Modelling TVET Teachers' Attitudes Toward Using Technology for Teaching: Structural Equation Modelling Approach

Abstract

Technology integration into Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) is pivotal in contemporary education. However, a notable challenge persists in comprehending and mitigating the attitudes of TVET teachers concerning the utilization of technology for instructional purposes. Despite the potential advantages of technology in augmenting educational outcomes, there exists a dearth of comprehensive modelling endeavours exploring the intricate nature of TVET teachers' attitudes. Consequently, this study examines the factors influencing TVET teachers' attitudes toward the utilization of technology. Employing the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) framework, this study conscientiously considers Nigeria's social and cultural context. The augmented model introduces a novel external variable, policy, perceived ease of use, usefulness, facilitation conditions, and subjective norms into the original TAM framework. Structural equation modelling was deployed to analyze questionnaire data obtained from 311 TVET teachers in Niger State, Nigeria. The extended model demonstrated a commendable goodness-of-fit (TLI= 0.961, CFI= 0.969, GFI= 0.991, AGFI= 0.908, IFI= 0.971, NFI= 0.962, RMSEA= 0.048) and elucidated 67.8% of the variance in teachers' attitudes toward technology use. TVET teachers' perceived ease of use (PEU) and perceived usefulness (PU) influence teachers' attitudes, aligning with international research. The national policy of educational technology (POL) and PU have the strongest direct influence on attitude towards technology (ATU), while Facilitation conditions (FC) and subjective norms (SN) exhibit weaker direct impacts. POL and PU also emerge as having the strongest indirect influence on ATU, with FC and SN showing weaker indirect impacts. This study augments the body of non-Western multicultural studies on the TAM. It serves as an inaugural exploration of teachers' attitudes toward technology utilization in Nigeria.