  Open Source Software (OSS) has been widely used in the educational
environment largely due to its reduced cost of ownership. While OSS has evolved
over the years, challenges exist in its implementation and wide adoption.
Foremost among these detriments is the lack of available skills across
industries. Since future users of this technology will settle in an
organizational ecosystem where proprietary and OSS technologies coexist, it is
vital to understand their learning environment where they initially acquire
their technology skills. The University implements courses that champion the
use of open source technologies within its curricula. However, other courses
are also anchored on technologies that are proprietary. This study is based on
the premise that training or the learning experience and visibility or the
prevalence of OSS in the environment influences its adoption among students.
Empirical evidences explore the relationship of visibility and training in the
adoption of OSS from the perspectives of students in a Philippine university. A
modified Technology Acceptance Model incorporating additional constructs is
validated using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Model. Results of the
study confirms the applicability of TAM in this study, training has positive
influence on both perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness and visibility
has a positive influence on perceived ease of use towards initial acceptability
of students of OSS. Educational implications of the study are discussed,
limitations are acknowledged and research frontiers are recommended.
