A path analysis of pre-service teachers' attitudes to computer use: applying and extending the technology acceptance model in an educational context

The purpose of this study is to examine pre-service teachers' attitudes to computers. This study extends the technology acceptance model (TAM) framework by adding subjective norm, facilitating conditions, and technological complexity as external variables. Results show that the TAM and subjective norm, facilitating conditions, and technological complexity were significant determinants of pre-service attitudes to computer use. A multiple square correlation revealed that the proposed model in this study explained 48.7% of the attitude to computer use. Various contributions to research and practice are discussed.

[1]  Mark Priestley,et al.  Student teachers ’ first reflections on ICT and Classroom Learning : implications for Initial Teacher Education , 2006 .

[2]  Marcus Childress,et al.  Explaining and Predicting Resistance to Computer Anxiety Reduction among Teacher Education Students , 2002 .

[3]  Rex B. Kline,et al.  Principles and Practice of Structural Equation Modeling , 1998 .

[4]  B. Yushau Computer Attitude, Use, Experience, Software Familiarity and Perceived Pedagogical Usefulness: The Case of Mathematics Professors. , 2006 .

[5]  N. A. Mukti Computer Technology In Malaysia: Teachers’ Background Characteristics, Attitudes And Concerns , 2000, Electron. J. Inf. Syst. Dev. Ctries..

[6]  Girish H. Subramanian,et al.  A Replication of Perceived Usefulness and Perceived Ease of Use Measurement , 1994 .

[7]  Keenan A. Pituch,et al.  The influence of system characteristics on e-learning use , 2006, Comput. Educ..

[8]  Fred D. Davis,et al.  User Acceptance of Computer Technology: A Comparison of Two Theoretical Models , 1989 .

[9]  Thompson S. H. Teo,et al.  Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation in Internet usage , 1999 .

[10]  Judy Drennan,et al.  Factors Affecting Student Attitudes Toward Flexible Online Learning in Management Education , 2005 .

[11]  Kar Yan Tam,et al.  Determinants of User Acceptance of Digital Libraries: An Empirical Examination of Individual Differences and System Characteristics , 2002, J. Manag. Inf. Syst..

[12]  Fred D. Davis,et al.  A Theoretical Extension of the Technology Acceptance Model: Four Longitudinal Field Studies , 2000, Management Science.

[13]  T. Teo Perceived Importance, Enjoyment, and Anxiety as Correlates of Computer Attitudes , 2007, Psychological reports.

[14]  Melissa M. Groves,et al.  Instructional Technology Adoption in Higher Education: An Action Research Case Study , 2000 .

[15]  Hassan M. Selim,et al.  An empirical investigation of student acceptance of course websites , 2003, Comput. Educ..

[16]  Lenni Haapasalo,et al.  Factors that influence student teacher's interest to achieve educational technology standards , 2008, Comput. Educ..

[17]  Tapabrata Maiti,et al.  Principles and Practice of Structural Equation Modeling (2nd ed.) , 2006 .

[18]  I. Ajzen,et al.  Belief, Attitude, Intention, and Behavior: An Introduction to Theory and Research , 1977 .

[19]  Cheng-Chang Sam Pan,et al.  Students' Attitude in a Web-enhanced Hybrid Course: A Structural Equaadon Modeling Inquiry , 2003 .

[20]  Debbie L. Hahs-Vaughn,et al.  Combined longitudinal effects of attitude and subjective norms on student outcomes in a web-enhanced course: A structural equation modelling approach , 2007, Br. J. Educ. Technol..

[21]  Anil Kumar,et al.  Effect of a Web-Based Project on Preservice and Inservice Teachers’ Attitude toward Computers and Their Technology Skills , 2003 .

[22]  Bassam Hasan,et al.  Effects of interface style on user perceptions and behavioral intention to use computer systems , 2007, Comput. Hum. Behav..

[23]  Robert F. DeVellis,et al.  Scale Development: Theory and Applications. , 1992 .

[24]  Myint Swe Khine Attitudes toward Computers among Teacher Education Students in Brunei Darussalam , 2001 .

[25]  C. Fornell,et al.  Evaluating structural equation models with unobservable variables and measurement error. , 1981 .

[26]  John Ingham,et al.  Why do people use information technology? A critical review of the technology acceptance model , 2003, Inf. Manag..

[27]  H. Becker Who's wired and who's not: children's access to and use of computer technology. , 2000, The Future of children.

[28]  Subhasish Dasgupta,et al.  User Acceptance of E-Collaboration Technology: An Extension of the Technology Acceptance Model , 2002 .

[29]  William Sugar,et al.  Examining Teachers' Decisions To Adopt New Technology , 2004, J. Educ. Technol. Soc..

[30]  G. Cziko,et al.  Teacher Adoption of Technology: A Perceptual Control Theory Perspective , 2001 .

[31]  I. Ajzen,et al.  Understanding Attitudes and Predicting Social Behavior , 1980 .

[32]  Denise Tolhurst,et al.  Organisational factors affecting teachers' use and perception of information & communications technology , 2005 .

[33]  J. Hair Multivariate data analysis , 1972 .

[34]  Young-Gul Kim,et al.  Extending the TAM for a World-Wide-Web context , 2000, Inf. Manag..

[35]  Cynthia K. Riemenschneider,et al.  Understanding it adoption decisions in small business: integrating current theories , 2003, Inf. Manag..

[36]  Shu-Sheng Liaw,et al.  Exploring users' attitudes and intentions toward the web as a survey tool , 2005, Comput. Hum. Behav..

[37]  Gordon B. Davis,et al.  User Acceptance of Information Technology: Toward a Unified View , 2003, MIS Q..

[38]  Eric W. T. Ngai,et al.  Empirical examination of the adoption of WebCT using TAM , 2007, Comput. Educ..

[39]  Younghwa Lee,et al.  The Technology Acceptance Model: Past, Present, and Future , 2003, Commun. Assoc. Inf. Syst..

[40]  Youngjin Yoo,et al.  It's all about attitude: revisiting the technology acceptance model , 2004, Decis. Support Syst..

[41]  N. Law,et al.  Improving IT training for serving teachers through evaluation , 1999 .

[42]  Cher Ping Lim,et al.  Managing Teachers’ Barriers to ICT Integration in Singapore Schools , 2006 .

[43]  Alaa Sadik Factors Influencing Teachers’ Attitudes Toward Personal Use and School Use of Computers , 2006, Evaluation review.

[44]  Charles D. Barrett Understanding Attitudes and Predicting Social Behavior , 1980 .

[45]  Soner Yıldırım Effects of an Educational Computing Course on Preservice and Inservice Teachers , 2000 .

[46]  Timothy Teo,et al.  Attitudes toward computers: A study of post-secondary students in Singapore , 2006, Interact. Learn. Environ..

[47]  Jane M. Howell,et al.  Personal Computing: Toward a Conceptual Model of Utilization , 1991, MIS Q..

[48]  Ioannis P. Vlahavas,et al.  "Cultures in negotiation": teachers' acceptance/resistance attitudes considering the infusion of technology into schools , 2003, Comput. Educ..

[49]  Melpomeni Tsitouridou,et al.  Early Childhood Teachers’ Attitudes towards Computer and Information Technology: The Case of Greece , 2003 .

[50]  Mark Vandenbosch,et al.  Research Report: Richness Versus Parsimony in Modeling Technology Adoption Decisions - Understanding Merchant Adoption of a Smart Card-Based Payment System , 2001, Inf. Syst. Res..

[51]  Mark Priestley,et al.  Student teachers' first reflections on information and communications technology and classroom learning: implications for initial teacher education , 2005, J. Comput. Assist. Learn..

[52]  M. Fusilier,et al.  An Exploration of Student Internet Use in India: The Technology Acceptance Model and the Theory of Planned Behaviour. , 2005 .

[53]  Sai Hong Tang,et al.  Experienced and inexperienced Internet users among pre-service teachers: Their use and attitudes toward the Internet , 2005, J. Educ. Technol. Soc..

[54]  Henryk R. Marcinkiewicz,et al.  Using Subjective Norms To Predict Teachers' Computer Use , 1996 .

[55]  Michel Ferrari,et al.  Computer-related attitudes and actions of teacher candidates , 2003, Comput. Hum. Behav..