TECHNOLOGY ACCEPTANCE IN A MANDATORY TECHNOLOGY-BASED LEARNING ...

121 Pages·2010·1.07 MB·English

TECHNOLOGY ACCEPTANCE IN A MANDATORY TECHNOLOGY-BASED
LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

by

Kyle Ray Hurst
Ed.S., The University of West Florida, 2008
M.P.A, Troy State University, 2003
B.S., Troy State University, 2000

A dissertation submitted to the Department of Instructional and Performance Technology
College of Professional Studies
The University of West Florida
In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of
Doctor of Education
2010
© 2010 Kyle Ray Hurst
The dissertation of Kyle Ray Hurst is approved:

____________________________________________ _________________
Nancy Hastings, Ph.D., Committee Member Date

____________________________________________ _________________
Byron Havard Ph.D., Committee Member Date

____________________________________________ _________________
Carla J. Thompson, Ed.D., Committee Chair Date

Accepted for the Department/Division:

____________________________________________ _________________
Complete A. Name, Ph.D., Chair Date

Accepted for the University:

____________________________________________ _________________
Richard S. Podemski, Ph.D., Dean of Graduate Studies Date
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The author expresses appreciation to the following persons whose constant
support and encouragement made this dissertation possible: Dr. Carla J. Thompson, the
Chair of my dissertation committee; Dr. Karen L. Rasmussen, my advisor; and
dissertation committee members Drs. Byron Havard and Nancy B. Hastings, whose
contributions were instrumental to the completion of this dissertation.
Thank you to the 505th Training Squadron for providing permission to conduct
the study and accomplish this research within their organization. I am grateful for the
insight and advice of Mr. Rodney Robison and Mr. Donald Gassman, their knowledge
and expertise of Air Force Education and Training was invaluable to the completion of
this dissertation. I am extremely appreciative of Ms. Stephanie Cutiyog and Mr. Paul
Brinton for their assistance and technical expertise of advanced distributed learning.
I am immensely thankful for the support of my family, especially my three sons
Timothy, Paul and Andrew. Most of all, I owe a huge debt of gratitude to my wife, best
friend, and biggest supporter, Candy. Her love, support and understanding made this
journey possible.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ............................................................................................... iv

LIST OF TABLES ........................................................................................................... viii

LIST OF FIGURES .......................................................................................................... ix

ABSTRACT ........................................................................................................................x

CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................1
A. Background of the Study ...................................................................1
B. Theoretical Framework ......................................................................2
1. Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) .............................................3
2. Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) ......................................4
3. Unified Theory of Acceptance and Usage of Technology
(UTAUT) .....................................................................................5
C. Statement of the Problem ...................................................................6
D. Purpose of the Study ..........................................................................7
E. Significance of the Study ...................................................................8
F. Variables ...........................................................................................8
1. Independent Variables .................................................................8
2. Moderating Variables...................................................................9
3. Dependent Variable ...................................................................10
G. Research Questions ..........................................................................10
H. Hypotheses .......................................................................................11
I. Importance of the Study ...................................................................12
J. Scope of the Study ...........................................................................12
K. Limitations .......................................................................................13
L. Definitions of Terminology .............................................................13
M. Chapter Summary ............................................................................14

CHAPTER II. REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE .......................................................16
A. Introduction ......................................................................................16
B. Technology Acceptance ...................................................................17
C. TPB ..................................................................................................18
1. TPB Constructs ..........................................................................19
a. Behavior ...............................................................................19
b. Intention ...............................................................................19
c. Attitude ................................................................................19
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d. Subjective norm ...................................................................19
e. Perceived behavioral control................................................20
2. TPB Research.............................................................................20
D. TAM .................................................................................................22
1. TAM Constructs.........................................................................23
a. Perceived usefulness ............................................................23
b. Perceived ease of use ...........................................................24
2. TAM Research ...........................................................................25
E. UTAUT ............................................................................................25
1. UTAUT Constructs ....................................................................26
a. Behavior ...............................................................................27
b. Performance expectancy ......................................................27
c. Effort expectancy .................................................................28
d. Attitude towards usage of technology..................................28
e. Social influence ....................................................................28
f. Facilitating conditions ..........................................................29
g. Gender, age, experience, and voluntariness of use ..............29
2. UTAUT Research ......................................................................30
F. ADLI ................................................................................................32
G. Summary ..........................................................................................37
CHAPTER III. METHODOLOGY ................................................................................39
A. Introduction ......................................................................................39
B. Research Questions ..........................................................................40
C. Research Design and Data Collection..............................................41
D. Power Analysis ................................................................................42
E. Population and Sample Size.............................................................43
1. Sample Selection ........................................................................43
2. Demographics of the Sample .....................................................44
F. Limitations .......................................................................................45
G. Data Collection Procedures ..............................................................45
1. Independent Variables ...............................................................46
2. Moderating Variables.................................................................47
3. Dependent Variable ...................................................................47
H. Data Analysis Procedures ................................................................48
I. Variable Relationships and Instrumentation ....................................49
1. Performance Expectancy ...........................................................50
2. Effort Expectancy ......................................................................50
3. Attitude Towards Usage of Technology ....................................50
4. Social Influence .........................................................................51
5. Facilitating Conditions ...............................................................51
6. Moderating Variables.................................................................52
7. Instrumentation for Independent and Moderating Variables .....52
8. Instrumentation Supporting the Dependent Variable ................54
J. Summary ..........................................................................................55

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CHAPTER IV. FINDINGS .............................................................................................56
A. Introduction ......................................................................................56
B. Research Problem, Research Questions, and Hypotheses ...............56
1. Research Problem ......................................................................57
2. Research Questions ...................................................................58
3. Hypotheses ................................................................................58
C. Descriptive Statistics ........................................................................59
1. Sample Population .....................................................................60
2. Independent and Dependent Variables ......................................63
D. Inferential Statistics .........................................................................65
1. Hypothesis One ..........................................................................65
2. Hypothesis Two .........................................................................74
E. Summary ..........................................................................................79

CHAPTER V. DISCUSSION ........................................................................................82
A. Introduction ......................................................................................82
B. Review of the Study .........................................................................82
C. Summary of Research Procedures ...................................................83
D. Summary of Findings .......................................................................86
E. Conclusion .......................................................................................89
F. Discussion ........................................................................................90
G. Summary ..........................................................................................92
REFERENCES ................................................................................................................. 94
APPENDIXES ................................................................................................................102
A. Permission Request Letter .............................................................103
B. Institutional Review Board Approval Letter..................................105
C. UTAUT Instrument ........................................................................107
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LIST OF TABLES
1. Participant Education Levels .......................................................................................61
2. Participant Gender .......................................................................................................61
3. ADL Experience in Last Year ......................................................................................62
4. Used Computers in School Within Last Year ..............................................................62

5. Perceive Present ADL Participation as Voluntary ......................................................63

6. Descriptive Statistics for Independent Variables .........................................................64

7. Descriptive Statistics for the Dependent Variable Performance Behavior ..................65

8. Correlation Matrix of Independent Variables and Dependent Variable ......................67

9. Correlation Matrix of Moderating Variables and Dependent Variable ......................75

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LIST OF FIGURES
1. Basic concept underlying user acceptance of technology ............................................17
2. The Theory of Planned Behavior .................................................................................18
3. Technology Acceptance Model ...................................................................................22
4. Unified Theory of Acceptance and Usage of Technology ...........................................26
5. A hypothesized research model illustrating the interrelationships between
variables .......................................................................................................................48

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ABSTRACT
TECHNOLOGY ACCEPTANCE IN A MANDATORY TECHNOLOGY-BASED
LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

Kyle Ray Hurst

Understanding the influences of technology acceptance factors on students
participating in mandatory, technology-based learning is an essential element of the
instructional design and implementation of technology-based learning programs. The
purpose of this ex post facto correlation study was to examine factors influencing
technology acceptance in a mandatory, technology-based learning program. The Unified
Theory of Acceptance and Usage of Technology (UTAUT) established the theoretical
framework of this study. A UTAUT instrument was administered to a convenience
sample of 105 participants in a mandatory, technology based learning program to
determine the technology acceptance of participants. A content-driven, summative
performance-based instrument was administered to assess the performance behavior of
participants. The primary statistical tools used in the study were the Pearson correlation,
Spearman Rho and multiple regression analysis procedures. Two primary factors
influencing performance behavior of participants in the study were (a) attitude towards
usage of technology and (b) age of the participant. Gender, experience, and voluntariness
were not significant contributors to performance behaviors; this finding is consistent with
recent technology acceptance research in a mandatory, technology-based environment.
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