Faculty members’ planned technology integration behaviour in the context of a faculty technology mentoring programme

Abstract

This qualitative case study aimed to examine faculty members’ perceived behaviour regarding the use of technology in their classrooms. The behavior was examined within the framework of the decomposed theory of planned behavior. The theory states that technology integration behaviour is directly related to intention and perceived behaviour control and indirectly related to attitude, subjective norms and perceived behaviour control. Data sources included semi-structured interviews conducted with 17 faculty members who participated in a faculty technology mentoring programme implemented at a large public university in Turkey over a semester of 4 months’ duration. The data analysis revealed that the factors affecting faculty members’ planned technology integration behaviour were related to their intentions, attitude, subjective norms and perceived behaviour control, as explained in the theory. Faculty members identified a number of student-related, faculty-related and context-related challenges in technology integration. The recommendations arising from the study are to support and sustain faculty members’ technology integration in higher education classrooms. Implications for practice or policy: Technology mentoring programs can improve faculty teaching practices with technology in higher education classrooms. Faculty members’ technology integration behaviour can be supported by addressing the challenges, including lack of time and motivation, insufficient technological knowledge and classroom management problems. The technology integration awareness of faculty members can be developed by improving the teaching and learning environment with the support of administrators, peers and students and providing the required time and incentives to integrate technology.