Applying a modified technology acceptance model to qualitatively analyse the factors affecting e-portfolio implementation for student teachers’ in field experience placements

The study involved student teachers enrolled in the Bachelor of Education English Language Programme at the Hong Kong Institute of Education. Students (N = 77) participated in a pilot study by electronically submitting their field experience portfolios in their third and fourth year of study. Student teachers were invited through e-mails to participate in focus group interviews. The purpose of this interview was to examine the merits and challenges of digitising the existing FE paper-based portfolio, using a digital portfolio platform, and to plan for future development using Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) as the research framework. All participants were required to create e-portfolios to showcase their achievements, the effects of actual system used led to long-term behavioural intention to use, diverging from the TAM’s original model, which predicted actual system use. Student teachers either participated in a semi-structured interview (n = 7) or replied via e-mails (n = 2). The results indicated that attitude towards usage (ATU) evidenced a direct relationship to behavioural intention to use. Furthermore, for those who had mixed ATU, perceived usage was the determining factor. The findings provide insightful information not only for the next implementation phase of an e-portfolio, but also for those considering implementing e-portfolios. Copyright © 2013 Informing Science Institute.