Impact of personal innovativeness in IT on the behavioural intentions of teachers of Kerala Investigating the mediating role of perceived usefulness

This research explores how Personal Innovativeness in Information Technology (PIIT) affects the Behavioral Intentions (BI) of teachers in Kerala to embrace educational technologies, emphasizing the mediating effect of Perceived Usefulness (PU). Utilizing the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and integrating PIIT as a significant external variable, this study seeks to offer a detailed understanding of how individual innovation attitudes influence technology adoption in education. A structured survey was conducted with 445 teachers from both public and private schools in Kerala, and the data were evaluated using Structural Equation Modelling. The findings indicated that PIIT is a strong predictor of both PU and BI, with PU acting as a mediator between PIIT and BI. The model explained 75.8% of the variance in behavioral intention, demonstrating substantial explanatory power. The study contributes to both theoretical and practical domains. Theoretically, it enhances TAM by incorporating personal and cognitive aspects, providing a better and holistic framework in comprehending the construct of technology adoption in the context of education. Practically, it underscores the need to promote PIIT and ensure user-friendly educational technology designs, especially in the realm of metaverse-based learning platforms. Furthermore, the results imply that Generation Z teachers, as digital natives, might need less assistance with usability but would benefit from systems that focus on engagement, personalization, and innovation. These insights offer valuable direction for educational policymakers, institutions, and instructional designers aiming to expedite digital transformation in Indian education