Exploring Factors Motivating Interns Learning and Using Technology: A Social Cognitive Perspective

The purpose of this study was to investigate factors influencing pre-service teachers‘ selfefficacy regarding technology integration during their studies in a teacher education program. The study examined self-efficacy, motivations, attitudes, intentions, as well as the personality traits of pre-service teachers who attended teaching methodologies courses in a Post- Baccalaureate program at a public university in the southeastern part of the United States. These pre-service teachers interned in elementary and secondary public schools around the area of Knoxville, Tennessee while they took coursework to pursue their Master‘s degree in education.

Participants were 151 students enrolled in the Post-Baccalaureate program. Data were collected by means of a user-reported self-assessment approach. The instruments consisted of a survey designed for the present study to measure interns‘ self-efficacy, motivations, attitudes, and intensions towards technology integration, and personality traits.

Bivariate correlation analysis revealed that interns‘ actual usage of technology integration during their internships was significantly correlated with their intention, motivation, attitudes, three sources of self-efficacy (Enactive Mastery Experiences, Vicarious Experiences, and Persuasion), and one personality trait-- Conscientiousness. Hierarchical regression showed that intention and vicarious experiences had direct relationships with interns‘ technology integration, and that Conscientiousness had an indirect relationship with the usage of technology integration via intention and vicarious experiences. Implications and ideas for future research were also discussed.