Empowering Rural Education: Teachers’ Adoption of Emerging Technologies Amidst Digital Challenges

Abstract

This study addressed the need to understand the process of technology adoption among rural schoolteachers despite the digital divide that influences their willingness to adopt emerging technologies as to what needs to be done to enhance teaching effectiveness. This understanding helps gauge the adoption process and identify the Level of Use (LoU) pertaining to technology adoption. The purpose of this study is to investigate the LoU of emerging technology adoption among rural schoolteachers in Sarawak and to what extent their LoU influences them to adopt emerging technologies. This study utilized LoU as one of the diagnostic dimensions of the Concerns-Based Adoption Model (CBAM). This study employed a qualitative research methodology using a multi-method of data collection, including in-depth interviews and document analysis. The result from the interview concluded that rural school teachers were in LoU I – Orientation, LoU III – Mechanical Use, and LoU V – Integration. In the analysis of interview data, three themes emerged pertaining to the extent to which rural school teachers’ LoU influences their willingness to adopt emerging technologies in their classroom practice: (i) teachers’ collaborative effort; (ii) learning experience; and (iii) professional development. This study can be regarded as a paradigm for rural schools seeking to adopt emerging technologies to augment instructional efficacy and improve pedagogical outcomes.