance Expectancy (beta=0.190), Effort Expectancy (beta=0.198), Social Influence (beta=0.151), and Perceived Enjoyment (beta=0.472)--on Behavioral Intention (BI), which in turn strongly predicted Use Behavior (beta=0.666). Crucially, however, the direct effect of FC on BI proved non-significant (beta=-0.085). A subsequent mediation model revealed FC's true function as a foundational enabling construct that operates indirectly by powerfully enhancing both Performance Expectancy (beta=0.556) and Effort Expectancy (beta=0.419). Our findings demonstrate that the value of technological infrastructure lies not in its mere presence, but in its dynamic capacity to enable learning and optimize user experience. This research advances a refined "enabling pathway" theoretical framework, guiding administrators to shift the focus of technological investment from merely providing tools to strategically crafting learning experiences.