Factors affecting early adoption of technology

The study examined preservice teachers’ personal use of technology, self-efficacy with technology, attitude about technology, perceived usefulness of technology, and knowledge and skills with technology related to early adoption of technology. Survey, interview, and demographic data were collected from a purposeful sample of instructors of an instructional technology course and a convenience sample of the preservice teachers enrolled in their sections of the class, in a mid-sized suburban university in the Gulf Coast region. The Students and Information Technology in Higher Education Survey, Computer Technologies and Strategies Scale, Attitudes toward Computer Technologies Scale, Technological Knowledge Survey component of the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) surveys were used to determine the beliefs and attitudes reported by the preservice teachers. One-to-one interviews further explored the instructors’ beliefs and attitudes associated with the preservice teachers identified as early adopters of technology. Quantitative data was analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM) and two-tailed independent t-tests, while an inductive coding process analyzed the collected qualitative data. Quantitative analysis demonstrated that there was a significant relationship between perceived usefulness and early adoption of technology. Significant correlations were also found between the independent variables: personal use was correlated with self-efficacy, attitude, perceived usefulness, and knowledge and skills. Statistically significant positive relationships were also observed between self-efficacy and attitude, self-efficacy and perceived usefulness, attitude and perceived usefulness, attitude and knowledge and skills, and perceived usefulness and knowledge and skills. The qualitative analysis provided supporting evidence that the model had correctly identified the early adopters of technology within each section of the course.