Media Technologies and Artificial Intelligence in Education: Essential for the Future or Unwelcome Innovation? A look at general attitudes towards media technologies and artificial intelligence in education, and the framework for innovation adaptation

Since the role of education is of indescribable importance in societies, it is essential that education stays up to date with its time. As of recent decades, media technologies (MT) have been increasingly important in society and implemented in education, and now artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly developing and also seems poised to be majorly implemented in education. This study explores the positives and negatives of both MT and AI in education, tries to assess general attitudes towards the implementation of MT and AI in education, and tries to unravel key predictors that influence these attitudes. Based on adaptation innovation frameworks such as the diffusion of innovation theory, the technological acceptance model and the unified theory of acceptance of use of technology, certain predictors are implemented in this research. The associations that perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, experience, mobile self-efficacy, age and Schwartz’ human values have with attitude towards both MT and AI in education are researched. A self-administered online questionnaire was carried out to test these predictors (N=165), with predominantly positive results. The overall attitude towards MT and AI in education seemed neutral, however younger age groups were predominantly positive towards both MT and AI, where older age groups were predominantly negative towards both MT and AI. All predictors that were hypothesised to have associations with attitude towards MT and AI, were at least partially significant. As single predictors, perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, experience, mobile self-efficacy, age and Schwartz’ human values all had strong significant associations with both attitude towards MT and AI in education. In a wider model with all predictors implemented, perceived usefulness and age were seen as the strongest predictors for attitude, with perceived ease of use and conservatism also both having significant associations with both attitude towards MT as AI in education. Further research on both the attitudes towards MT and AI in education, as on the advancement of adaptation innovation frameworks is desirable, as it seems unavoidable that MT and AI are (going to become) essential in societies. Because of this, refined and future-proof frameworks to help with innovation adaptation could help with the implementation of MT and AI, and future innovations.