Received: 31 January 2019 | Revised: 23 February 2019 | Accepted: 2 March 2019 DOI: 10.1002/cae.22111 RESEARCH ARTICLE An extended technology acceptance model of a mobile learning technology Yu Zhonggen 1 | Yu Xiaozhi 2 1 Department of English Studies, Faculty of Foreign Studies, Beijing Language and Culture University, Beijing, China 2 Department of Humanities, Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences, Beijing Language and Culture University, Beijing, China Correspondence Yu Zhonggen, Department of English Studies, Faculty of Foreign Studies, Beijing Language and Culture University, Beijing 100083, China. Email: 401373742@qq.com Funding information Chinese national fund for the humanities and social sciences (Chinese Academic translation), Grant/Award Number: 17WSS005; Jiangsu Provincial Social Science Fund in 2016 “Effect of College English flipped classroom in Jiangsu”, Grant/Award Number: 16YYB004; Chinese National Fund for Humanities and Social Sciences, Grant/Award Number: 17WSS005; A Key Research Project of Philosophy & Social Sciences Funded by Ministry of Education of China, Grant/Award Number: 18JZD018 Abstract Rain Classroom, a popular mobile app developed by the most distinguished university in Asia, is a product of mobile technological revolution. Few studies have, however, formulated its acceptance model by including the constructs of peer and superior influences. This study’s primary investigation is the impact of peer and superior influences on learners’ usage of Rain Classroom within the technology acceptance model (TAM) framework. Both constructs are entered into an extended TAM as external variables impacting on the core constructs in the prevailing TAM literature: perceived usefulness, ease of use, enjoyment, and continuance intention. The investigation is conducted within the context of university students’ utilization of Rain Classroom. A sample of 293 students from a higher education institution in East China participated in this study. Using correlation analysis and WarpPLS Structural Equation Modeling, eight hypotheses were tested for Rain Classroom. The results of the analyses reveal that both peer and superior influences play a significant role in the students’ continuance intention to use Rain Classroom. Besides peer and superior influences, future research could extend the TAM by including more constructs to provide important references for researchers and practitioners of Rain Classroom. KEYWORDS an extended TAM, mobile learning technology, peer influence, Rain Classroom, superior influence 1 | INTRODUCTION With the swift development of information technology, the innovation of mobile learning technologies is moving ahead at a dramatic speed. It is necessary to discuss the conception of mobile learning before we explore its effectiveness. 1.1 | Conception of mobile learning Mobile learning is referred to as the learning style based on mobility in various contexts, through individual, cultural, or learning content interactions, and via mobile electronic devices such as smartphones, laptops, and tablets. 1 Nevertheless, mobile learning could not be simply defined as the learning process where mobile technologies are integrated into learning. 2 The essence of mobile learning might lie in the function of saving data of mobile technologies so that users could retrieve the stored information when- ever and wherever they need. 2 Through the retrieved information, users could participate in learning activities, conduct self‐directed learning and improve learning effectiveness. 3 Comput Appl Eng Educ. 2019;1-12. wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/cae © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. | 1