Examining Teachers’ Decisions To Adopt New Technology
William Sugar
Assistant Professor Department of Librarianship, Educational Technology & Distance Instruction East Carolina University, 116 Joyner East, Greenville, NC 27858, USA Tel: +1.252.328.1546 Fax: +1.252.328-4368 sugarw@coe.ecu.edu
Frank Crawley
Professor, Department of Mathematics and Science Education East Carolina University, 214 Austin Building, Greenville, NC 27858, USA Tel: +1.252.328.1610 Fax: +1.252.328.6218 crawleyf@mail.ecu.edu
Bethann Fine
Instructor Department of Librarianship, Educational Technology & Distance Instruction East Carolina University, 116 Joyner East, Greenville, NC 27858, USA Tel: +1.252.328.6627 Fax: +1.252.328-4368 fineb@mail.ecu.edu
ABSTRACT: This study examined teachers’ beliefs about technology adoption as a reasoned, deliberate, intentional decision-making process, as reflected in Ajzen’s (1985) Theory of Planned Behavior. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected from teachers in four schools located in the southeastern region of the United States. Overall results indicated that technology adoption decisions were influenced by teachers’ individual attitudes towards technology adoption, which were formed from specific underlying personal beliefs about the consequences of adoption. External support from key persons and contextual resources (e.g., funding) were insignificant factors affecting teachers’ technology adoption decisions. From these results, we recommend that school administrators work closely with teachers to address their beliefs and concerns about technology adoption and provide an influential level of personal support and resources. We also offer recommendations for educational software designers for developing future technology resources for teachers.
Keywords: Teachers’ beliefs, Technology adoption, In-service teachers, Educational technology
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