The Resource Allocation between Teachers' Attitudes and Information Communication Technology Competence: A Configuration Approach

Abstract

Deploying appropriate information technology (IT) competency in a manner that fits the teachers' attitudes regarding school induces teaching efficiency. The application and perspective of information and communication technology (ICT) in teaching by teachers determine the end and promotion of IT. However, our understanding of how to empirically conceptualize and assess teaching efficiency of the fit remains limited. Therefore, this study adopts resource orchestration theory and appropriate literature evaluation methods to conceptualize and operationalize "fit" from the perspective of resource configuration. According to the ICT in Education Technical Report, each 100 ISCED schools in 31 countries are surveyed to provide an empirical study on the relationship and quality between ICT competence and teachers’ attitudes level on the overall teaching efficiency. In particular, the use of fit as a “moderation” approach suggests that ICT can strengthen the relationship between teachers’ attitudes and teaching efficiency. Fit as a “profile deviation” method further reveals that teachers whose ICT competence configurations are similar to those of the top performers in the high-level teachers’ attitude group have higher teaching efficiency. The theoretical contributions and managerial implications of the study are discussed.