Participant or spectator? Comprehending the willingness of faculty to use intelligent tutoring systems in the artificial intelligence era

Abstract

The advancement of technology, especially the development and application of artificial intelligence, has deeply affected the education sector and brought opportunities for pedagogical adaptation. Intelligent tutoring systems, a major application of artificial intelligence in education, have drawn extensive concerns. However, in reality, the penetration rate of intelligent tutoring systems and the enthusiasm of faculty to use are still relatively low. This research examined the determinants of the willingness of faculty to use intelligent tutoring systems. Innovation diffusion theory was the theoretical basis of this research and it was adapted by incorporating perceived trust and experience. To gather data, a cross‐sectional questionnaire survey was performed and structural equation modeling was employed to analyze the data. The findings indicated that relative advantage, compatibility, perceived trust and experience are the contributing determinants of the willingness of faculty to use intelligent tutoring systems, while complexity has no significant effect. Meanwhile, complexity is significantly negatively affected by experience and compatibility. Relative advantage is significantly positively affected by perceived trust but not by complexity. Based on the research findings, relevant recommendations for encouraging faculty to use intelligent tutoring systems were proposed.