It's Easy Until It's Not: Elements Contributing to Rural Teachers' Technology Use
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Abstract
Technology has become a prominent aspect of K12 education. Current research on technology integration focuses on the initiatives and trends available to teachers as well as the barriers preventing integration. Schools face challenges moving forward to keep up with the changes in technology, especially those schools considered rural. This study sought an understanding of teachers’ technology use and, through interviews with 20 rural teachers from a single district, identified elements that contribute to said use that align with the constructs of perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use from the Technology Acceptance Model. Results suggest participants in a rural district are eager to use technology but are restricted by various internal and external barriers. The goal of this research is to gain insight using teachers’ perceptions of technology use in order to provide training and guidance for future integration.
Keywords: Technology Acceptance Model, perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, rural, technology barriers, technology integration