Learning Support Teachers’ Intention to Use Educational Robotics: The Role of Perception of Usefulness and Adaptability

Abstract

The implementation of Educational Robotics (ER) with special needs students (SNS) has been found to be helpful for knowledge improvement, by keeping students engaged and decreasing the risks of social exclusion. The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between learning support teachers’ (LST) perceptions about ER (i.e., perceptions of usefulness and adaptability) and intention to use ER with SNS. The data were collected via a questionnaire administered to 187 teachers at the end of a post-degree specialisation course. The results showed that LST perceived ER as highly useful for any typology of SNS; however, their perceptions of the usefulness of ER were stronger than their intention to use ER, particularly in the case of neurodevelopmental disabilities. In this case, participants reported that ER is less adaptable than useful and less adaptable with neurodevelopmental disorders than with socio-economic, cultural and linguistic disadvantages. Hierarchical multiple regressions showed that the intention to use ER for neurodevelopmental disorders was predicted by the perception of adaptability and the teacher’s level of experience with ER. As for socio-economic, cultural and linguistic disadvantages, the intention to use ER was predicted by the perception of usefulness and adaptability.

Keywords

• educational robotics
• attitudes
• learning support teachers
• special needs students
• intention to use