Date of Conferral

2017

Degree

Doctor of Information Technology (D.I.T.)

School

Information Systems and Technology

Advisor

Steven Case

Abstract

The Digital Agenda for Europe (2015) states that there will be 825,000 unfilled vacancies for Information and Communications Technology by 2020. This lack of IT professionals stems from the small number of students graduating in computer science. To retain more students in the field, teachers can use remote robotic experiments to explain difficult concepts. This correlational study used the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) to examine if performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, and facilitating conditions can predict the intention of high school computer science teachers in Cyprus, to use remote robotic experiments in their classes. Surveys, based on the UTAUT survey instrument, were collected from 90 high school computer science teachers in Cyprus, and a multiple regression analysis was used to measure the correlations between the constructs and finally the model fit of the analysis. The model was able to predict approximately 35% of the variation of the teachers' intent to use remote robotic experiments. The biggest predictor was facilitating conditions followed by effort expectancy. Performance expectancy had little impact, whereas social influence had no impact on the intention of high school teachers to use remote robotic experiments in their classes. These results can help curriculum decision makers in the Ministry of Education in Cyprus to examine what factors affect the acceptance of remote robotic experiments and develop them in ways that would increase their implementation in high schools. By incorporating remote robotic experiments in high schools, students may learn difficult concepts, leading to an increase in computer science graduates and ultimately an increase in IT professionals.

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