Factors Impacting Teachers’ Adoption of Mobile Learning

Abstract

As mobile technology has advanced, awareness is growing that these technologies may benefit teaching and learning. However, despite this interest, the factors that will determine the acceptance of mobile technology by lecturers have been limited. This study proposed and tested a new model that extends the technology acceptance model (TAM) with three new variables: digital literacy, ICT anxiety, and ICT teaching self-efficacy. The TAM models the adoption of new technology based on measuring a users’ beliefs and attitudes to the technology. In particular, the TAM states that two factors influence a user’s use and perception of new technology. The first factor, perceived usefulness, is the degree to which a person believes that a particular technology will be beneficial to their lives. The second factor, perceived ease of use, is the measure of the degree an individual believes a particular technology is free from effort. Research has shown that a large portion of lecturers still resists the integration of technology into the classroom. Two aspects, in particular, have been consistently found to impact lecturers’ adoption of technology. The first aspect shown to influence the adoption of new technology is the beliefs held by the lecturers. Specifically, it is the perceived value of the new technology (perceived usefulness) and perceived effort needed to learn to use the new technology (perceived ease of use) that have been established as playing a major role in the adoption of technology. The second major aspect seen to influence adoption is the skill of lecturers to use digital technology (referred to as digital literacy) and the skill needed to integrate it into their teaching (teaching self-efficacy). The new model that was proposed and tested measured the impact of digital literacy, ICT anxiety, and ICT teaching self-efficacy, along with the well established factors of perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use, on lecturer’ acceptance of mobile learning. A survey was used to measure the major variables in this study. The research found that perceived usefulness, ease of use, digital literacy, anxiety, and teaching self-efficacy were critical factors in lecturers’ behavioral intentions to use mobile learning. The results of this study indicated the importance of these factors in the acceptance of mobile learning. From this model, educationalists are able to identify and develop strategies to support the successful introduction of mobile technology with in educational setting. This research has added to and clarified the existing literature into mobile learning. In particular, it recognizes the role that lecturers play in the future acceptance of mobile learning. It shows that the factors that influence lecturers’ adoption of mobile learning may differ from those of their students. It therefore highlights that these factors need to be considered when implementing mobile technology into the teaching environment. • Journal of Information Technology Education: Research Volume 13, 2014 Material published as part of this publication, either on-line or in print, is copyrighted by the Informing Science Institute. Permission to make digital or paper copy of part or all of these works for personal or classroom use is granted without fee provided that the copies are not made or distributed for profit or commercial advantage AND that copies 1) bear this notice in full and 2) give the full citation on the first page. It is per- missible to abstract these works so long as credit is given. To copy in all other cases or to republish or to post on a server or to redistribute to lists requires specific permission and payment of a fee. Contact Publisher@InformingScience.org to request redistribution permission.