Using the Technology Adoption Model to Assess Faculty Comfort with the Learning Management System
When faculty need to use technology that is not familiar to them, it may take more time to integrate into to their teaching. The purpose of this study was to gather data on the ease of use and usefulness of the Blackboard LMS in anticipation of transitioning to a new LMS. A survey with the Technology Adoption Model (TAM) usability and perceived ease of use questions was sent to faculty in the Fall semester prior to the beginning of training for the transition to a new learning management system. Participation was voluntary and no questions were required.
Most participants completed the full usefulness and ease of use Likert-style questions, but many declined to fill out other questions about years teaching, title, age, or type of employment and comfort level. We obtained a 29 % response rate. Of those who received the survey, 48.5 % were Professors (full, assistant and associate) and 51.5 % were lecturers. Faculty averaged 13 years teaching with an average of 10 years at UNCW and most were between the ages of 44 and 65.
There was no significant association (α> 98%) between years teaching, title, age, or type of employment and usefulness or ease of use. Comfort level, however, demonstrated a negative association with both usefulness and ease of use. Faculty who identified themselves with lower comfort levels also reported that Blackboard was less useful and less easy to use. Based on the information gleaned in this survey, a full implementation plan including communication, opportunities for faculty buy-in for the plan, published timelines, and multiple options for training will be used to implement the new system.
