Workplace Predictors of Family Educators' Technology Acceptance Attitudes

Objective The purpose of the study was to examine workplace conditions as influences on professional parent and family educator technology acceptance attitudes and to describe their technology use. Background The rise of new media and information and communications technologies (ICT) has significantly affected the field of parenting and family education in the first part of the 21st century. Methods On the basis of responses from a national sample to an online survey (N = 631 participants), information search and communications technologies (e.g., email) were employed most frequently; social media, texting, and online learning platforms were used infrequently. Structural equation modeling tested a hypothesized model of influences based on a modified technology acceptance model (TAM, Davis, 1989). Results Technology attitudes were related directly to perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness of technology. Workplace encouragement and workplace infrastructure indirectly influenced acceptance attitudes as mediated by perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use, respectively. Workplace encouragement also showed a small but direct influence on technology acceptance. Implications Adequate technology resources, supports, training, and working in a culture that values technology use offer tangible ways to promote competence and comfort in technology adoption by parenting and family educators, thus helping the profession address necessary and changing needs of families.