Mathematics teachers’ intention to participate in an online community: an investigation using the Theory of Planned Behaviour

Abstract This study employs the Theory of Planned Behaviour to investigate mathematics teachers’ beliefs regarding their intention to collaborate regularly in an online community. The central premise is that initiating such a community necessitates an implementation strategy informed by a better understanding of underlying beliefs influencing teachers’ participation intention. Accordingly, this research examines the intention of Australian mathematics teachers ( N = 430) to engage in an online community proposed by their peak state-based professional association. Central to this study, participants’ intentions to engage in regular collaboration predominantly ranged from ‘somewhat disagree’ to ‘agree’, with the average rating approaching ‘somewhat agree’, highlighting the need for targeted strategies to increase this intention. A prominent finding was that participants’ attitudes towards regular collaboration were the strongest predictor of their intention to participate. While participants felt somewhat in control of their collaboration behaviour, this perception did not directly influence their intention; instead, it mediated the influence of subjective approval from others and personal attitudes on their intention. Demographic factors and past online community experiences had far less impact on predicting intentions than the Theory of Planned Behaviour beliefs. Notably, the subjective norm related to perceived approval from others was rated the highest, whereas the norm related to others’ actual behaviour received the lowest ratings, reflecting a significant divergence in the perception of social approval versus actual behaviour. These findings culminate in implications for interventions and extend the application of the Theory of Planned Behaviour, enhancing knowledge about factors impacting teachers’ engagement in online communities.