Evaluating Intention to Use Remote Robotics Experimentation in Programming Courses

Evaluating Intention to Use Remote Robotics Experimentation in Programming Courses by Pericles L. Cheng MS, University of Texas at Austin, 2003 BS, University of Texas at Austin, 2001 Doctoral Study Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Information Technology Walden University April 2017 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 ofThe 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. Evaluating Intention to Use Remote Robotics Experimentation in Programming Courses by Pericles L. Cheng MS, University of Texas at Austin, 2003 BS, University of Texas at Austin, 2001 Doctoral Study Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Information Technology Walden University April 2017 Dedication I would like to dedicate this study to my wife and daughter for all of their patience during the past three years that I have committed to achieve my goal. Acknowledgments I would like to thank Dr. Steven Case for his continuous support over the last three years and his guidance in completing this work in the best possible way. He helped me when I was beginning my journey, when I was losing focus and finally when I was charging down the last mile of my dissertation. I would also like to thank my second reviewer Dr. Michael Orsega and Dr. Reginald Taylor for their valuable feedback into making my study more complete and accurate. I would like to thank my family for all their patience, and my friends for all of their support during the past years. Finally, I would like to thank Christos Dimopoulos for pushing me to pursue this degree, for all of his help during my studies, and for being there to push me when I was too tired to continue.