This study aims to examine the variables that influence Serbian pre-service teachers' intention to use technology to teach mathematics. Using the technology acceptance model (TAM) as the framework, we developed a research model to include subjective norm, knowledge of mathematics, and facilitating conditions as external variables to the TAM. In addition, we investigated the influence of gender and age on the behavioural intention to use technology. With data gathered from 313 participants using a survey questionnaire, structural equation modelling (SEM) analysis revealed that the proposed model in this study has a good fit and accounted for 5.4% of the variance in the behavioural intention to use technology. Pre-service teachers' attitudes towards computers were found to be the only factor with direct influence on the intention to use technology. All other factors were found to have an indirect influence. Using multiple indicators, multiple causes (MIMIC) modelling, pre-service teachers' intention to use technology was not found to be significantly different by age and gender. Various contributions to research and implications for teacher training are discussed. IntroductionIn today's world, when society is shifting from an industrial towards an information or knowledge society, it is important for students to develop lifelong learning skills, often referred to as a capacity of "learning to learn" (Anderson, 2008, p. 19 Education, 2007). In preparing for these skills, the appropriate use of technology by teachers in education is crucial.Despite the strong presence of information and communication technology (ICT) in classrooms all over the world, studies have shown that ICT is underused (Mueller, Wood, Willoughby, Ross, & Specht, 2008;Ruthven, 2009). In Serbia, one reason for the low ICT usage for teaching and learning is teachers' lack of sophisticated knowledge to support effective technology integration (Kadijevich, 2012). However, this situation is mitigated by younger teachers, who have demonstrated their attempts at teaching mathematics in primary and secondary schools in Serbia (Dimitrijević, Popović, & Stanić, 2012).Serbia is a south-eastern developing country in Europe with a population of 7.12 million. Free education is provided for children between ages 7 and 15 (grades 1-8) and those between ages 15 and 19 to attend elementary and secondary schools, respectively, although the latter is not compulsory by law. Depending on the grade level and subject, elementary and secondary school teachers receive their training at the relevant faculties in universities (UNESCO, 2011). All teachers have to complete their training in pedagogy and subject content at master's level before taking up appointments in schools. Among the goals of Serbian education are that students across all levels should be provided with opportunities to acquire high quality knowledge and skills and attitudes, including linguistic, mathematical, scientific, artistic, cultural, technical, and computer literacy skills necessary for life in ...
This study examined pre-service teachers' intentions to use computers in traditional and innovative teaching practices in primary mathematics classrooms. It extended the technology acceptance model (TAM) by adding as external variables pre-service teachers' experience with computers and their technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPCK). Data collected from 226 participants revealed that the proposed model had a good fit for both traditional and innovative uses of computers. Structural equation modelling suggested that the established TAM variables, together with TPCK and experience, were significant determinants of pre-service teachers' intentions to use computers in teaching mathematics at both levels. The most dominant determinant of behavioural intention was TPCK, followed by attitude. The proposed model explained 22.7% of the variance in the use of computers in traditional teaching practices and 27.6% of the variance in the use of computers in innovative teaching practices. The implications for mathematics teaching are discussed in the final section.
Many seem to believe that today’s pre-service teachers as born after 1980 are digital natives, or that they are “native speakers” of the digital language. Nevertheless, there is no evidence that their digital native characteristics determine whether or not they would use technology in the classroom. Although not widely evaluated, the four-factor, 21-item Digital Nativity Assessment Scale (DNAS) was one of the first instruments to assess digital nativeness (DN). This study aim is to explore the influence of pre-service teachers’ DN on their intention to use technology in the future classroom in Serbia, by evaluating the DNAS on Serbian sample and using it for measuring the DN. Six variables were incorporated to examine their mutual relationships based on technology acceptance model: digital nativeness, behavioral intention (BI), perceived usefulness (PU), perceived ease of use (PEU), subjective norm (SN), and technological complexity (TC). Data were collected from 688 pre-service teachers in Serbia. Exploratory factor analysis confirmed a four-factor model for the DNAS, and Serbian pre-service teachers demonstrated a high level of DN. To evaluate the hypothesized model structural equation modeling was utilized. The suggested model had a good fit for describing the BI of Serbian pre-service teachers, accounting for 27.1% of the variance in BI. It was found that direct dominant predictors of BI are digital native traits, perceived usefulness, and perceived ease of use. Significant influence of digital native traits on all other variables in the model was also confirmed. The implications for theory and practice are discussed.
Innovative computer use enables the strengthening and transformation of teaching practice. Notwithstanding, numerous studies have indicated that teachers do not use computers in teaching mathematics to a sufficient extent. This study was aimed at exploring the reasons for insufficient computer use by teachers, i.e. at examining the variables which may affect the acceptance of innovative computer use in teaching mathematics. Hence, the intention to use computers in teaching mathematics in primary school was explored on the sample of 455 pre-service class teachers and mathematics teachers from Serbia. The technology acceptance model was extended by external variables and the following were observed as the predictors of intention to use computers in teaching mathematics: students? attitudes towards computers, their perception of usefulness of computers in teaching mathematics, perceived ease of use, technological pedagogical content knowledge in mathematics, experience with use, subjective norms, technological complexity and content knowledge in mathematics. Structural equation modelling has shown that the proposed model had a good fit and that the selected variables were significant predictors of the intention to use computers. The proposed model explained 23.7% of variance in the intention to use computers. It has been shown that the intention to use computers is directly predicted by dominant technological pedagogical content knowledge in mathematics, students? attitudes towards computers and their experience, while it is indirectly predicted by perceived usefulness, subjective norm, technological complexity and content knowledge in mathematics. In accordance with the presented findings, the final part provides recommendations that may be beneficial for advancing the education of pre-service class teachers and mathematics teachers.
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