Managing teacher acceptance of new technology: the case of robotics kit

Abstract

This quantitative research aims to identify a model for the acceptance of an educational robotics kit among primary school teachers, providing educators, administrators, and policy makers practical insight for planning design. This study collected the opinions from a population of 871 in-service teachers of mathematics, science, and technology, at public and private primary schools in Phatthalung province. Purposive sampling and quota sampling were applied, generating a total of 488 responses, collected via questionnaire. The data were analyzed using a structural equation modeling method, generating a structural model to predict the behavioral intent for the adoption of the educational robotics kit. The model comprised of 4 independent variables – perceived ease of use; technology, pedagogy, and content knowledge; perceived usefulness; and facilitating conditions. The model explained 88.2 percent of the variance in behavioral intentions. The findings revealed that perceived usefulness had the strongest direct effect on behavioral intentions. Perceived ease of use had the strongest indirect and total effect on behavioral intentions; moreover, it produced a direct effect on perceived usefulness. In addition, perceived ease of use could be predicted by technology, pedagogy, and content knowledge. The implications discussed include the suggested managerial actions to stimulate the intention to adopt educational robotics kits in accordance with the findings.