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Article
Factors leading to the adoption of a learning technology: The case of graphics calculators
Australasian Journal of Educational Technology
  • Boris Handal, University of Notre Dame Australia
  • Michael Cavanagh
  • Leigh Wood
  • Peter Petocz
Year of Publication
2011
Abstract

This paper reports on a case study which examined factors leading to the adoption of graphics calculators (GCs) by secondary mathematics teachers in the state of New South Wales, Australia. In total, 587 teachers of the General Mathematics Course (Years 11 and 12) participated in the study. The median teachers' stage of adoption of GCs was found to be at the "Understanding and application of the process" level, the third lowest on a six point scale. The results also indicate that competence is the most important factor in explaining stages of adoption, training the second most important, followed by personal interest in GCs as well as faculty support. Teachers' gender, teaching experience, educational qualifications and the number of GCs in schools were not found to be statistically significant. Qualitative analysis of teachers' open ended comments also shed light on the nature of the explanatory variables. The findings are relevant to curriculum development policy and the design of professional development programs, and has implications for the introduction of other technologies.

Keywords
  • Peer-reviewed
Disciplines
Citation Information
Boris Handal, Michael Cavanagh, Leigh Wood and Peter Petocz. "Factors leading to the adoption of a learning technology: The case of graphics calculators" Australasian Journal of Educational Technology Vol. 27 Iss. 2 (2011) ISSN: 1449-3098
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/boris-handal/10/