A TECHNOLOGY DIFFUSION APPROACH TO SOFT TECHNOLOGY: ITS DESIGN AND EFFECTS

Abstract

In light of the current state in which existing studies on the technology acceptance model are examined predominately in the context of hard technology, this study set out to examine the applicability of these results to soft technology. Also, in response to a call for more intervention-type studies in TAM, a technology diffusion approach to one specific soft-technology (student question- generation learning strategy) was devised. Its impacts on learners’ perceived task value, learning approaches and their relationships were the focuses of this study. Results of t-tests and regression analyses indicated that learners in the diffusion group perceived the introduced learning strategy as having significantly higher value than did the non-diffusion group. Additionally, learners in the non- diffusion group were inclined to adopt the surface learning approach more frequently than the diffusion group. Last, the prediction effect of task value on learning approaches was supported for the deep learning approach for both groups but was not supported for the surface learning approach for either group. Empirical significance of the study as well as suggestions for instructional implementation and future studies are provided.