Predicting the Intention to Use Technology in Education among Student Teachers: A Path Analysis

Abstract

Teacher education must provide the knowledge and skills necessary for technology integration, but also influence attitudes and beliefs. Little research has been conducted on how knowledge, beliefs, and attitudes predict teachers’ intentions to use technology. The aim of this study was to identify how perceived knowledge about technology integration, and beliefs and attitudes towards using technology, impact the intention to use technology among student teachers. The sample consisted of 232 student teachers from the University of Tartu. Data were collected using a questionnaire based on elements of two different models. Validating the technology acceptance scale using a confirmatory factor analysis identified that perceived usefulness was split into two constructs: perceived usefulness for students and perceived usefulness for teachers. Path analysis, as a special type of structural equation modelling, was used to test 11 hypotheses. The results showed that both perceived ease of use and attitude to use have direct effects on intention to use. Still, perceived usefulness for teachers and perceived knowledge displayed an indirect influence. Based on these results, it is important that student teachers should be convinced that technology is easy to use in teaching.