Informal Tools in Formal Contexts: Development of a Model to Assess the Acceptance of Mobile Technologies among Teachers

ABSTRACT Traditionally, mobile learning has been more strongly developed within the field of informal education. However, in the past few years there has been a growing interest for the integration of these technologies in the formal education field. Among the key elements needed to successfully achieve this integration process is the acceptance of mobile technologies by the teaching body. In this paper we propose to identify the determining constructs that explain the teachers' intention of using mobile technologies. To this end we have designed a research model based on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), expanded with constructs from other theories. The resulting model was subjected to a content validation process performed by a committee of experts. Lastly, we selected nine constructs for the development of the research model and we formulated 13 hypotheses that describe the relationships among them. Further studies on the research model to extend its validity and reliability are suggested

Predicting Mathematics Teachers\u27 Acceptance of Reflective Blogging to Improve Instruction

An internal district audit identified that a rural, socioeconomically disadvantaged Southwestern school district has a lack of congruent and consistent implementation of the Common Core State Standards in mathematics. Innovative and cost-saving avenues for professional development (PD), such as reflective blogging, foster teacher learning to reconcile the enacted curriculum with the intended curriculum. This correlational study investigated the predictive power of technology acceptance and motivation constructs on reflective mathematics teachers\u27 social media use intention and participation in informal, virtual Communities of Practice (vCoP). The framework that guided this study is the unified acceptance and use of technology and self-determination theory. English-speaking mathematics teachers who read, comment, and write reflective blogs within informal vCoP participated in the study (n = 104), with a response rate of 26.4%. The study employed 2 data collection methods: an automated tool that measured the intensity of participation in vCoP and an online survey measuring predictive constructs. Multiple linear regression analysis identified performance expectancy, effort expectancy, and intrinsic motivation as significant predictive constructs of social media use intention. The regression identified no significant predictor constructs of social media use behavior. Study results form the basis of a blended PD module created for rural mathematics teachers on the benefits of participation in informal vCoP. This study and resulting project contribute to positive social change for rural mathematics teachers by creating an environment to encourage personal reflection and collaboration with virtual colleagues and ultimately improve mathematical instructional practices

Gender differences in the ICT profile of University students : a quantitative analysis

This study responds to a call for research on how gender differences emerge in young generations of computer users. A large-scale survey involving 1138 university students in Flanders (Belgium) was conducted to examine the relationship between gender, computer access, attitudes, and uses in both learning and everyday activities of university students. The results show that women have a less positive attitude towards computers in general. However, their attitude towards computers for educational purposes does not differ from men’s. In the same way, being female is negatively related to computer use for leisure activities, but no relationship was found between gender and study-related computer use. Based on the results, it could be argued that computer attitudes are context-dependent constructs and that when dealing with gender differences, it is essential to take into account the context-specific nature of computer attitudes and uses

Empirical modeling of information communication technology usage behaviour among business education teachers in tertiary colleges of a developing country

This study has empirically tested the fitness of a structural model in explaining the influence of two exogenous variables (perceived enjoyment and attitude towards ICTs) on two endogenous variables (behavioural intention and teachers’ Information Communication Technology (ICT) usage behavior), based on the proposition of Technology Acceptance Model (Davis, 1989a). The sample was 212 teachers from Business Education faculties of 13 tertiary colleges in the northwestern region of Nigeria. As one of the major developing countries in Africa, Nigeria has invested a lot of resources in ICTs for the past several years to ensure the appropriate uptake and integration of technology across the important sectors of the country’s economy, especially the education sector. Unfortunately, the country’s standard of ICT adoption has remained low for many years. Congruently, its educational sector has remained incapacitated by lack of adequate ICT facilities and lack of skilled ICT-manpower, with school teachers using obsolete tools in the classroom, and some of them buying and using ICTs out of their own volition. Teachers’ use of ICTs in tertiary schools’ has remained poor in Nigeria, and research initiatives on ICT usage behaviour are rare and predominantly descriptive in nature. Past studies have dwelt on investigating the influence of physical infrastructural facilities on teachers’ use of technology in the classroom. The current study has investigated the influence of teachers’ perceptive beliefs, attitudes and intentions on their technology usage behaviour, using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). Findings have shown that teachers’ perceived enjoyment of ICTs influences their ICT usage behaviour in the classroom (β = .281, p < .05); teachers’ perceived enjoyment of ICTs influences their intention to use ICTs (β = .740, p < .001); teachers’ ICT attitude influences their intention to use ICTs (β = .122, p < .05); teachers’ ICT attitude influences their ICT usage behaviour (β = .512, p < .001) and teachers’ behavioural intention influences their ICT usage behaviour ICTs (β = .-368, p < .05). Teachers’ behavioural intention to use ICTs has, however, predicted a decrease in their self-reported ICT usage behaviour. This study will benefit school leaders, curriculum planners and researchers in technology acceptance behaviour in Africa, by giving them guidance in taking decisions concerning teachers’ perceptions and intentions of using ICTs in the classroom. The study will play a vital role in filling up the research gap that exist in technology acceptance behaviour among business education faculties across tertiary institutions in Nigeria and the rest of Africa. Future research on the subject matter may attempt to investigate the moderating roles of voluntariness and compulsory standards in influencing teachers’ ICT usage behaviour.Keywords: attitude towards technology; behavioural intention; business education; developing country; ICT usage behaviour; Nigeria; perceived enjoyment; South Africa; teacher

Informal Tools in Formal Contexts: Development of a Model to Assess the Acceptance of Mobile Technologies among Teachers

ABSTRACT Traditionally, mobile learning has been more strongly developed within the field of informal education. However, in the past few years there has been a growing interest for the integration of these technologies in the formal education field. Among the key elements needed to successfully achieve this integration process is the acceptance of mobile technologies by the teaching body. In this paper we propose to identify the determining constructs that explain the teachers' intention of using mobile technologies. To this end we have designed a research model based on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), expanded with constructs from other theories. The resulting model was subjected to a content validation process performed by a committee of experts. Lastly, we selected nine constructs for the development of the research model and we formulated 13 hypotheses that describe the relationships among them. Further studies on the research model to extend its validity and reliability are suggested

Application of Multiple Intelligence Theory to an E-Learning Technology Acceptance Model

With the speed of doing business on the rise, employees must learn to adapt to new technologies and improved performance expectations without losing productivity or time on task. Students looking to enter the workforce must understand that education does not end with graduation rather the expectation is that everyone will be life long learners. To meet the challenge, education providers are looking for alternative ways to bring education to the student and enhance the learning experience. With e-learning, students enjoy flexible scheduling, businesses can realize improvements in workforce skills while reducing education expenditures (i.e. improved Return On Investment, ROI) and education providers extend their campuses at minimal cost. E-learning is fast becoming a preferred method of delivering quality education any time, any where. Educators, however, have mixed feelings on the subject. Many have embraced the new technology and report positive results. Others question the effectiveness of e-learning, pointing to the high dropout rate in e-learning courses and bias in the literature supporting e-learning. The cautious are concerned about rushing in on uncertain ground. They recall the advent of television and the unmet promises of that technology with respect to education. The purpose of this study is to develop an e-learning adoption model that is firmly founded in education research (especially with respect to learning) coupled with what is understood about the diffusion and acceptance of (information) technology. The goal of developing such a model is to identify and pair crucial learning characteristics of students with the acceptance of the technology used to deliver educational content electronically so as to foster mastery learning. Students can use the results of this study to help decide whether or not to enroll in an e-learning course or what additional strategies they may need to employ so as to maximize the experience. Businesses may benefit from an understanding of how to match the needs of thei

Application of Multiple Intelligence Theory to an E-Learning Technology Acceptance Model

With the speed of doing business on the rise, employees must learn to adapt to new technologies and improved performance expectations without losing productivity or time on task. Students looking to enter the workforce must understand that education does not end with graduation rather the expectation is that everyone will be life long learners. To meet the challenge, education providers are looking for alternative ways to bring education to the student and enhance the learning experience. With e-learning, students enjoy flexible scheduling, businesses can realize improvements in workforce skills while reducing education expenditures (i.e. improved Return On Investment, ROI) and education providers extend their campuses at minimal cost. E-learning is fast becoming a preferred method of delivering quality education any time, any where. Educators, however, have mixed feelings on the subject. Many have embraced the new technology and report positive results. Others question the effectiveness of e-learning, pointing to the high dropout rate in e-learning courses and bias in the literature supporting e-learning. The cautious are concerned about rushing in on uncertain ground. They recall the advent of television and the unmet promises of that technology with respect to education. The purpose of this study is to develop an e-learning adoption model that is firmly founded in education research (especially with respect to learning) coupled with what is understood about the diffusion and acceptance of (information) technology. The goal of developing such a model is to identify and pair crucial learning characteristics of students with the acceptance of the technology used to deliver educational content electronically so as to foster mastery learning. Students can use the results of this study to help decide whether or not to enroll in an e-learning course or what additional strategies they may need to employ so as to maximize the experience. Businesses may benefit from an understanding of how to match the needs of thei

User Adoption of Enterprise Resource Planning Systems in the Public Sector

The importance of aligning information technology and business strategies to exploit capabilities and change business practices has increased as firms strive for competitive advantage in a diverse and changing marketplace. Nevertheless, over 50% of firms implementing enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems ranked expected process and value enhancements as inadequate, whereas only 13% indicated that implementations met their needs. The unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) model formed the conceptual framework of this single case study. The study comprised a purposeful sampling of 8 business managers in Southeast Alabama working in related job roles and based on established eligibility criteria. Data collection involved semistructured interviews, casual observations, and document analysis. Through method triangulation and predetermined themes directly related to the UTAUT conceptual framework, 5 themes emerged: management endorsement, change management, training and education, dedicated resources, and governance. Results of this research may influence the elimination of key barriers central in the deployment and adoption of ERP systems by the public sector. The study\u27s implications for positive social change include the potential to enhance social and intellectual capital formation through recognizing strategies that mitigate employees\u27 gender and age variances during an ERP implementation

Scrutinizing online instructional approach: What drives faculty to adopt synchronous virtual classroom

The successful implementation of a method appliance can be attributed to the method itself. The matter of synchronous virtual classrooms is influenced by several factors. The adoption of synchronous virtual classrooms by faculty members provides a valuable experience for both students and lecturers. This study aims to identify the triggering factors that motivated faculty members to adopt synchronous virtual classrooms. Additionally, it seeks to examine the challenges faced by students and lecturers in implementing this method. The researchers utilized interviews and literature sources as instruments for data collection. A total of five lecturers were selected as respondents for this research. The criterion for selection was their implementation of this method in their department's courses and their experience with synchronous virtual classrooms. The collected data was thematically analyzed. The results revealed that the main triggering factor for adoption was the Covid-19 pandemic. The challenges faced by students and lecturers were not limited to technological and internet issues but also included a lack of preparation from the faculty. Based on the data analysis and interviews, future research could explore the potential of combining methods to create a more effective approach in different situational conditions

Factors influencing consumers' intention to return the end of life electronic products through reverse supply chain management for reuse, repair and recycling

Resource depletion, population growth and environmental problems force companies to collect their end of life (EOL) products for reuse, recycle and refurbishment through reverse supply chain management (RSCM). Success in collecting the EOL products through RSCM depends on the customers' participation intention. The objectives of this study are: (1) To examine the important factors influencing customers' attitude to participate in RSCM; (2) To examine the important factors influencing customers' subjective norm to participate in RSCM; (3) To examine the main factors influencing customers' perceived behavioral control to participate in RSCM; (4) To examine the influence of attitude, subjective norms and perceived behavioral control on customers' participation intention in RSCM. The Decomposed Theory of Planned Behaviour (DTPB) has been chosen as the underpinning theory for this research. The research conducted employed the quantitative approach. Non-probability (convenience sampling) method was used to determine the sample and data was collected using questionnaires. Partial Least Squares-Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) technique was employed. A total of 800 questionnaires were distributed among customers of electronic products in Malaysia. Finally, the questionnaire was distributed among the customers in electronic retailer companies based on convenience sampling method. The empirical results confirm that consumers perception about the risk associated with EOL electronic products, consumers' ecological knowledge and relative advantages associated with reuse, repair and recycling can influence the attitude of consumers to return the EOL products for reuse, repair and recycling to producer