Attitudes towards ICT-based interactions: A Bachelor of Education case study

Abstract

This paper focuses upon describing and understanding the responses of a small case of undergraduate teacher education students (n=30) in a Western Australian University towards a planned information communication technology (ICT) interaction. The research was undertaken as part of an ongoing investigation into students' planned use of ICT in 2008 and required the sample to engage in an interaction with a purpose- built animation. Prior to the interaction the students were asked to participate in the completion of a questionnaire in order to elicit their intentions to use ICT, their attitudes towards such an interaction, their perceived social pressure to interact with ICT, their perceived control over their capacity to interact with ICT and their beliefs and expectations about the various factors that potentially assist or hinder their use of ICTs. During the activity the students were observed and at the completion of the interaction each participant was interviewed. The questionnaire gathered data relating to the Theory of Planned Behaviour in order to determine the students' planned use of ICTs. While the quantitative data revealed the students believed that interacting with ICTs was pleasant, helpful and easy, the qualitative findings indicated that a number experienced feelings of anxiety and intimidation while working through the interaction. Ongoing research will further investigate the relationships between variables in order to determine likely influences on ICT interaction behaviour and predictions of student success.This research reports on the slippage between the students' initial attitudes and feelings and their actual responses while working through the interaction. Implications for pre-service education programs, as well as instructional design which utilises animation and text are also discussed in the research.