Information Technologies Pre-service Teachers’ Acceptance of Tablet PCs as an Innovative Learning Tool

The use of a tablet PC as an innovative tool in teaching-learning processes has become increasingly widespread on the university level. Liaw, Hatala, and Huang (2010) report that the fast spread of the tablet PC and relevant technologies parallel to the rise in internet access options has altered the nature of higher education thoroughly. A set of studies focusing on the use of the tablet PC in the university has shown that such technologies have contributed positively to teaching-learning processes (Dickerson, Williams, & Browning, 2009; El-Gayar, Moran, & Hawkes, 2011; Li, Pow, Wong, & Fung, 2010; Steinweg, Williams, & Stapleton, 2010). On one hand, Dickerson, Williams, and Browning (2009) describe learners of the modern age as advanced technology users. On the other hand, tablet PCs are a totally new concept for a majority of these users since they lack adequate experience with tablet PCs that they do not personally own. Based on this fact, Kyu (2011) claims that to promote this new technological tooltablet PCsa certain length of time should be spent to enable not only wider manufacturing of this electronic material but also to become familiarized with this new technology. Additionally, because of the high cost of their technical features and the limited software options Abstract The current study is aimed to determine if Turkish IT pre-service teachers’ acceptance of tablet PCs is within the framework of the Technology Acceptance Model. The research was patterned as a phenomenological study which is among the qualitative research methods. Participants were eight pre-service teachers studying in Trakya University, Faculty of Education, Computer Education and Instructional Technologies Department during the 2011-2012 academic year. A semi-structured interview, an activity list for tablet PCs, the students’ reflective journal and the researcher’s reflective journal were used to collect the data. Research data were analyzed via content analysis. Findings showed that IT pre-service teachers have technology acceptance towards tablet PCs which in turn directs in a positive way their attitude and behavioral intention to use. Nonetheless, various challenges concerning the hardware, software and communication may have negative effects on IT pre-service teachers’ technology acceptance of tablet PC.