The Influence of Pedagogical and Epistemological Beliefs on Preservice Teachers’ Technology Acceptance in Turkey: A Structural Equation Modeling [Utjecaj pedagoških i epistemoloških uvjerenja na način na koji budući nastavnici u Turskoj prihvaćaju tehnologiju: model strukturne jednadžbe]

Abstract

Epistemological and pedagogical beliefs have a close relationship that affects teacher behaviors regarding technology use in the classroom. A few studies have investigated the effect of pedagogical beliefs on technology acceptance. However, the combined effect of epistemological and pedagogical beliefs on teachers’ technology acceptance is still not widely understood. This study investigates the structural relationships between preservice teachers’ epistemological and pedagogical beliefs and technology acceptance. Data were collected from 655 preservice teachers and analyzed via path analysis. The research model explained 49 % of the variance in the dependent variable, behavioral intention, with a percentage higher than in previous research on preservice teachers’ technology acceptance. Results showed that preservice teachers’ constructivist teaching beliefs, perceptions regarding the usefulness of technology, and attitudes toward using it significantly influenced their behavioral intention. Besides, constructivist and traditional teaching beliefs were also significant determinants of perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use. The evidence from this study supports the idea of including various external variables in TAM (Technology Acceptance Model) to account for more considerable variance in behavioral intention.