Examining the Influence of Social Media Networks on Kindergarten Student Teachers: An Analysis from the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) Perspective.

Abstract

This study delves into the influence of social media networks on prospective kindergarten instructors and their technology acceptance and usage behaviors. The study examines how views of technology's utility and usability affect this particular cohort of educators' intentions to use technology and, ultimately, how those intentions affect actual usage behavior. It draws on the well-known Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). The findings demonstrate significant empirical evidence for the validity of the TAM components in the setting of kindergarten student teachers after a thorough investigation of research hypotheses. The study specifically confirms that perceived usefulness and convenience of use both significantly and favorably influence intention to use. The study also shows that behavioral intention has a large, favorable impact on use behavior. This study has consequences for both theory and practice. As part of the theoretical contributions, TAM's application to the field of early childhood education is expanded, and its components are validated in this setting. In a practical sense, educational organizations and politicians can use these observations to help develop efficient technology integration strategies for kindergarten student teachers, thereby improving their teaching methods and, ultimately, the learning experiences of young learners. Thus, this study fills the gap between theory and practice by illuminating the adoption and use of technology by kindergarten student teachers. It also emphasizes the significance of technology integration in determining the direction of early childhood education in the future.