The main goal of the study was to examine the factors that influence pre-service special education teachers' intention to use AI in education, focusing on digital literacy, teacher self-efficacy, perceived ease of use, and perceived usefulness.
Methods: The study utilized a survey distributed to 305 pre-service special education teachers at a Chinese university, with 274 valid responses analyzed. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was used to evaluate the data and test the hypotheses based on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM).
Key Findings:
- Digital literacy positively affects perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and teacher self-efficacy.
- Perceived usefulness and ease of use directly influence the intention to use AI in education.
- Teacher self-efficacy did not significantly impact behavioral intention.
- The indirect effects of digital literacy on behavioral intention are mainly mediated by perceived usefulness.
Implications: The findings highlight the importance of enhancing digital literacy to improve the adoption of AI in education among future special education teachers. This suggests that teacher training programs should incorporate comprehensive digital literacy components to foster positive attitudes and intentions toward using AI tools in teaching.
Limitations: The study is limited by its sample size, geographic scope (single university in China), and reliance on self-reported data, which may introduce bias. Additionally, the study focused on general teacher self-efficacy rather than specific technological self-efficacy.
Future Directions: Future research should include a more diverse and larger sample, consider observational methods to complement self-reported data, and explore additional factors influencing the adoption of AI in education. Investigating the role of specific technological self-efficacy and extending the study to other regions and educational contexts would provide a broader understanding.
Title and Authors: "Factors influencing pre-service special education teachers’ intention toward AI in education: Digital literacy, teacher self-efficacy, perceived ease of use, and perceived usefulness" by Ni Yao and Qiong Wang.
Published On: July 18, 2024
Published By: Heliyon