Exploring pre-service teachers’ intention to use virtual reality: A mixed method approach

Abstract

Despite the increasing integration of virtual reality (VR) into classrooms globally, there is a dearth of empirical evidence concerning perceptions and behavioural intentions of pre-service teachers to employ the technology in Nigerian classrooms, particularly within the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) framework. Consequently, this study examines pre-service perceptions and behavioural intentions to use VR. To accomplish this objective, we engaged pre-service teachers who voluntarily participated in this study by filling out an online survey for data collection. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected and analyzed using variance-based structural equation modelling, SmartPLS, and Atlas.ti, respectively. This data triangulation provided a comprehensive understanding of pre-service teachers' perceptions and behavioural intentions to use VR. Our findings, among others, reveal that perceived usefulness strongly predicts pre-service teachers' readiness and behavioural intention to use VR. This finding contributes to the ongoing discourse on how teachers, particularly trainee teachers, make decisions to integrate emerging technologies like VR in their classrooms, thereby offering valuable insights for policy formulation to enhance teacher training programs, especially regarding technology integration in Nigerian classrooms. It also emphasizes the importance of equipping teachers to address challenges related to adopting innovative technologies.